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Thread: Cutting Boards – Do They Need Feet?

  1. #1
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    Cutting Boards – Do They Need Feet?

    The loml asked if I could make a few cutting boards for gifts she could distribute to her (our) relatives. I had a few hard maple boards I needed to get rid of so I used those to make a few basically identical end-grain cutting boards. I used TBIII and basically jointed and planed the material and then lightly scuffed with 120 grit and a block before the first glueup. Then ran through the wide belt for the second glue-up and cutoff 1-1/2" strips which I hand sanded again to make sure there glue sides were clean. Glued, clamped, good squeeze out, everything looks great. Ran through the wide belt and then the orbital to remove scratch marks. I let them air cure for a week and then finish sanded. They've remained flat and smooth so I assume any moisture introduced by the TBIII is gone. To me they look like great chefs cutting boards. And they are reversible. But ... I can't help but think that no matter what finish I put on them, if they are left sitting in water on a counter or in the sink, they are going to explode.

    Do any of you put feet on your boards to elevate the board bottom and minimize that problem? One drawback is that they would no longer be reversible. The other issue is that being end-grain ... structurally the center would be very weak.

    Picture shows the board underneath some baguettes I baked last night for a daughter's team party. Believe it or not she actually asked especially for these baguettes. That made me feel pretty good.
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    Last edited by Bill Adamsen; 12-15-2017 at 4:08 PM. Reason: fixed spelling (grammar) error
    "the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.” Confucius

  2. #2
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    I do not have feet on my cutting board (it's not reversible, either because it has an edge that catches the side of the island to keep it from slipping around) and yes, it's not completely flat at this point. It doesn't actually bother me. I suspect your end-grain cutting boards will be a heck of a lot more stable that mine which is edge/face grain. Reversability is a nice quality, so for that reason alone, I wouldn't include "feet" on your boards.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
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    That is a nice looking board. I'd say you got it right.

  4. #4
    I haven't put feet on mine but you could make a frame the cutting board can sit on that would lift it a bit and still able to flip the board or take it to the sink for a wipe down. The frame can have non-skid feet so it stays put on the counter.

    What kind of cutting are you doing that would break a cutting board? You slamming sides of beef on them?

    By the way the bread looks delicious!

  5. #5
    My wife frequently spills liquids around her cutting boards, so I glue on rubberized cork discs as feet. You can find them on ebay approx. 1/4" thick and 1" diameter.
    Even though her boards won't "explode" they would get pretty grimy if left flat on the counter.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Adamsen View Post
    ... Do any of you put feet on your boards to elevate the board bottom and minimize that problem? One drawback is that they would no longer be reversible. The other issue is that being end-grain ... structurally the center would be very weak. ...
    I remember a posting by Dave, the original owner of BoardSmith, saying all their boards came with feet because it avoided the returns caused by damage from sitting in water. (John, the current BoardSmith owner, seems to have feet on all of their current boards.)

    Of course, YMMV. (How "teachable" are your wife's intended gift recipients?)

  7. #7
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    I always put feet on mine to keep the bottom from getting wet and (sometimes) to hide the imperfections of a not-perfectly-flat cutting board. My cutting boards are non-reversible and have hand holds routed into the lower edges on each side.

    I use feet like these https://www.homedepot.com/p/Shepherd...9644/100390160

  8. #8
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    Thanks guys. I had never seen the boardsmith site but in fact "butcher block" (end grain) is the board I've made. I had considered - like Marty suggests - routing in a board-end finger grab hold. But then figured I'd already put enough time into these as gifts and that was just an opportunity to make a mistake. So many good ideas. I like the cork discs on the bottom, I like the rubber feet, the frame ... I also like the idea of just throwing them in a box with a shipping label for their destination.
    "the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.” Confucius

  9. #9
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    Bill, you didn't say whether the cutting boards are still bare wood or if you applied any kind of finish to them.

    If you haven't applied a finish, I'd strongly advise, at minimum, soaking the boards with pure mineral oil - the endgrain will soak up a *lot* of oil before becoming saturated - then wipe off the excess.

    A better way would be to first soak with mineral oil, then make up a mixture of beeswax and mineral oil (maybe 4 parts mineral oil to 1 part beeswax) and apply that, while still warm, to the entire cutting board. Let it cool and soak in as much as it will, then wipe off the excess and buff with a dry dish towel. You'll go a long way toward keeping water on the outside of the board where it belongs. And the boards will look 1000% nicer than just plain wood. If you don't have any beeswax on hand or available easily, you can buy (very overpriced) "butcher block conditioner" that is pretty much the same stuff. When you give the boards as gifts, include a note advising the recipient to get some of the conditioner and apply it every few months.

  10. #10
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    It's almost sure thing that a cutting board may warp a bit so the feet help with that. After a couple years flip it over with feet on the other side.

  11. #11
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    All of the gluing surface in an end-grain cutting board is long-grain to long-grain, so not sure why you think that "structurally the center would be very weak". Perhaps what you could do would be to offer your recipients a choice. Include a set of feet and a note explaining your concern and give them a choice - either install the feet or apply mineral oil/beeswax to seal both sides of the cutting board. They are the ones who will be using them, so why not let them decide?
    -- Jim

    Use the right tool for the job.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by James Morgan View Post
    All of the gluing surface in an end-grain cutting board is long-grain to long-grain, so not sure why you think that "structurally the center would be very weak"
    Your confidence is greater than mine. It is not so much the glue as the fibers of the wood. It is very difficult to break a piece of wood lengthwise, yet easy to break the cutoff end of a piece of a wide piece of wood.
    "the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.” Confucius

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Christensen View Post
    By the way the bread looks delicious!
    Thanks Peter ... the inside (the "crumb" – true test of a bread) came out nicely as well.
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    "the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.” Confucius

  14. #14
    Bill,

    I've always put small clear peel and stick rubber feet on the ones I've made. You have too wait a week or two to let the mineral oil seep out but it keeps mine from moving around and gives about a 3/16 inch air gap between the counter and the board. Plus you could always peel them off and flip the board and put some new ones on the board.

    Bill

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Adamsen View Post
    Your confidence is greater than mine. It is not so much the glue as the fibers of the wood. It is very difficult to break a piece of wood lengthwise, yet easy to break the cutoff end of a piece of a wide piece of wood.
    Well, that depends on how long and how thick the cutoff end might be. If it is 1" long by 3/4" thick, well, sure. If it is 16" long by 1.5" thick (more like the dimensions of your cutting board, I'd guess), not so much. If you clamped one edge and whacked the other with a heavy hammer, you might be able to break it, but under everyday conditions in a kitchen, nothing comparable is likely to happen.
    -- Jim

    Use the right tool for the job.

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