Crack in new stock

[lanceyoder]

Last September I finished my first muzzleloader and I'm ready to start my second.
I found a reasonable priced walnut stock but I'm having second thoughts about using it.
There's a noticeable crack in the butt. This crack is well below the wrist and is noticeable on both sides of the stock.  I've been told these cracks are easy to repair but I want to do it right.
I have clamped the stock and the crack will close. My question is that type of glue to use.
I've been told to use industrial type super glue but that doesn't seem right to me. Does anyone have experience doing this?
I have no problem walking away from this stock if everyone thinks this crack will cause building problems or will be noticeable when finished.

Thanks

[Tom Currie]

Personnaly I'd start with a solid stock given the amount of effort it takes to complete a build. The way my brain works I'd think about it forever. If it cracked after the build was done , well then thats a different issue.

[bluenoser]

I tend to agree with Tom, however .............

It could be a stress crack that formed in the plank.  If the crack closes easily when clamped (no appreciable resistance)  the stresses could have been relieved when the stock blank was cut out.  If that is the case, and it is properly glued up, it would likely be a permanent repair.  I would glue it up, closely examine the repair and, considering the overall quality of the blank, decide from there.  If there is appreciable resistance, I would definitely not use it.

I am a firm believer in yellow wood glue such as Titebond II.  I have used gallons of it in cabinetmaking and, in my experience, the adjacent wood will fail before a properly done glue joint.  You do have to get good glue coverage throughout the crack.  There was a recent thread on crack repair that addressed types of glue and methods of application.

Laurie

[Dogshirt]

Titebond is excellant glue, I agree, the wood will break before the glue joint.
The only thing I would add is Titebond III claims it is stainable. I glued alder flooring
together with it and the glue joints did not show after we stained it.

[Dphariss]

Last September I finished my first muzzleloader and I'm ready to start my second.
I found a reasonable priced walnut stock but I'm having second thoughts about using it.
There's a noticeable crack in the butt. This crack is well below the wrist and is noticeable on both sides of the stock.  I've been told these cracks are easy to repair but I want to do it right.
I have clamped the stock and the crack will close. My question is that type of glue to use.
I've been told to use industrial type super glue but that doesn't seem right to me. Does anyone have experience doing this?
I have no problem walking away from this stock if everyone thinks this crack will cause building problems or will be noticeable when finished.

Thanks

The problem is that this may not be the only problem. There may be others in other parts of the stock that will arise as the stock is shaped.
Stocking a gun is too much work to start with a piece of wood with flaws.

Dan

Dan

[Gene Carrell]

Both Dan and Laurie make good points. Follow your instincts and be prepared for whatever happens. It sounds like you are already leaning towards replacement. "IF" you glue, use a product made for wood, such as Titebond II.

[lanceyoder]

Thanks guys!!  I appreciate the advice.

I bought the blank because of the price. Looks like the last owner figured out what I'm just now learning. I wanted to do a maple stock anyway.

Thanks again
Lance

[bluenoser]

Dan makes a good point.  However, otherwise sound planks frequently develop cracks at the ends during the drying process.  Wood sheds moisture more readily through end grain than across the grain causing differential shrinkage and resultant cracks.  That is why it is good practice to seal the end grain of wood before drying.

If the blank in question is dressed smooth and carefully inspected, it should be possible to find any other cracks - which would be a game changer for me.  If no other flaws are found, I think I might be more inclined to use this blank than one with, say, musket grain or significant inclusions.

Another question here - and another potential cause of the crack - is the current moisture content of the blank.  Depending on where lanceyoder is located and if it was air or kiln dried, I would expect the MC of a properly seasoned blank to be in the area of 6 to 12 %.  If it is still drying, anything could happen - and it probably will if shaped now.  Protimeters or moisture meters are relatively inexpensive today and I think it would be wise of all of us to check the MC of any wood from suspect sources before investing considerable time in it.

It appears lanceyoder and I may be at about the same point on the building/learning curve.  This is his second and I have only built a few.  If I started a project with a blank like this - only to discover other serious flaws, I would chalk it up to experience and start over with a fresh blank.  All I have invested is time.  If I were a more accomplished builder or doing it for a living, my opinion would be quite different.

Laurie