# How to Make a Bow Joint
The bow tie joint, which is also known as a butterfly or a Dutchman joint, is named for its shape. The joint has an hourglass shape like a bow tie, and it is used to repair cracked or damaged wood. The wider edges hold the wood on either side of a crack together. Bow tie joints are sometimes made from a different wood than the surrounding surface, so when stained it can be clearly seen, adding character to the piece. Placements for the joints can be made using a router inlay or, more traditionally, a hammer and chisel.
Things You'll Need
- Small blocks of wood
- Band saw
- Pencil
- Chisel
- Hammer
- Epoxy
- Sawdust
- Grinder
- Sander
- Stain
- Cloth
Instructions
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1
Cut wood into rectangular blocks with a band saw. The exact dimensions of the blocks are not critical as each bow tie joint can have a unique shape. Estimate the length of the block to be about three times the width. Cut the thickness of the blocks to less than that of the wood you wish to repair or, if the wood to repair is extremely thick, about the same as the width.
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2
Use the band saw to make a cut from the corners of each block slightly toward the center of the wood at about a 15-degree angle. Repeat this cut for each corner of the blocks until the two cuts on each side meet about halfway along the length of the block on that side. This should result in the cut blocks having an hourglass, or bow tie, shape.
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3
Trace, using a pencil, the bow tie shape of the cut blocks over the crack they are meant to repair.
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4
Place the tip of the chisel slightly inside the pencil line of the block outline, facing the flat part of the chisel away from the center of the shape. Hold the chisel perpendicular to the wood and tap it with the hammer. Repeat this process, tracing just inside the perimeter of the line. This will create a clean cut along the joint's edge and start to dig out the wood from inside the shape.
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5
Chisel within the traced line and dig out the wood in the outline to make the joint space. Continue digging the wood from the space until the depth of the joint is a little bit less than the thickness of your block. Do not dig completely through the wood, and the bottom of the joint space does not need to be perfectly smooth as it will be filled in with epoxy later. Repeat these two steps for each joint along damaged area of the wood.
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6
Mix epoxy and sawdust to make glue. Apply this mixture generously to the bottom and sides of the joint spaces.
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7
Press the blocks into their unique spaces. Hammer into place and let the glue dry.
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8
Grind the exposed bow tie joints until they are level with the surrounding wood.
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9
Sand the surface until it is smooth.
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10
Apply wood stain to the surface with a cloth. Let dry.
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