# Broken Finger joint/box joint issue?



## Woodworking Beginner (Dec 4, 2015)

I had some help from a friend with assembling a finger joint for an important graded woodworking project. The fit was a little too snug/tight, and so he decided to use a rubber headed mallet to tap it in while we were assembling. Unfortunately, a crack developed that led to the extruding "pin" of the finger joint to fall off 2 days later. Thankfully, only 90% of that extruding "pin" cracked off and I am using PVA glue and to glue the bit that fell off back onto 10% of that joint with a vice and clamp in place too. Please tell me whether the broken finger joint piece will be strong enough to be used in the future, and any other potential issues or worries that I should be/should not be worried about.
Thank you so much, sorry for the long post.


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## Mort (Jan 4, 2014)

I guess we would need to see a picture. Are the fingers large, or are there a bunch of small ones? What is it on?


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## Woodworking Beginner (Dec 4, 2015)

Thanks for replying mate. Only one of the pin was cracked off, it's 1.8cm wide (just under 3/4") and 3cm (just under 1 1/4") high. The stock is 1.8cm thick (makes sense), and about 90% of the extruding pin fell off completely, leaving a small 10% of the original pin still intact with the piece. I used PVA glue specifically to glue it together plus some clamps and a vice. I've got no pictures tho, I left the work at the workshop.


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## Woodworking Beginner (Dec 4, 2015)

[I guess we would need to see a picture. Are the fingers large, or are there a bunch of small ones? What is it on?]
Thanks for replying mate. Only one of the pin was cracked off, it's 1.8cm wide (just under 3/4") and 3cm (just under 1 1/4") high. The stock is 1.8cm thick (makes sense), and about 90% of the extruding pin fell off completely, leaving a small 10% of the original pin still intact with the piece. I used PVA glue specifically to glue it together plus some clamps and a vice. I've got no pictures tho, I left the work at the workshop.[/QUOTE]


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## 4DThinker (Mar 13, 2013)

Sounds like the fingers/pins were cut in side grain rather then end grain. That, or the grain of the wood was squirrely enough to end up with grain running across rather than down the length of one or more fingers.


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