Projects to use laminated oak worktop material?

[Wrongfoot]

I've a reasonable quantity of offcuts of laminated oak worktop material. The stuff made from grain aligned long blocks pressed and glued together faces glued ends finger jointed.
Some useful lengths and sizes.
2 of sink cut-outs 900mm x 500mm (grain long axis)
3 of 2500mm x 300mm (grain long axis)
2 of 900mm x 500mm (grain short axis)
and many more smaller pieces.

It's lovely looking stuff in a kitchen worktop. It's not easy to hand work the blocks mean that the grain reverses repeatedly across and along the material. It's hand plane-able (just) with a razor edge kept very sharp and fine using a "bailey type" plane. Actually easier to sand or machine finish. Also the manufacturing method of pressing the blocks means it all behaves together as torsion wood with cuts closing around saw kerfs, wedges needed etc. but small sections and individual laminate blocks are stable enough when cut away from the mass. In fact they are very split proof individually, as I think they were all kiln dried pieces with no splits before glueing into the laminate top.

Do you guys have any original ideas for re-use?
I could make a top for Roubo bench laminating it up 2-3" thick - be a bit of a pig to flatten but I reckon the stresses would cancel out across the top as they already do in a 1" worktop (might be a stupid project as I'd need to buy some other oak for tool wells etc. so an expensive upcycle),
maybe (invisible along laminate grain lines) glue it up into a 1" thick assembly table top,
just dice it up and glue it all with the grain coming up through the large face and make chopping boards/butchers blocks (I'm aware that oak isn't seen as the "best" material, but it's still often used),
Dice it into tea light holders, door wedges, please give me ideas for a load of small pieces...

If I turn I'd have a lifetimes supply of 40mm x 40mm x (up to) 500mm oak, (without glue lines) for spindle turning stuff, but I don't have a lathe at present. I could cut it into blanks and sell/give it to turners as oak pieces? It's not specially figured, but some bits might look nice enough with medullary rays, especially showing through a tannic stain.

Any other suggestions? Seems a shame to waste stuff, but I don't want to send time "polishing a cowpat". Forum won't let me me say t*rd

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Chopping boards. Lots and lots of chopping boards. Commercial production of chopping boards. (hammer)

Can you glue bits together to make additional length? Maybe sandwich several layers and stagger the joins, then resaw (with all the grief it entails you may not want to).

Hard to turn down free wood, even if it doesn't have a use, but I bet it would look good in a log burner.

 

[MikeG.]

This is the wrong way of thinking.

You simply store it away somewhere warm, dry, and where it can stay flat. Then you use it when the right project comes along, even if that is in 15 or 20 years time.

 

[screwpainting]

And eventualy get fed up with it and chuck it away (homer)

 

[Just4Fun]

This is the wrong way of thinking.

You simply store it away somewhere warm, dry, and where it can stay flat. Then you use it when the right project comes along, even if that is in 15 or 20 years time.

That is the approach I took with a large piece of similar laminated oak counter top. I resawed some to make some kitchen shelves and I used a big chunk to make the seat on a sort of settle. I have more in store waiting for another suitable project.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've made several chopping boards with moulded edges, but it is filthy stuff to use. I'm happy to burn it.

 

[thetyreman]

you could make an office desk out of it, I've seen some quite nice TV cabinets made of the same type of material using the worktop as the top and also a small bar inside a house, I think beech is far better for a chopping board.

 

[Noggsy]

I’ve made several chopping boards with similar stuff and it looks great and with 20-odd coats of shellac, is nearly indestructible. I say nearly, because Mrs Noggsy once left a slow cooker on top of one of them all day and a glue-line failed (hammer) Still, that’s glued back up fine (but is still sat on my bench waiting to be refinished ).

I’m in the process of turning a replacement roof finial out of glued-up parts, as that was the easiest way to find enough diameter of wood. It will be painted (not to mention four storeys up) so it won’t matter and currently looks like this;

Mrs N made a comment about what it resembles, but I forget what it was now...

I’m with the poster (Mike?) who said just store it until you need it. I’ve had mine for about 6 years and use bits now and again. In fact, if you’d like me to look after yours for a few years until inspiration strikes...?

 

[Wrongfoot]

Thanks all,

It seems to saw better when cross-cut rather than than ripped. So chopping boards are a possibility, but they're a low value repurpose and not that easy to shift apart from as "gifts".

I like thetyreman's suggestion, perhaps I'll just try and use the larger pieces as bar tops for a small mini bar type project. Seems an obvious use for an oak worktop material if can find some suitable European Oak for the carcass

I'm relieved Phil thinks it's filthy to use as I had quite a time invisibly rejoining a few pieces where an idi*t chippy cut it 25 and 50mm short on few axis. Apparently accounting for door thickness and overhangs is advanced stuff :roll: :roll: :-x

I also have a some roof work to do, bargeboards on a west facing gable, giant "tool shaped" finials would set it off perfectly :lol: so maybe that'll use some up too.