Cutting boards

[Ellen Benkin]

Does anyone have plans for making a simple cutting board for Christmas presents?

Thanks.

[Brian Effinger]

I think the Wood Whisperer did one a while ago. Do a search for him and look through his older video podcasts.

[Gene E Miller]

Greetings & Salutations,

For simple long grain cutting boards you really don't need a
specific plan. Figure out if you want a 2 or 3 color board,
pick out your wood, settle on a size and then cut strips of
the different wood and arrange them in the pattern you
want.

For more complex patterns or end grain boards do a google
search to find some of those and like someone else said
the Wood Whisperer has an excellent video tutorial on making
an end grain board on his site.

In fact I just finished up a small end grain board based on
that tutorial made out of 2 colors and have it soaking in
mineral oil at this very moment.

I have a couple of pics of some long grain boards that
I made last year for xmas presents.

What I think is fun with cutting boards is that you can make
them any size you like and out of most anything you have laying
around the shop. I keep a box in the shop that I throw in scrap
pieces that are about 12 - 30 inches long just for cutting boards.

DSCN14352007-12-15-164221.jpg DSCN14342007-12-15-164210.jpg

This is one that I found a plan for I think from a post somewhere
here in the Creek if I remember right.

DSCN14502008-02-23-111118_resize.JPG

Hope this helps and have fun making them.

Gene

[Benjamin Dahl]

Gene, those are nice examples. thanks for sharing.
ben

[Dennis Peacock]

Ben,

For typical end-grain type cutting boards, I usually try to work on dimensions that all my pieces to span glue joints by at least 1/2". In other words, I laid one out like this:

3/4", 1/-1/4", 1-3/4", 2-1/4", 2-3/4", 3"

Cut the glued up panel into 1-1/2" strips and FLIP Every Other One to create your pattern and to span glue joints. Apply glue and clamp up with a couple of good straight hardwood board to keep the "cutting board" all nice and straight.

It's really up to your creativity and spanning glue joints to prevent any "weak spots" or joints in your cutting boards.

Besides all that....you can also look here for an SMC Tutorial on cutting board by Mike Schwing.