# Best fix for a botched half blind dovetail joint



## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

As I was trying to adjust this buy eye I got a little carried away and cut the mortise a bit too wide. I guess I need to do some probing to find out if is mostly at the top or pretty much al the way. The joint feels fairly snug but being a workbench leg I am worried it may fail with some pounding.








So here are my choices so far that I have come up with.
1) Leave it alone and pack the crack with sawdust mixed with glue.
2) cut a small wedge of pine to fill the gap and drive it in from the top.
3) Cut the whole sidewall wider and glue a large piece in and recut the wall properly.

Also may have some other options that I may not have thought of. While I don't want it to be fugly it is a workbench so a minor error showing is not the end of the world.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

Cut a sliver (wedge) of oak to place alongside the dovetail. Glue, tap into place, plane smooth after glue dries.


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## GR8HUNTER (Jun 13, 2016)

I would prolly do #2 but I'm
not that fussy :<)))))


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## them700project (Aug 12, 2015)

One option is to cut the tail into another piece and recut the tail.

another option is to fill it with wood glue/sawdust and sand


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

> Cut a sliver (wedge) of oak to place alongside the dovetail. Glue, tap into place, plane smooth after glue dries.
> 
> - Smitty_Cabinetshop


+1


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

Thanks Smitty, 
I was thinking the a pine wedge but now that you mention it the oak may work better. This is where it helps to not clean that shop at the end of each day. I need to get the cutoff that came off the dovetail.


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## bilyo (May 20, 2015)

If you want to determine if the gap is continuous, use a soft pencil or chalk to put a series of marks on one of the mating surfaces. Then slide the joint together and then pull it apart. Observe where the marks are either rubbed off or leaves smudges on the other side. This will tell you where there are high spots or low ones. You can use either a chisel or sanding block to even the gap, if necessary, and then use a pine plane shaving with some glue to fill the gap.

On the other hand, I assume since it is a workbench, you are probably not too concerned about appearance. If your concern is mainly structural, you might consider glueing it with epoxy. However, if it feels pretty rigid when assembled dry, it will likely be strong enough with ordinary yellow glue.


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

bilyo, 
I was in the shop last night and did some probing with feeler gauges and as I was writing this I had one of those face palm moments. Because this joint needs to come apart so I can work on the long stretchers it is only dry fitted at the moment. So I will be able to add some material to the oak piece and trim to fit. I don't know why but my mind was thinking I must glue and wedge in at the moment instead of adding material and working it after it dries.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

^ That'll create the best solution possible at this point, IMO. Pare the tail nice and flat, add material, then pare that to fit perfectly before finally assembly / glue up.

Okay, you've got a plan. Now get 'er done!


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