split in old wood view camera body

DWThomas: if the method I'm going to use doesn't work I'll give your suggestion a go.

Doug

Hello Doug;
The crack is probably an issue related to the wood shrinking. Take some yellow glue (Titebond) and thin with a very small amount of water. Then proceed as Dave suggested. Using a small brush to work in the glue and appling to the wood shavings. Clamp lightly if needed, Steven.

I would not use yellow glue since it can move if under tension. My first choice would be hide glue. It is reversible and extremely strong. It is used in making violins, repairing pianos, and antique furniture. The best kind you heat although Titebond does make some that you use right out of the bottle although not as good as the type you heat.

As a violinist, I'll second the use of hide glue. The main benefit is that it's very flexible when dried so that the wood can still resonate (a very important property of instruments). The downside, of course, is that the glue will need seasonal maintenance. Still, if the wood breathes seasonally, as it should, then repairing this crack with hide glue won't result in another crack from built-up tension.

I repair a lot of badly damaged, split. broken, in fragments parts, cameras and wooden TP shutter casings. I'm now using a 2 part glue, comes in a plastic bottle which you apply to one surface and then a catalyst you spray on the other.

In a case like this I'd use the glue then clamp tight and apply the catalyst, I want to avoid any filling if possible.

Ian