So, there're five woodworkers backed into a corner and someone asks them the best way out. How many different answers?
Seven.
Yeah, and they will probably all work just fine. Pick the one that suits your abilities and sensibilities (technique). Me, I have trouble making pretty structural repairs from the finished side and prefer to do that from the inside. Then I can get as fussy as I want on the finished side because it's cosmetic and it only has to look good. With practice you can make the cracks all but disappear without refinishing.
