Repairing end-grain checking

[johnny means]

Yeah, I've used that technique to hide repairs and reinforcements with pretty good results.

[Mark Gibney]

Jim, I'm very interested in the outcomes you get with the different steaming / bending combinations you are trying. I also find air dried lumber difficult to get where I live.

It would be very useful to me if you summarized the different approaches and outcomes at the end of all this. Thanks.

[Jim C Martin]

Update: I cut into two of the ends with the worst checking. None of the cracks was more than 7/8" deep.
I'm about to redo the whole process but with a modifications:
1. I have sealed the ends with paraffin prior to soaking in water/downy. This time I'm using the Downy with no dye or scent.
2. I left the parts about 3 1/2" oversized (longest I can fit into my container) so I can cut off checking at the ends.
3. I will seal the ends again right after I bend them and let them dry in my house rather than outside. I'm in Utah and right now we're getting highs around 100 with single digit humidity so drying outside would be pretty fast. We use an evaporator cooler in our house making it relatively cool and moist so the pieces should dry much more slowly. I'll keep them in the house for a week prior to moving them back out to the garage.
Much of this may be overkill because 1" oversize on each end would have saved me last time around. Live and learn.
Cheers,
Jim

Agreed. Those checks more than likely run through the entire piece.