Cracked forearm

[Black Hand]

Since I will cover the crack with an inlay, I wonder if I need to glue the crack. What do you think?

Why cover with an inlay?

[gumboman]

I am going to install the inlay to cover the crack because the crack will not close. I have tried all the suggestions made here and it just will not budge. In fact since I have been been working with it to try and close it, the crack has widened a bit. My plan is to cut and form the inlay and before pinning, get some glue down in the crack to try and stabilize it. The glue line will be covered by the inlay.

I have designed the inlay to wrap around the belly slightly to avoid driving nails into the ramrod channel and I hope the inlay itself will provide support and help prevent the crack from getting larger.

[Mike Brooks]

Should have been a super easy invisible fix.

[Mikecooper]

I think if I couldn't close a crack like that I'd open it a little enough to glue in a thin slice of wood. 

Something that could help close the crack would be to temporary glue a block of wood on each side of it.  Put glue in the crack and pull it together with a C clamp on the temporary blocks.  After the glue dries remove the clamp and cut off the blocks. 

[JTR]

If you're going to cover the area with an inlay, drill a small hole at the end of the crack or even a little bit past the end. The hole will stop that crack from continuing to grow.
John 

[Scota4570]

I wrap these types of cracks with surgical tubing.  Be sure the barrel is in the stock.  You may want to put wax paper around the barrel.  Test clamp with the surgical tubing. Be careful you can crush an unsupported  stock with multiple layers of tubing. If you can not get the crack to close, try hot gluing a couple of blocks to the stock to direct the force. If you like it, work some glue into the crack.  I'd just let some CA wick in.  Full strength epoxy would be a good choice too.  Then wrap with surgical tubing.   I have used rubber band chains too.   

If you are putting an inlay over it I would cut teeth in the back of the inlay for the glue to grab.  I'd also put little pocks in the wood.  It may seem like overkill but I would spend some time now to definitively prevent problems later. 

[P.W.Berkuta]

The success you have with the repair will be dependent on your skill and experience with the type of "glue" you use. I do not have much success with CA type "glues" so I vote for TiteBond or Elmer's wood glue which I've had good luck with - stain first. TiteBond or Elmer's wood glue will give you a bit of working time where CA type glues will not. I would spread the crack with a thin steel shim stock (maybe 0.005") to open it a bit then force the glue in then wrap the joint tight with whatever will close the joint up. The suggestion of putting something into the barrel channel is a good one.

[Black Hand]

I am going to install the inlay to cover the crack because the crack will not close. I have tried all the suggestions made here and it just will not budge. In fact since I have been been working with it to try and close it, the crack has widened a bit. My plan is to cut and form the inlay and before pinning, get some glue down in the crack to try and stabilize it. The glue line will be covered by the inlay.

I have designed the inlay to wrap around the belly slightly to avoid driving nails into the ramrod channel and I hope the inlay itself will provide support and help prevent the crack from getting larger.

The crack should close easily, but you may need to be creative with your clamping. I'd suggest leaving the barrel in and cross-clamping with padded C- or Bar clamps. Staining the crack (water-based stain or heat-blushed Aquafortis) before gluing will avoid the white glue line often seen...

I WOULD NOT glue a piece of wood in the space.

The  use of an inlay should be a Plan Z....

[DHS]

Not unusual for wood to have internal stresses.  Low winter humidity adds to the stress and tendency to crack.  Could be your drilling let the wood do what it wanted to do.  Lots of solid wood furniture (scarce now days) with cracks that were not there when the piece was made and it doesn't take decades for the cracks to show.  If it is as difficult to close the crack as you say chances are glue will not be a permanent fix if it will hold the rack closed at all.  If it was me and I could not get the crack to close I would try to keep it from spreading.  If there is enough wood I would pin it in a few places perpendicular to the crack with small diameter dowel rods.  Stop drilling is also a good idea.  Could pin the stop hole but don't pound a tooth pick in, just light pressure so as not to wedge the crack open.   

[gumboman]

I agree this crack should be an easy fix. Common sense and past experience make me believe that I should be able to close the crack. However, despite all my efforts this crack will not budge. I tried to pry it open (to create an opening for glue) by inserting a wedge in the part of the crack under the lower thimble extension. The crack did not open but the wood under the thimble extension broke under the force of the wedge and the crack did not move.

At this point I have given up on trying to close the crack. I will watch if for some time to see if it changes before I do anything.  Most likely I will install a belly inlay. I see this problem as an opportunity to learn a new skill. After experimenting with making and fitting a belly inlay I can see it will not be that easy to get a good fit. It is also an opportunity to create an embellishment that I might need to employ again in the future should my ramrod drill wander. This is just another challenge added to the list of challenges I face in building long rifles. There was a time when this type of problem would cause me to lay awake at night. No longer. I have built enough guns to know I will find a solution and when the gun is finished all will be fine.

[bluenoser]

There is another possibility for why the crack will not close.  The OP stated the crack occurred when he was trying to enlarge the RR hole and my understanding is that he was running the drill through the hole.  Chances are, the drill picked up a sliver and jammed it into the crack.  If that is the case, no amount of pressure is likely to draw the edges together so long as the sliver is in there.  Having been in that situation in a cabinetmaking shop, I can tell you it is a bit of a pickle.  If a sliver is the problem, there is a chance it could be dislodged by placing a wedge in the RR hole to slightly open the crack and then hitting the crack with compressed air from the outside.  by the look of the crack, I would guess the sliver is about 2/3 of the way back from the RR entry point.  It's a longshot but it has saved my bacon on at least one occasion.

[Cody Tetachuk]

I would inject white carpenters glue in the crack with a syringe. I get them from a friend whose daughter is diabetic. You can inject it to the centre of the wood so it seeps out both sides for a perfect bond. Then, with the barrel in place, wrap the whole thong TIGHT with surgical tubing. This will give you the best bond and will pull the crack as tight as it will ever get. If you do this without the barrel in you run the risk of the tubing pulling the edges of the stock in and opening up the crack. Of course, the syringe is a one use only then you throw it away. 

[gumboman]

Good suggestions from all for a fix. Thank you. Syringe and glue will most likely be employed to help ensure the crack does not widen. And compressed air is another real good idea. Will put both into action. I have my inlay mostly designed. Looking forward to installing it.