Does Wood Filler Work For Hoffman Routing?

[Shayla]

This chop came with a gap at one end. Since the supplier mills/stains in house, they sent one replacement leg. It came with grain wildly different than the first three. They have no pattern, and it has crazy swirls. Now, we're wondering if we could make this first leg work. Have you used wood filler and routed through it, before inserting keys? We'd only do it, if it holds well.

 

[wpfay]

I would expect you need to use an epoxy filler to get the hardness, adhesion, and stability enough to be able to route a keyway in it.
I would call Gary at Hoffmann and see if he has any suggestions.
As an aside, the company in question should never have sent that as a chop. Given grain and figure variation, a matched complete replacement would be in order.

 

[David Waldmann]

I think that with a good epoxy you'd be OK. The fact is, the Hoffmann key does little to provide lasting strength (put a corner together with no glue and see how easy it is to break). There's almost as much mitered surface area on that piece as there would be when routed for the Hoffmann key.