When working with wider, thicker slabs of wood, it is not uncommon to have checking (cracks) in the surface, particularly at the ends. While there are a couple of ways of dealing with this, such as filling the gaps with wood or putties or epoxy, I prefer to leave it as it is, treating it as a feature instead of a flaw and stabilizing the check with a butterfly spline.
Projects from Make: Magazine
Butterfly Spline
"Arikata" is a method of stabilizing checks in thick slabs of wood in aesthetically pleasing way. It can be used for joining boards together for tabletops etc.
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Steps
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Step #1: Spline
- You need 1 spline for every 3-5 inches of checking.
- Cut a couple out of paper and lay them on the piece to find the right size.
- You can make it as small as 1/2″ x 1″ up to 1 1/2″ x 3″. Keep it on the thin side, between 1/4″ – 1/2″.