End Grain Chopping Boards

[motownmartin]

I wanted to make some chopping Boards so off I went in search of some suitable timber, I thought Beech would be nice and I had an idea about using some of the solid wood worktop, instead of just cutting it into boards as you get when you have a new kitchen fitted, I wanted to have the end grain showing like a Butchers block.

Off I went shopping, oooooeeeer, it's a bit expensive, so I had a search on ebay for some offcuts and there wasn't a lot about so I kept on searchingand luckily there was a chap a few miles down the road selling a 4m x 61cm x 4cm worktop which was surplus to requirements, bid on it and got it for £70.

To the workshop I went and started to cross cut the worktop into 45mm strips, it was a bit tuff until I put the right blade in and once I cut them they were looking like Bananas, exaggerating a little, turned them so the end grain was facing up and staggered the joints, using titebond 2 to glue them together, that was manic, the first one was nearly dry before I got the last one complete.

I could have done with some of those 4 way panel clamps, there was me with my mallet trying to get these Banana shaped strips all level, its going to take a lot of sanding but not for me hopefully, with my new drum sander, it was spot on and worth every penny.

Next was to cut to size and shape the corners, then round off the corners on the router table which proved to be more of a challenge than I first thought, I had to slow the cutter speed and speed up the travel to eliminate scorch marks which left me with a poor/rough finish, plenty more sanding.

I finished them with the Chestnut food safe oil, the end grain soaked it up like a sponge.

A few pics

 

[WoodAddict]

nice. They'll last forever.

The wood whisperer has a end grain chopping board series on youtube, I watched it the other day. I was amazed at how the oil soaked in as it did!

Good stuff! :wink:

 

[ByronBlack]

Looking good - thats come up a treat.

Where did you go for your beech? Its one of the lesser expensive hardwoods. My local dealer does 2" stock for £28 a cube.

 

[motownmartin]

Looking good - thats come up a treat.

Where did you go for your beech? Its one of the lesser expensive hardwoods. My local dealer does 2" stock for £28 a cube.

I used Beech kitchen worktop, got it cut price off ebay.

 

[ByronBlack]

Looking good - thats come up a treat.

Where did you go for your beech? Its one of the lesser expensive hardwoods. My local dealer does 2" stock for £28 a cube.

I used Beech kitchen worktop, got it cut price off ebay.

I saw that you got it from ebay, but you were saying that you went shopping for it and it was expensive, but I realise now that you were talking about worktop as opposed to regular boards.

 

[OPJ]

Nice work, Martin.

It's sometimes worth keeping an eye on your local Freecycle for things like this as well - though, granted, you wouldn't expect to find someone giving away a 4m length on there!! :wink:

 

[motownmartin]

Nice work, Martin.

It's sometimes worth keeping an eye on your local Freecycle for things like this as well - though, granted, you wouldn't expect to find someone giving away a 4m length on there!! :wink:

Thanks Olly, I have been watching freecycle but nothing has come up yet, i'll keep my fingers crossed though.

 

[lemonjeff]

Nice work, Martin.

It's sometimes worth keeping an eye on your local Freecycle for things like this as well - though, granted, you wouldn't expect to find someone giving away a 4m length on there!! :wink:

Thanks Olly, I have been watching freecycle but nothing has come up yet, i'll keep my fingers crossed though.

Put the occasional Wanted post on freecycle, you'd be surpised how often it comes up trumps.

Jeff.

 

[Bassbear81]

That looks real good

I maybe really stupid but can someone tell me why butchers blocks are traditionaly end grain?

 

[motownmartin]

That looks real good

I maybe really stupid but can someone tell me why butchers blocks are traditionaly end grain?

They are traditionally made this way because the end grain can easily absorb the heavy blow of the cleaver without to much damage to the board, butchers blocks are normally about 3 or 4 inches thick, the boards I have made are just for the household kitchen and are only 1 1/2" thick.

 

[HandyTim]

Excellent work martin, they look great

 

[Setch]

As well as end grains ability to absorb blunt impart, it is also a self healing surface when cut. If you cut into side grain, you're chopping through the fibres. When you cut end grain, you simply push the fibres apart, and they almost instantly squish back together, making the cut marks disappear.

 

[Mike H]

Very nice job.

Mike

8)

 

[mike-reid]

simple project with great result, i love it.
on the 'tuit list!

 

[Einari Rystykaemmen]

These are very nice, good work! 8)

 

[motownmartin]

Thanks for all the encougement chaps

What I want to do with these now is to attach some feet, does anyone use anything similar or know where I can get some :?: