Better Than Wood Filler! || Great Method For Fixing Checks and Cracks

[@toddwilley1776]

just started off in the woodworking business and I just received my first order, and I thought I was going to have to start over because of the snipe, you just saved my project and my wallet, the repair advice worked out perfectly. Thanks Jeff, your advice on the video is a trick I'll never forget!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Fantastic! My mentor once told me its not how well you build in your craft, but how well you recover from the mistakes you make that makes you great. Enjoy the journey and best of luck!

[@UsernameVegeta]

Building a custom coffee table for a customer, had some cracks in my joints. I was very upset because it looked like shit, but this saved the whole job. Amazing tip I will take it with me the rest of my carpentry days.

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Love to hear this, so happy it worked out for you! It truly is something to take with you for life. Cheers!

[@nanoceramics2747]

Great idea, will make my project look super.

[@kathleengrimando9429]

Man do I wish I'd seen this before!!! Will certainly be trying this! Thanks!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Better now than never! Once you get this method down it is a real game changer.

[@PP-gy8gg]

Hi from Australia. This is excellent. I like the cut of your jib...

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Cheers down under! Hope you're getting into some good projects!

[@PP-gy8gg]

@JeffEstesBuilds certainly am. As I don't have a table saw and needed some very fine slithers I went to the local cabinet maker and showed a snippet of your video. They gave me a great lot of slithers of various wood species. May help your followers particularly DIY'er types like me..

[@DaizyEckleburg]

Wow, blows my mind and changes my world on how to do some repairs. Love this. Thank you for the video.

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Glad you can take something from it!

[@michaelkeymont501]

Awesome! I’ll be doing this to all of my cracks... ...except one...

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Well played.

[@MokaPots]

Genius. Thank you!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Thanks for watching!

[@isfahelww]

Wow thanks! You just saved my project!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Glad this helped!

[@lasurvivor47]

This is the video I was looking for. Thank you for making it. Very nice work. Thank you!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Glad it helped, thank you for watching and commenting!

[@PavanPatel-ot2lb]

This worked out perfectly for me, thanks for sharing

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Love to hear that!

[@Shanfull]

Man that sure did help. I had some huge gaps in my floor and that worked nicely. Thanks.

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Glad to hear it. The best part is, it will age better than any filler on the market as it is a solid glue joint of the same species, so as the expansion and contraction work in cohesion. My mentor taught me this trick on a 11' white oak table heading to a client in Florida from Nashville, and it saved our delivery!

[@kevinurda2018]

Great tip.

[@donhuffer5167]

Had you used a grain filler it would be like glass. Great vid and great fix method.

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

You know I've never used traditional grain filler but am looking to try some. Any recommendations?

[@donhuffer5167]

@ Mohawk wood grain filler. It’s a little pricey but you’ll get a piano finish.

[@kamandi5433]

Thanks Jeff - Nice & Simple.

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

My Pleasure! Hope this helps you down the road.

[@gregariouswoodworks1270]

Thanks for the tip! Have an old rocking chair that I'm working on restoring and this trick should do

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Heck yea! If you do it, let me know how it turns out if you remember to!

[@davehickson]

I’m a wood working nut, and this was a cool trick!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

One of my favorites!

[@geniechilders3242]

Great idea! Thanks for the great hack!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

No problem, hope it helps!

[@TL50-r9f]

Going to do this with the table I am working on. Makes perfect sense, wood fillers never match up with any wood.

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Heck yea! You can even do it over with a kerf cut if necessary or a router pass and inlay a real big whoopsie. Hardwood > Filler

[@harlanhoyt7403]

Fantastic tip! Thanks!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Absolutely, best of luck with your projects!

[@joshuamaverick3881]

Awesome thanks first video that fixes the problem without epoxy awesome video

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Thank you and glad it helps! And yes, we need less epoxy videos out there. 😬

[@athenarobbins2515]

Brilliant idea! Loved it! Made perfect sense! Thanks!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

You are absolutely welcome! Best of luck on the repairs!

[@SmallGameHunter]

awesome tip! thanks for sharing!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Happy to do so, hope it helps.

[@garyn4318]

Good tip... I have just made a table and that happened to me... Guess what I'm going to be doing now 👍 thanks

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Glad to hear it helped! It really is a lifesaver on table tops.

[@gellotoad]

this is awesome, probably the best way to do it! watched a lot of videos before this one, and the result werent that good

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Glad you found it helpful! This trick really makes imperfections in joinery more approachable as you wrap up your projects. Perhaps most importantly, a fix you can trust at the cellular level that is way less likely to flake or crack.

[@kevincrosby8689]

Great idea definitely have done this and works great

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

It is truly a life saver on table tops!

[@gurnblanston5000]

Can you repair my balsa porch deck?

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

You got Balsa wood larger than a model airplane? Lets do a little tradesy.

[@gurnblanston5000]

@@JeffEstesBuilds Balsa forest has Redwood size trees. Weight of 6 large marshmallows...☺

[@christinafoster7947]

This is great! Thank you!!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Glad it was helpful!

[@logotrikes]

What a brilliant idea. Well done dude...

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Thanks Martoon, I was fortunate enough to have a great mentor coming up in wood working that taught me this trick. Happy to share and hope it helps!

[@chasein7019]

That was pretty good.

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Thank you, hope this helps!

[@stephaniegutierrez6222]

Hmm I bought an old “queen and dining room set“ from a thrift store I have no idea what type of wood it is. I know that I could use wood glue but where would I find a little piece of wood to do this technique that you show in the video? Or would I just be better off gluing it only seeing as how I don’t know what type of wood I’m working with?

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Great question: for starters the best way to identify the wood is to familiarize yourself with some basic wood grain images from google or carpentry books. If that doesn't work out, step two is a combo: head to a local cabinet shop and ask them if they can tell you what the table is made out of and if they would be able to provide you with a wedge slice (offer them some money for their time and you might get lucky). Unfortunately the key to this working is the shape of the wedge which requires the use of a table saw, track saw, or potentially , meticulous sanding work. Try to find a carpenter to help you procure some scrap of the same wood BEFORE you resort to filling it with glue and sawdust or an epoxy counterpart! Let me know how it goes and best of luck.

[@edwoodcon9039]

Nice video. Thanks for sharing .can you tell me what polish or color you used? Nice clear finish 👍. And what sealer I can use to prevent furniture from spliting ?? Waiting for your experienced reply

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

I believe the color was Early American by Varathane. The clear coat is Minwax hand rub poly oil based satin. I did not use a sealer on this table as the hand rub poly is cut with mineral spirits and acts as a sealer as well. About 3-4 coats of this 4 hours apart will get you a very durable yet minimal build. Unfortunately, no particular sealer will prevent wood from splitting by itself. Most checking or splits come from improper joinery or joint failure due to extreme variation in temperature and moisture. If your piece is going to be exposed to heavy UV light I would always recommend using a Spar Urethane or outdoor oil.

[@edwoodcon9039]

@@JeffEstesBuilds happy to see your reply .thank you very much for your time. I ll use outdoor oil next time in sha ALLAH. Thanks again

[@clemmcguinness1087]

Nice technique. Thanks

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Anytime! Hopefully more on the way soon!

[@GregPaxson]

Very cool. Thank you for this

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Happy to pass it along, was lucky to have someone show me!

[@richwahneEXPERTSmadeEasy]

Not sure I can hit 5% on the cut, but an AWESOME tip!! What did you use for the clear finish coat?

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

You can do it! Just take your time and keep it firmly against the fence. The clear coat was a hand rubbed Poly, Satin by minwax. The kind int he black and gold can with a red band, NOT the blue and white one- that stuff is a sticky mess.

[@skootrcootr4073]

Thanks 👍

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Hope it helps!

[@FullerFocus]

Thank you!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Cheers!

[@sajidrafique375]

wonderful... show me how to repair a chipped corner now

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Copy that! Will make a video soon for corner repair.

[@thinsteel]

Great video thanks

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Absolutely, thanks for stopping by.

[@BigMarkJr1083]

Thank you! I will definitely try this!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Heck yea! Be sure to me know how it turns out.

[@BigMarkJr1083]

So far its turning out fabulous! For my first build and glue up anyway.

[@BigMarkJr1083]

@@JeffEstesBuilds so... it turned out really good!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

@@BigMarkJr1083 YES!!! So glad man, congrats!

[@MRcaterpus]

v nice one

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Many Thanks.

[@navi3see]

Badass dude thanks

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

🤙🤙

[@RDAUGIRD]

Hell yeah! Like number 666. I am going to try this on a cedar Barton I’m building.

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Hahaha! Dude I think we should build you a cedar cross for good measure based on the timing. Then again, maybe something more rock and roll!

[@RDAUGIRD]

Meant to type bar top.

[@Blackcreekstudios]

Thank you.

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Cheers!

[@WoodchuckNorris.8o]

Love it

[@adamthewoodworker2571]

Hello, is there an "official name" for this technique or do you know of any search terms I could use to find more videos using this same technique? I can't seem to find other videos like this. Unless you're the only one lol

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

No "official" term that I know of just what my mentor taught me some years ago. I call it the wedge method which is how I was taught. I can make a followup video to this if you would have an interest to do more detailed footage on it. Also feel free to ask questions here, I will do my best to answer.

[@adamthewoodworker2571]

@@JeffEstesBuilds Thank you. I would be very interested in a follow up video on this topic. Also, not sure if you have a personal Instagram or instagram for this account, but if so I would really enjoy following up regarding some things that I have tried, based on your video, to fill those smaller cracks

[@raybartell9807]

Would wood filler be OK?

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Not for a check or true split in the grain. Usually a significant check requires a key or inlay crossing grain direction to terminate the advancement of the split. Usually holes and knots only for filler.

[@matbennett6829]

awesome job Jeff, so simple and so perfect! can I ask what Dewalt table saw you use for doing that?

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Hey Mat, thank you! It is definitely one of the best tricks I have learned in my career and am very happy to share it. The the saw is the Dewalt 15 amp 10", found at home depot or most online retailers. Be sure if you invest in a saw like this it comes with the stand, it is the major reason I chose this particular tool. That being said, if you're in a bind and need to make a wedge you can effectively set your skill saw on a 5 degree bevel and manually cut the boards.

[@matbennett6829]

@@JeffEstesBuilds thanks heaps buddy!!! Yes for now I’ll use my circular saw but really need a table saw. Awesome info! Regards from Barcelona! 🤘🏼

[@JoRoBoYo]

it is so weird, i come up with this method in my head, was going to try it later, and youtube suddenly recommend this video.

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Yea we probably live in a matrix, or at least some greater beings own youtube channel of the cosmos.

[@marcuspoe9353]

sweet

[@matthewandthehope9972]

Hey, nice bit of info! I’ve been trying to research this strategy for quite some time. Maybe I’m just not using the correct search terms, but finding ANY info on possible ways to use this technique has been an absolute nightmare. I’ve got a few cracks in the top of my acoustic guitar, (running parallel to the strings and the grain.) I’ve rehumidified the guitar, which significantly helps to close the cracks, but not quite all the way. Plus... the cracks predate my ownership of the instrument, and were already pre-stained by a few year’s worth of dirt and dust... Methods of removing those stains before I attempt the repair job is another topic I’ve spent WAY too long trying to find, with zero results. So with no experienced outside info to educate myself with, I’ve been thinking the best way to remove the discoloration at this point is to very slowly and carefully razor it out... which then becomes reason #2 for filling the cracks with your method shown here. (Though it would be on a much smaller scale) If that’s the road I take, the cracks will likely end up in a “V” shape, with the biggest part of the gap (approx. 1/16”) being on the surface of the guitar top, getting slimmer as it travels down towards the body cavity. Some parts of which are not cracked all the way through, so even after removing the stained wood, I’m not gonna be left with large holes to fix. Sorry for the lengthy precursor... My questions are, would you think that this approach, if done with extreme caution, is a good course of action, or would you suggest another route? Do you have any experience in instrument repairs? Any insight or advice would be much appreciated. Though I don’t have any real training in woodworking, I’ve been shocked at the results I’ve gotten with previous fixes, based on someone’s KZbin video, and a lot of patience. I think I’ve got a knack for this sort of thing... just not any expertise. Anyway, thanks for your time, and again, great video!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Hey Matthew, first of all thanks for reaching out these are excellent questions. I will do my best to clarify and advise accordingly. My answer to the first question starts with some questions I would ask myself: 1) Is there a luthier who would take this on, and is it in my budget. 2) Is the damage effecting the performance of the guitar enough for me to justify a risky procedure 3) If no one will help or it is not in the budget, can I live with the procedure not going well? Here are some scenarios 1) Lets say on a guitar I play daily or tour with but can not find someone to repair it, but the sound or structural quality is not effected; I am going to do nothing. 2) Call it a "beater" guitar you play with the crew when your slamming whiskey, I'm going all in on the experiment and trying my best to learn and fix as I go. 3) Its a great guitar, you don't want to damage it but it needs work. No one will help you and you want to save several hundred dollars and willing to risk it: practice this method 5-10 times on something else. Use real life projects like desks or tables from Good Will or "free on craigslist" and just put in the time. Once you observe the results for a month or two in acclimating conditions with temp and humidity and they satisfy your needs for a guitar, move forward and give it a proper go. Be SURE to use the same species of wood for the wedge as the part(s) you are fixing. I would use wood glue not epoxy. Sand lightly. Do not worry about stain right now focus on the method. Be patient, be persistent in your training and be cautious before you dive in. I think you will do just fine with practice! Let us know how it turns out and what you decide to do.

[@johnbishop5316]

Just like repairing a piano soundboard!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Wow, John I had no idea that's what one would do for this, but it makes complete sense to me thinking about it. Definitely the best method I know of for matching the original strength, coloration and properties of the lumber used in the project. I assume acoustics and sound quality applies to this logic as well.

[@johnbishop5316]

@@JeffEstesBuilds Exactly the same.

[@christinafoster7947]

This is great! Thank you!!

[@JeffEstesBuilds]

Glad you liked it! Great technique to have in the bag.