[Woodcarver] Re: Need advice carving repair

[Victor Hamburger]

> From: "Alex Bisso" <albisso at bresnan.net>

> 

> I have been asked to repair a very nice carved wooden Quan Yin statue 

> and would like to get some advice from someone who has made similar 

> repairs. The statue has developed some very serious cracks with the 

> starting at the base and opened up around ¾".   I am confident that I 

> can fill the cracks and reshape and refinish the carving to look good 

> but I would like to do it in a manner that will prevent future cracking 

> and I am not sure the best way to do this.


Alex,

If the statue has the central core or pith of the tree still on the inside, then 
you are always likely to have problems with expansion and contraction due to 
weather changes, humidity, etc.

To reduce the problem considerably, will the owner allow you to hollow out the 
interior? If the outside diameter is perhaps 12", then I would try for 4-6" 
removed.  This will reduce the stress considerably, then the wood wedges, wax, 
etc will hold better and be less likely to further damage the outside or crack 
it all the way thru.

And NO, I am not sure how to hollow it, other than a large drill like a forstner 
bit and then a chisel to widen/deepen the initial hole.

	Vic H