Most welcome Ian - Thanks for the kind comments - im new to all this, so makes it all worth while 
I think if I hadn't have been so adventurous with the design, it would have been a bit more straight forward, I can get everything glue ready on the table saw for the strips with a decent blade and a bit of patience - then use the jig instead of a planer to flatten the strips once glued - then crosscut to thickness, then expose end grain, then flip every other strip to create the staggered pattern, glue together and then surface again with the jig
I see on u tube that some people have a drum sander to pass boards through, but they still end up hitting them with a random orbit after - that looks like a nice luxury! - I hadn't thought about a hand plane on the end grain, I assumed that planing end grain was a no no - plus I dont have one, so id probably royally screw that stage up!
You have a wide planer then if you could pass the glued up strips across it?
I did a few others prior to this which were learning curves, I didn't get anywhere near the finish on those I got on this
Most recent before this one - close to 'perfect' but some very slight gaps in places - I think because I didn't use timber to distribute the clamping pressure, fillable with dust and glue so perfectly usable
[ATTACH=full]93503[/ATTACH]
This was sized to fit over the top of the sink hence the handles on the other ends and with some rebated cut in the bottom to lock it in place - bought some spalted beech but it was soft, so that messed up the finish on top - can't use it for food, but ok to stick stuff on.. this was the first attempt - too adventurous, or got carried away with the pattern - ah well, all a learning curve!
[ATTACH=full]93504[/ATTACH]
Used some mahogany in this one, and the pores are quite open - I think I could revisit this one, and get it a bit better/flat/smooth and use it for food - at the moment, its a tea/sugar stand when making a brew
[ATTACH=full]93505[/ATTACH]
Small 'serving board' made from offcuts of other attempts!
[ATTACH=full]93506[/ATTACH]
