Article #2: Cutting Board Tutorial by Mike Schwing

[Aaron Koehl]

Hello All!

Here is Mike Schwing's Incra-inspired, 7 page
Cutting Board Tutorial (with photos):

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/articles/2

Please post your comments in this thread!
Thanks Mike!

_Aaron_

Thanks Aaron! Your editing looks much better than mine!

[Glenn Clabo]

Thanks Aaron for getting this up. This could be the start of something.

Thanks Mike for the show and tell and letting us see it!

[Mark Hulette]

Nice work on both fronts! Thanks for the article- looks like there's another item for the to-do list!

Which Incra fence is that?

[Doug Jones]

Mike,
Great looking cutting boards, I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for posting it.

[Keith Outten]

Doug,

The Articles posted in this forum are permanent, the forum is setup to prevent them from expiring. We are using a sub-directory for the actual files outside of the SMC forum software. We use this forum as a means of documenting the articles and getting them into the SMC database.

In the future when we produce our first SawMill Creek CD or DVD all of the articles will be included.

Originally Posted by Doug Jones

Mike,
Great looking cutting boards, I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for posting it.

Aaron,
How long will this project be on the forum? Thanks for letting Mike put it on here.

Ok, Be prepared for stupid question...

I have always heard of walnut being toxic wood. Given that is it safe to use it in an application where it will be in contact with food? Or is the toxicity of walnut referes to something else?

--Rajiv

[Ron McNeil]

Thanks Aaron for getting this up. Mike, thank you so much for sharing your technique and providing this Cutting Board Tutorial. I will have to make one in the near future for the wife.

[John Miliunas]

Thanks so very, very much for the tutorial, Mike! Christmas will be here before we know it and those cutting boards will make some grand presents! Thanks also, to Keith and Aaron who are devoting the time and space to provide us with some fantastic instructional medium! You guys rock!!!

Originally Posted by Rajiv_in_KW

Ok, Be prepared for stupid question...

I have always heard of walnut being toxic wood. Given that is it safe to use it in an application where it will be in contact with food? Or is the toxicity of walnut referes to something else?

--Rajiv

Rajiv,

Walnut dust is quite toxic - it makes me sneeze and wheeze if I don't wear a respirator. Gotta be second to makore in terms of "sneez-ability". Walnut shavings also prove to be a decent herbicide - they're not recommended for use in plant beds. Walnuts themselves are edible as well. The wood? Well - you're not eating it are you?

I'm no chemist or toxicologist - but walnut is fine to use in cutting boards. Just don't chew on it.

Still concerned - use mahogany, cherry, bloodwood, pretty much any nice contrasting hardwood, instead of walnut - the hard maple keeps the softer wood species from falling prey to the knife.

Originally Posted by Mark Hulette

Nice work on both fronts! Thanks for the article- looks like there's another item for the to-do list!

Which Incra fence is that?

Mark, that fence pictured is the Incra Ultra 24" router table fence used on the table saw. I still have it, but don't use it anymore due to a new saw and fence set up that I find even more stable, reliable, and accurate - the Jointech Saw Train Fence system.

I would have no qualms about going back to that Incra fence though if ever needed.

I just now finished cutting up the strips for another board and had a lightbulb/idea go off!

The thinnest of the strips calls for 1/32" and they're mounted on the outside of the board. I have had past difficulties occasionally with accurately cutting a 1/32" strip as well as sanding the edge off or cutting the entire strip off while squaring a board that didn't have a perfect glue-up. And at least half of the emails I get with questions have to do with that thinnest of strips.

Here's the lightbulb - why even cut that tiny little 1/32" strip? Why not just cut a wider one - to whatever size you want. Then glue that strip on the end instead, and when its all dry, cut it down to size. No need for it to be 1/32" exactly, just close. If your set up isn't perfectly accurate at small cuts like that, just saw it close and sand the rest down.

Additionally, sometimes the glue will move right through that tiny little strip, discoloring it. This may prevent that as well.

I'm going to give it a shot this time!

[BuLLdoGG]

nice 1 dude thx for sharing

[Mark Rios]

Thanks very much for the efforts on the site and the tutorial. I am looking forward to making one for my neighbor as a gift.

[Maurice Ungaro]

Mike,
Cutting boards of that caliber are a pleasure to look at and use. Thanks for the tips. BTW, nice looking Randall setting on a board in a couple of gallery shots at the end.

Maurice Ungaro