Collar Finishing Advice Needed

Gluing my (red oak) collar together today. First bevel joint is looking pretty good, but there is a very slight gap visible, like a hairline along the length of the joint. What I don't know is... should I fill this hairline with wood filler before staining, or would that just make it look worse? TIA!

---VikeMan

I would use some latex caulk to fill the gap as it is flexible. The collar will expand and contract with temperature changes as might be experienced when cleaning out the freezer etc. This will open gaps if you use anything that is rigid like a wood filler. I know this because it happened to my collar. Also, FYI and IMO it's better to just butt the boards together rather than to use a miter joint. Miter joints can be tricky to get right as you have just discovered. Butt joints are much easier to do and provide a more solid connection as well.

You have a couple of options here. First, if you have a good hand saw, and 1/16" extra wood, you can run your saw right back down that joint and reglue it. That'll make everything match up perfectly and eliminate the line. Next, you could fill it, but it'll always stand out. Lastly, you can mix up some of the sawdust from the oak with glue and use that to fill the gap. that'll hide most of it.

take a round object like the shaft of a 3/8 drill bit and roll it across the point of the miter it will round over the corner and close the gap. i use this trick all the time on crown molding. you could also use colored silicone on the corners as well, although you should do it after you finish staining and clear coat, use a color slightly darker than the stain you should have good results. you could use latex but it would look pretty crappy on oak.