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Thread: Sanding cutting boards.....yay.....

  1. #1
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    Sanding cutting boards.....yay.....

    12357242_1649260311980357_1623251398038587673_o.jpg12357242_1649260311980357_1623251398038587673_o.jpgSo every year I make cutting boards for Christmas and sell for extra Christmas money. They're scraps from everything of the previous year. The first time I made them I sanded to 220 and then did a test wash of the board as a customer would clean it and it felt fuzzy. So I started doing this to get by the fuzziness:

    Sand to 80
    Sand to 120
    Sand to 180
    Sand to 220
    Wet sand 220
    Sand 400
    Wet sand 600

    That's a ton of sanding. Does anyone else have any other tips to avoid the fuzziness and to avoid all this sanding!?
    Last edited by Joe Shinall; 09-30-2017 at 7:35 PM.
    I'm a Joe of all trades. It's a first, it'll catch on.

  2. #2
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    I started sanding to 180 grit, then lightly wet the board to raise the grain, let it dry, re sand with 180, then 220 grit. So far I've had no complaints.

  3. #3
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    Nice boards! That seems like too much sanding for something that's going to be pounded by knives. I've never had to do anything more than raise the grain once and then sand again. Then immediately hit it with mineral oil.

  4. #4
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    80>120>220

    then beeswax. I beeswaxed these 4 more times or so until it was all even. These pictures are after the first soak.

    could of turned out better, but for what it was being used for...well..
    And black walnut dust just
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Lee Schierer; 11-15-2017 at 10:02 PM.

  5. #5
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    Joe,

    I don't make cutting boards often but to me, sanding to 600 seems unnecessary. I'd probably stop at 220 or 320. Have you tried moistening the wood after each of the finer grits with a damp cloth then letting dry before the next grit? I was taught this in the '60s to raise the grain between grits to eliminate the fuzziness. Is that still recommended? I suspect a lot would depend on the type of wood. But again, I'm not a cutting board maker.

    You might try a search. This was the first thread I found: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...Cutting-Boards

    Edit: Oops, I just read some of the other posts which I should have done first. Well, there you go!

    JKJ


    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Shinall View Post
    ...The first time I made them I sanded to 220 and then did a test wash of the board as a customer would clean it and it felt fuzzy. So I started doing this to get by the fuzziness:

    Sand to 80
    Sand to 120
    Sand to 180
    Sand to 220
    Wet sand 220
    Sand 400
    Wet sand 600

    That's a ton of sanding. Does anyone else have any other tips to avoid the fuzziness and to avoid all this sanding!?
    Last edited by John K Jordan; 09-30-2017 at 11:16 PM.

  6. #6
    I love the look of fancy glued up cutting boards. But a board not sanded at all is so much better at keeping the knife sharp. Plane and wax might be a good practical sales angle.

  7. #7
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    hand scraping is also a big thing these days. Gives that nice? wavy look in case the glueup got messed up and no need to sand it flat or smooth.
    Bill

  8. #8
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    I know those fuzzies very well, get cut down sanding between coats of hard finish, but on oiled boeards as above, would remain a problem.
    Pech Fuzz like to the touch.
    Ya, like Bill sed - I have not yet progressed to Neanderthal Level, so I have not yet used one, but wouldn't a scraper remove the fuzzies ? Marc

  9. #9
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    Thanks guys, I have sanded to 220 and then wet sanded 220 again, and then oiled a board, and tested and after just 2 or 3 washes, it's fuzzy again. My method is the only way I've tried so far that doesn't make it fuzzy. I have customers that have used their boards for 2 years now and after 20 or 30 washes or more, they are still not very fuzzy. I guess I'll just keep tweaking and try and eliminating a step or two in the middle maybe. I do them in large batches of course, so it's not like I'm swapping paper that often and I can sand 20 boards in a few hours with that method. Just would like to sand 30 or 40 boards in that amount of time....

    I know 600 sounds like overkill but that last step makes these boards butt smooth and I get a ton of compliments on that part.
    I'm a Joe of all trades. It's a first, it'll catch on.

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    I Stop at 220.

    I have had good luck stopping at 220, followed by a mixture of mineral oil and melted candle wax. Here's one I made for my Chef sister-in-law. I personalize them by hand routing the name into the board and filling the name in with tinted epoxy.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  11. #11
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    Joe - And the scraper suggestion? ? Marc

  12. #12
    Joe - There are lots of cutting boards out there and it sounds as though your methods have been well received and now you have a following. So I say keep up the good work!

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marc Jeske View Post
    Joe - And the scraper suggestion? ? Marc
    Marc, I hate scrapers so that's out the window haha. I have thought about that, but it's probably quicker to sand 10 times than try and mess with a scraper as far as my skillset goes with them.
    I'm a Joe of all trades. It's a first, it'll catch on.

  14. #14
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    Bradley, unfortunately I think you're right. I have people coming back year after year and don't want to change that. I think I just need a sanding apprentice.....

    Pete, that board looks great and wow, hand routed! Great job with the name. I would take out half the board if I tried that.
    I'm a Joe of all trades. It's a first, it'll catch on.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Shinall View Post
    ... I think I just need a sanding apprentice.....
    Boy, THAT brought back some memories. In 1968 I worked in the woodworking shop at Berea College. New student employees were all sent to one corner the 3rd floor and given the job of sanding. Sanding, sanding, sanding. For some things there was a production line, coarse sand, pass to the person on your left, etc. You could move out of sanding fairly quickly with a good attitude - fortunately, I worked my way down to the machining on the second floor fairly quickly.

    Maybe you could open a school!

    JKJ

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