Antique Shelf Repair

[Thad]

Need some help. Trying to repair/restore and antique mission oak buffet. After taking the furniture a part and started to prepaing the wood to be refinished. After sandingone of the shelves it appears an insect had some how gotten into the board and chewed into it. The hole is 7 inches but only 3 inches are exposed. Need some suggestions on how to repair it. Attached are the pictures of the damage. There is no insect in the hole anymore. I found the skeletal remains of the insect as I cleaned out the hole.

Thought about using filler putty, clear or colored epoxy or even using the router and filling the hole with scrap lumber.

[John Schaben]

If that's an antique, most advice I've heard is to do as little as possible to maintain the value. If you can find a piece of oak with a closely matching color/grain pattern, I'd use a router and inlay a patch. That would probably destroy any antique value it may have though. You should really check with an antique dealer or professional restorer and see what your options would be. I think repairs can be made but period methods and materials must be used.

[Ken Darga]

I'd fill the void with melted stick shellac.

Stick shellac can be obtained in a variety of color shades.

Melt the shellac with an electric ''burn-in knife'', and fill-in the voids. 

Works for me.

[David Dean]

Oh thats a easy one thats a worm hole all you need is some fine sawdust and glue some people like to mix it up but I put some glue in and work my sawdust in down here in Missouri we get alote of oak with worm hole's in it.

[Ken Darga]

Most glues will not absorb stains---

therefore, it may be difficult to match the surrounding color area.

[Jens Jensen]

If you do like Dave Dean said and use Titebound polyurethane glue you can stain it.But than again if you leave the worm hole it is just as attractive than smooth wood