The endless discussions about which glues and methods are appropriate
are carried on in many venues.

As an architect involved in historic building work, I deal with problems
associated with past repairs done with modern materials.  Hard Portland
cements used where the traditional softer, weaker lime cements are
better since they don't damage soft brick or stone is one example.
Other restoration problems include appropriate sealants, coverings that
won't breathe and trap moisture, HVAC systems that perversely cause
more problems than they cure.  And all that before you get to deciding
what design of an intervention or addition is appropriate!

As an old boat owner and restorer, I, and my fellow aficionados deal
with these same problems and very often on objects that were never
expected to be repaired.  Tenacious or unremovable sealants used where
simple bedding compounds would have been as serviceable is one example,
thus my diatribe on silicones.  Covering wooden components with
somewhat impervious materials is a common way to have difficult or even
insurmountable problems later.  Glued repairs where mechanically
fastened and bedded joints were original is another.

I have come down, over the years, to taking the position that you
cannot go far wrong by using traditional materials and methods to
repair or replicate old things.  Allow others to prove that modern goos
and synthetics are an improvement.

That said, I would not hesitate to repair a split or shattered wood
component with an epoxy and additive (filler) mixture (I use West
System products; there are others).  I have often epoxied a shattered
piece where the missing splinters are replaced by the reinforcing
filler.  The epoxy is 'gap filling' in a way that hide glue, urea resin
and others are not.  I would then reassemble the repaired component to
the rest of the structure with the original methods.  Epoxy will likely
not have the right color where more than a hairline will show on a
clear-finished surface; I use sanding dust (of the matching species)
for the additive or thickener.

Doug Heckrotte
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
http://www.alvinholm.com/