Added curved/wavy stripes to a cutting board. (video)

[Art Mulder]

(Youtube link at the end)


I made a couple of cutting boards with inset curves/waves.





You start with a cutting board “blank”. I know, it’s tempting to just round the corners and apply finish and be done — you’d have a perfectly good cutting board, eh? — but this is starting point for this project.





You then need to make a curved pattern, something like this. The shape of the curve is of course totally up to you. Just be sure it is a fair curve — ie: no bumps or jiggles. It needs to be smooth and flowing!





In your router you need a guide collar and a good straight bit. The thickness of the bit matches the thickness of your inset curve. I used a 3/8” bit to remove material, so I will be inserting a 3/8” strip of curved wood. Well, actually several strips that add up to 3/8”.


You can’t just cut a curve in the board and insert wood, as it will look wrong, as you’ll be spreading apart the boards that make up the cutting board and they won’t appear straight any more.





You cut the curve about halfway through the board, and then take it to the bandsaw and cut the two pieces apart. Then you take it over to the router table. You then run the bearing along the clean cut you made previously, which cleans up the rough part left from the bandsaw. The result is a clean smooth curve that perfectly matches your pattern.





Next it is time to cut some thin strips of wood for the insert





Next is the TB-III glue and clamping. Make every effort to keep the two sides of the cutting board FLAT with respect to each other. Oh yeah, and if you have them, quick-grip clamps really help here, as the pistol-grip squeezing action really helps with closing up the wide gap





After it is dried, you plane down the excess from the strip, and then I send it through my planer for a very light pass to true up both sides.





…CONTINUED…

[Art Mulder]

…CONTINUED…




Oh, and if you want a SECOND curve, then go back to the beginning and do it again. You can use the same curved template, just flip it over and angle it differently, whatever orientation you like.





Then it is finish time. I like to use a salad bowl finish from Lee Valley. It is a mixture of beeswax and Linseed oil. Smells delightful, is totally food safe (you could use the board immediately after application.), and goes on very easily. Just wipe it on, buff it in, and keep buffing to a shine.





And here is the result







There is more details at my web page here: http://wordsnwood.com/2015/curves/


Or if you prefer to watch a video, here is my project on youtube:



Thanks!
…art


ps: I did not invent this process! You can see projects like this around the web. Apparently Fine Woodworking posted a guide at some point. I owe a huge debt to Reddit users “joelav” who has an imgur gallery here with instructions: http://imgur.com/a/FnIq4

[Lori Kleinberg]

Thanks for posting, Art. That is a very cool looking project, I will have to add to my todo list.

[Michelle Rich]

thanks for the tutorial & pictures. very well demonstrated. On my to do list!

[Joseph Valsi]

very nice boards !

[Pat Barry]

Nice project. Thanks for the tips Art!

[Jim Becker]

This same technique will work for bowl blanks for turning...

Very nice work, Art!

[Art Mann]

Thank you so much from another Art for that highly informative video. I have seen some cutting boards on the internet that look similar to yours but I assumed they were inlays. Your method is much simpler and is probably more durable too. I plan to do some experimenting using my CNC router to cut the curves.