difalkner Posted August 24, 2020 Report Share Posted August 24, 2020 While I'm waiting on the Shelix cutterhead for my jointer to move forward on the audio rack I'm working on a very large Hard Rock Maple cutting board, at least it's large to me - 18" x 24" x 2" thick. It weighs about 32 lbs. which is fairly stout, I think. Matter of fact, the hardest thing about doing one this size is difficulty in handling the glued up board. It will have a juice groove along two edges of one side and the other side will be laser engraved with a family crest. Obviously, the side with the juice groove is the working side and the laser engraved side is for show. TB III is used because it's FDA approved for food service items, plus it gives a few more minutes of open working time. Here are a few photos up to this point - 1.75" square strips glued - Trimming one end square; it's too wide for my sled so I had to remove the back board and use clamps to make certain it didn't move as I pushed it into the blade - Cutting 2.125" strips on the bandsaw; this is a screenshot from the time lapse video I took as we did the cutting - End grain strips set on table saw extension - Tomorrow I'll sand each strip, then arrange them to look the best, and then glue the pieces. There is a live video on my Instagram, about one minute of the glue up. Later, I'll post video of other steps on Instagram. David 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted August 24, 2020 Report Share Posted August 24, 2020 That’s some beautiful wood. Hopefully this is a commission and not a spec project. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post difalkner Posted August 24, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted August 24, 2020 Yes sir, it is. He wanted it to be 20" x 28" but he didn't want to pay what that would cost. So I cut the job rather than the price. He told me how much he wanted to pay and I told him how large the board could be for that price. He still got a bargain. David 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted August 24, 2020 Report Share Posted August 24, 2020 Ahh David that's not a cutting board that's a counter top LOL Looks great! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted August 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2020 20 minutes ago, pkinneb said: Ahh David that's not a cutting board that's a counter top LOL Looks great! And it feels like it every time I have to pick it up!! Thanks! David 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted August 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2020 Initial layout - probably glue it like this later today. The end pieces won't be used for the final board but they will have screw holes for mounting to the CNC for cutting the juice groove. David 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted August 25, 2020 Report Share Posted August 25, 2020 If that’s dry fitted, how will you put clamps on it in that configuration? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted August 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2020 Like this - glued tonight David 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted August 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2020 Running the cutting board through my 50" planer... David 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted August 26, 2020 Report Share Posted August 26, 2020 22 hours ago, Coop said: If that’s dry fitted, how will you put clamps on it in that configuration? I guess that was a stupid question. Not sure what I was thinking? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted August 26, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2020 That's ok, I like easy questions. Hard ones require greater use of diminishing brain cells! David 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted August 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2020 Cutting the juice groove - David 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted August 27, 2020 Report Share Posted August 27, 2020 Is that a veggie groove or med rare juices groove? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted August 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2020 Medium rare would be my guess; he's a big game hunter. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post difalkner Posted September 8, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted September 8, 2020 The cutting board has progressed through the stages but I forgot to post anything about it - oops! I cut the outer perimeter down to 1" on the CNC (I don't have a bit long enough to cut through 2" of material). Then used the bandsaw and tablesaw to cut the excess pieces off. Then I used my router table to flush trim the sides - My drum sander is wide enough to handle this board but the juice groove was causing issues because the pressure rollers tried to dip down when that went through, so I carried the board to my friend's cabinet shop and it took all of about 6 passes to sand this on his wide belt sander - Then I finished sanding with 120/220/400 and will take it to the laser shop for engraving - As you can see, this Hard Rock Maple can get really smooth if you take it down to 400 - David 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post difalkner Posted September 10, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted September 10, 2020 We're finally at the point where I'm applying the mineral oil and Beeswax finish. Got the cutting board laser engraved yesterday and have now put three good coats of mineral oil and let that soak in and am now applying a good, heavy coat of Beeswax with mineral oil (my mixture). I'll let the Beeswax set for about 4 hours and then wipe off as much as I can, flip it and do the other side. I'll continue wiping it down until it can go a few hours without seeing any wet spots. This part could take a couple of days. In the Epilog laser right after engraving (you can go to my Instagram and see the engraving in motion) - One coat of mineral oil - Beeswax applied, it's a nice, rich color - David 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted September 11, 2020 Report Share Posted September 11, 2020 Very Nice! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post difalkner Posted September 11, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted September 11, 2020 Three coats of mineral oil with the last being a mineral oil/Beeswax mix. I let that set for about 6 hours and then buff it with paper towels to get the excess Beeswax off. The cutting board is left with a rich luster sheen that is velvety smooth. Working side - Show side - David 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted September 12, 2020 Report Share Posted September 12, 2020 David, that looks darn nice. Love the finished. It just occurred to me that the juice edge is only on two sides as opposed to the norm four sides. Although it looks attractively different, just wondered why? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted September 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2020 Thanks, Coop! That's what he specified, not sure why. I've seen a few like this but we don't use one so I really don't know. Finished cutting board - David 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeslayer Posted September 12, 2020 Report Share Posted September 12, 2020 Well done David, now the question is will they actually use it ? some think they are too nice to cut on, it is a beautiful piece 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted September 13, 2020 Report Share Posted September 13, 2020 That's a really nice board. I don't put a juice edge on any of the boards for my self. When cutting juicy things i just move to the sink. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted September 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2020 On 9/12/2020 at 6:00 PM, treeslayer said: Well done David, now the question is will they actually use it ? some think they are too nice to cut on, it is a beautiful piece Thank you! They guy who had it made said it will definitely get used but the newlyweds haven't seen it yet so my guess is that it could end up being a display board only. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
difalkner Posted September 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2020 On 9/13/2020 at 8:48 AM, Chestnut said: That's a really nice board. I don't put a juice edge on any of the boards for my self. When cutting juicy things i just move to the sink. Thank you! Out of 80+ cutting boards I think this is only the second one I've put a juice groove in, maybe the third. But they wanted it so I cut it for them. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.