[Legrand]

So... I'm building a set of craftsman angled shelves and I totally screwed up one of the set of biscuit slots on one of the sides. I put three biscuit slots that are meant to hold one of the shelves one inch off of their proper location, so I now have three 1/8" wide, 2 1/2" long scalloped slots above where they should be. I'm super depressed about this as the sides are glued up panels 18" wide at the base made from 1" thick quartersawn white oak and cost around $300 worth of wood.

I have no idea how to fix this. I tried to sawdust/glue fill them up, but it looks like crap. I almost wonder if I should slot the entire width to 1/4" with a router and cut a piece to patch it. I'd have to try to match the grain direction and I'm sure it will still stand out. I know you can try to make screwups look like "features" but I don't see how.

Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[John Smith_inFL]

welcome to the forum, Legrand - we're glad to have you here with us.
can you post some photos ?? It may not be the end of the world (or your project).
I've cut quite a few biscuit and dowel places wrong and just made the correct adjustments. Once glued together, nobody will ever know.

 

[ibewjon]

Is there any way you could put a trim strip or inlay across the whole width? I know that is not a normal craftsman feature. Someone here will have a better suggestion for you soon.

 

[jayseedub]

If you really want it invisible, instead of routing a full-length 1/4" dado, cut a V "dado" from edge to edge for the full length, and patch it with a corresponding v-shaped piece of wood. The edges will match perfectly.... at the edge, and nobody will ever know.

(Seeing pictures now--this solution obviously only works for the edge of a board seamlessly--not relevant to your situation--sorry!)

 

[Legrand]

Here's the pics. I haven't added correct biscuits yet. You can see crappy patch.

I don't know how a v groove would work here, the grain is the real issue.

And yeah, joined in 2015 and this is second post. I need to be more active.

 

[Lazyman]

If you have a cutoff from that board, I would try cutting some veneer on the band saw or table saw with as close of a grain match as possible. Fill the recess with wood filler of some kind with enough room for the veneer to be just slightly proud and glue the veneer in place matching the grain as well as possible. Use a card scraper or scraper plane to level the veneer. I would use liquid hide glue to make cleaning up the excess glue easier.

 

[LeeRoyMan]

Food for thought.
Rout out the sides above the shelf wide enough to cover the slots, and the same distance below the shelf and inlay a veneer band with the grain going the opposite direction that the shelf would be centered on.

Another option:
Cut 1/2" off the length of your shelves and add 1/4" thick sides to the shelf tall enough to cover the slots.
(Like a lip on the two ends)
No matter how well you patch it it still going to show.

You could rout the slot all the way from side to side and inlay a thin strip of contrasting veneer, but maybe think of doing the same thing below the shelf so it looks kind of planned.

 

[wapakfred]

Is it not possible to just put the shelf in 1" off from the original plan? Sorry for the silly thought....maybe the slots on teh other side are in the correct location (?).

 

[gdaveg]

1. Cheapest Solution:

Route out the slots 3/16" or 1/4" wide by some depth (say 3/16" deep) by the biscuit length. Sharpen a chisel to cut the slot ends square. Carefully cut the slot ends square.

Cut material from the same material you used to build the sides. Make the patch pieces 1/16" proud of the slots. Glue them in, Hyde would work and cleans up well from reading, not experience. Sand flush.

Don't point them out to everyone like I always do. The grain is the wrong direction, but same color. Many won't even notice. To your WW buds/gals you should fess up as they likely will see it.

2. Better and low cost solution (still not perfect):

Fill biscuit holes per item 1 above.

Move shelves up on both sides. The patches will not stand out as they are below the shelves and dot not extend to the ends. And again resist the urge to point out the mistake.

3. Perfect solution:

Rebuild panel.......$300 or $150 if only one panel needs correction.

 

[AMZ]

If it were me, I would build a new panel and salvage the bad one for a future project. The location of the slots will be difficult to hide and will forever bug you.

Look at it as a lesson for future work and if the rest of us would be truthful, we've made many mistakes with some worse than your.

 

[MFled]

I'm wondering if between the shelf above and below the slots you could add a veneer, you don't have to veneer the whole side, just between the shelves? The shelves will hide the change in grain above and below them. Like Lazyman suggested, if you have some cut offs or left over wood from the same boards, and you can resaw a veneer off of them, the color will be close enough to match, making it very hard to tell where you applied the veneer.

 

[Legrand]

Is it not possible to just put the shelf in 1" off from the original plan? Sorry for the silly thought....maybe the slots on teh other side are in the correct location (?).

It is not possible to move as the opposite panel has the same biscuit spots already cut at the correct spot. I found error during dry assembly.

As for building another panel, it's not in the cards. I really can't afford to lay out another $300 for this at this time.

I don't want to move the shelf up (to hide error below) as the spacing would look weird when compared to other shelves.

I believe I have a cutoff, I'll check when I'm back home. I think I will try to cover it with that in some way, shape or form, possibly could veneer the entire area between shelves. Hadn't thought of that.

Hopefully it's not really horrific. I'll stain it before assembly to test visuals. If I had experience with bowtie inlays, I'd try that on both sides as it would probably fit the aesthetic.

 

[QC Inspector]

With veneered surfaces that are damaged irregular pieces are cut out and a corresponding new piece of veneer with the grain as close to reasonably possible, inserted in to the area. Because the patch isn't round or square it is hard for the eye to pick up on. I would suggest doing the same with pieces made with your offcuts. There are bushings for routers that make the job easier. Lee Valley has two sets. Click the Care and Use beside the Description and it will lead you to the instructions on how they are used. You want to make an irregular pattern a little like a clover leaf or cloud. You could also do it with a scroll saw and various gouges, chisels and small router plane. I assume you don't have those tools but likely have a router. Practice on some scrap wood of any thing handy to get the hang of it. You don't need to rout deep enough to remove the bottom of the biscuit slot. An eight of an inch is lots.

Veritas Inlay Bushings - Lee Valley Tools

www.leevalley.com

Example of the punch used with veneer. https://www.veneersupplies.com/docs/instructions-veneer punch.pdf

Pete

 

[LesB]

Are you familiar with how bow tie inlays are made with a router? You could do something similar by making your own template in a oval shape (or what ever) and make the inlay pieces with a close matching grain.
Here is a video:

 

[Legrand]

Are you familiar with how bow tie inlays are made with a router? You could do something similar by making your own template in a oval shape (or what ever) and make the inlay pieces with a close matching grain.

I think I'll try this. Fortunately there's a Rockler store near me. I didn't know these router templates existed. Thanks.

 

[jacksdvds]

So... I'm building a set of craftsman angled shelves and I totally screwed up one of the set of biscuit slots on one of the sides. I put three biscuit slots that are meant to hold one of the shelves one inch off of their proper location, so I now have three 1/8" wide, 2 1/2" long scalloped slots above where they should be. I'm super depressed about this as the sides are glued up panels 18" wide at the base made from 1" thick quartersawn white oak and cost around $300 worth of wood.

I have no idea how to fix this. I tried to sawdust/glue fill them up, but it looks like crap. I almost wonder if I should slot the entire width to 1/4" with a router and cut a piece to patch it. I'd have to try to match the grain direction and I'm sure it will still stand out. I know you can try to make screwups look like "features" but I don't see how.

Any ideas? Thanks.

Why not fill bad slots with bisquik and trim flush with edge,
make slots that are right.

 

[LesB]

I think I'll try this. Fortunately there's a Rockler store near me. I didn't know these router templates existed. Thanks.

I assume you are referring to the guides for the router base not necessarily the templates. You can use the template guide on what ever shape insert you want to make. Practice on some scrap before you tackle your shelfs. I find with due care I can make the inserts fit very tight in the recess with no glue line noticeable. In you case you wouldn't have to go as deep as the biscuit cuts, 1/8" deep should work.

 

[Legrand]

This will be the position. These are mahogany. Wondering if I should use the white oak since they will abut the shelf.

 

[HammerSmith]

...I almost wonder if I should slot the entire width to 1/4" with a router and cut a piece to patch it. I'd have to try to match the grain direction and I'm sure it will still stand out. ...

That's exactly what I would do. Make it stand out!

Just rout a slot across the entire face and add a strip in something in there. Even if it's the same wood, the grain itself will be an accent. Not to mention if you select a complimentary wood and make it "a feature"...

But there's no way I would even consider trying to have an "invisible" patch... Then it would always look like a patch..

 

[LesB]

Partially because you are not doing this to strengthen or add support my thought was to make the patches look like an elongated oval. You would need to make your own template. If you can come close to matching the grain I doubt most people will notice it....just us picky wood workers...LOL Remember, only gods can make things perfect. I was reminded of this on a visit to Hearst Castle years ago. There is a huge wall hung tapestry and the guide pointed out an intentional mistake (a persons foot facing the wrong direction) "because only God could make something perfect". You could have spent hours trying to find it if it had not been pointed out. Then it became a focal point......