Here are my first few takes at the obligatory cutting board build. I know what I'll be making for Christmas gifts this year. I tried both the mineral oil / wax finish and the Salad Bowl Finish. I think I like the mineral oil infused with good smelling oil or wax.
I ended up using too much salad bowl finish and actually built up a film on the surface of the board that I use every day which shows every cutting mark on my end grain board.
I can't take credit for any of the designs since I saw them elsewhere first, but really liked the end grain designs I saw others make and wanted to see whether I could make them myself.
The top board is pretty unique in that it uses thin veneers along the curved cuts. Using my table saw, I cut strips of maple and walnut 3/64" thick. I then sandwiched a walnut strip between two maple strips and added this as I glued up the board.
Here's a closer look at the veneer. I am pretty proud of myself for pulling this off. I think this detail really adds a lot to the look of the board, plus it somewhat hides the fact that the contrasting woods don't line up perfectly. I love adding new skills to my tool belt.
Thanks Dave. No face to end grain joints here. I was worried about that at first too, but then realized that with an end grain cutting board, even with the veneer strips, all the joints will be face grain to face grain.
I agree on the oil, very easy application and touching it up is likewise easy and cheap.
I learned something on the top board with the veneers. When I clamped it, because of the curved cut, the pieces wanted to move around quite a bit on me and I had a difficult time getting things mostly lined up. In hindsight, I should have used cauls on the straight edges to keep the pieces lined up while applying clamps to the glue up. This would have made things easier.
The face grain ones, the last two are straight forward. Just need to be able to rip straight pieces and have clamps, some method of sanding flat after glueup.
End grain ones require accurate setup on the table saw and a bit more skill.
Contrasting wood or patterns can make a simple design look more complicated.
Looking at all those cutting boards sucked me in, that and my daughter in law wants one for Christmas. So off I go to cut! Beautiful boards buy the way.
Thanks for the great comments guys. I've decided cutting boards are a great gift. They're quick and easy to make and it blows people's minds who have no idea how they're made.
For real though, I just made a batch of face grain boards and I'd be willing to stage a John Henry style contest to demonstrate that a #5 hand plane might be quicker at flattening a cuttung board than anything 'lectric.
You think you can beat my DeWalt planer??! Bring it on!
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