I have a drawer that has developed a crack in the side. The wood must have been under a lot of stress. I can’t even press the wood back to its original shape without a lot of pressure.
What’s the best strategy for repairing this drawer. I’m willing to cut out a piece and replace it with new wood (I have glue, a router, stain etc) but I’m not sure I can get the pieces flat/straight enough.
I would get some quality wood glue and a few bar clamps and glue it back together, following the directions on the glue label. Use some furring strips on the top and bottom so you don't dent the side edges with the clamps Making a new side would be tricky because you'll need to duplicate the dovetail, rabbet and groove joints that are there on the new wood.
You may want to consider using glue and clamps to rejoin the crack as suggested by others in comments and answers. But as an additional strength adding step you could consider sanding off the finish on the inside of the drawer side and then preparing a fitted piece of 1/4" thick plywood that you glue and clamp to the drawer side. This will really help to keep the wood from re-splitting.
First up, if the furniture isn't that old, first check if it is still under warranty because there's no point trying it yourself if the seller still covers faults. And this is clearly not damage from use, this was a poorly seasoned piece of wood that should never have been used.
Also check all the rest of the drawers and any other pieces in this set.
If it were me, I'd consider that this is the side of the drawer, where function is more important than looks.
If warranty is past, then I'd find some wood of the same thickness as the drawer side - about 10mm at a guess. Then I would cut this shape out of the side of your drawer, trying for straight lines where possible.
Measure the resulting space, and cut a new patch piece slightly larger - you want a tight fit, something you need to push, but not hammer into place. Once the patch is sized, add the start of the roundover on top because it will be harder to do when in place.
To install, glue the three mating surfaces with wood glue, push the patch into place, clamp it up while wiping up any squeeze-out.
Yes - the top dovetail on that side will be purely decorative and not adding any strength because you're gluing end grain. It might help to add some strength by gluing in some coving or quarter-round or any convent shape in that inside-corner. It will slightly intrude on the drawer space, but only 20 cc or so.
Another option is to extend your patch piece all the way to the rear of the drawer - there's a non-zero chance that there is still tension in this board and it may crack further when you cut it.
When all the glue is truely dry, probably a week or so, then add a light stain to match the rest of the drawer. Doesn't have to be perfect, as you can see the existing drawer was stained too.
Gluing, using two pack epoxy, will be an answer. But make sure there are at least three G clamps holding the errant wood to its parent. Personally, I'd drill a hole in the top piece, about an inch from the end, so that I could screw a thin screw vertically down into the rest of the drawer, pulling it all together.
Maybe even countersinking said screw head, and applying epoxy before screwing the pieces tight, with the G clamps. I'd even consider leaving the screw in for ever after. Make the top hole so that the screw passes through without binding, and the bottom hole so that the screw can bite into the remains of the drawer side.
