Chopping boards

[Homeless Squirrel]

Have a pile of wood cut up into lengths of 500 and 550mm of french oak planks which looking into turning into chopping boards?
I was thinking of staggering them to join a bit like tongue n groove with a single sided tongue! so they sort of over lap.
Other way is the biscuit joining.
Also have some other wood ones a door tread which looks like Mahogany? other piece isn't as wide but thicker not quite sure what it is but it's dark!.
My thoughts are clean those bits up as best can then cut a groove across end of joined oak boards and put 'Dark' pieces across ends so A lessens warping B blend in to form into handles/features as one is for person that all the wood came from for there rebuilt house and said would like a handle.
The other thing thinking off was to use some of dark wood and maybe source more? is to cut shapes one being door number and inlay into board.

Any ideas?

 

[baldkev]

Theres tons of inspiration on pinterest
Edit to add...... why not use darker timber to create the tongues and then groove both sides of the oak to be joined, this would make a feature of the tongues in the end grain

 

[Inspector]

It's generally it is frowned upon to use Oak in cutting boards. The open grain being a trap for food particles and the potential for bacteria to grow. Better to stay with woods like Cherry, Beech, Maple etc as they don't have the open grain.

Glueing boards across the end grain, breadboard ends, without allowing for movement will eventually fail. Do a search on "making breadboard ends" to see how they should be made. Keep in mind that joint is also a food trap.

Pete

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

It's generally it is frowned upon to use Oak in cutting boards. The open grain being a trap for food particles and the potential for bacteria to grow. Better to stay with woods like Cherry, Beech, Maple etc as they don't have the open grain.

Glueing boards across the end grain, breadboard ends, without allowing for movement will eventually fail. Do a search on "making breadboard ends" to see how they should be made. Keep in mind that joint is also a food trap.

Pete

I originally was going to make out of Maple from floor boards they removed but they vanished! place was full of nice wood

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Done a bit of looking up/reading say's some of the Oaks are ok like white and making end grain is better plus less risks of warping.
What would be the best stuff to stick it all together? Cascamite.PVA.Gorilla glue(fluffy stuff)Titebond(think more than one!)

 

[Orraloon]

Made an oak cutting board about 45 years ago not knowing any better and because I had an offcut. Never had any health problems and still using it. Gets a scrub in the sink after each use and dries on the dish rack. I have read that wood boards hold less bacteria than plastic ones.
Regards
John

 

[ChrisWiduWood]

Done a bit of looking up/reading say's some of the Oaks are ok like white and making end grain is better plus less risks of warping.
What would be the best stuff to stick it all together? Cascamite.PVA.Gorilla glue(fluffy stuff)Titebond(think more than one!)

Tite bond 3 is a food safe and waterproof glue, use it on all my boards,

Oak will be absolutely fine to use, id go with BaldKev's idea in your scenario and use the darkwood as the tongue if staying with the long grain plank.

Alternatively you could chop it all up, use a-lot more glue , no tongues or biscuit's and make an end grain board?

I prefer end grain as anything over light use will probably start to tear into the board after some time, roughing it up and causing it to trap food (not ideal for meat use) whereas the endgrain is fine with a quick wipe after.

 

[clogs]

Chris W W...
totally agree but isnt that a good excuse to get a thickness sander to remove said scratches.....hahaha...

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Made an oak cutting board about 45 years ago not knowing any better and because I had an offcut. Never had any health problems and still using it. Gets a scrub in the sink after each use and dries on the dish rack. I have read that wood boards hold less bacteria than plastic ones.
Regards
John

Yep years back we had likes of council Billy No Mates and Co Squeaking and squealing about wooden things like boards and knife handles You have to get rid of and get Plastic,
Cost companies and small businesses fortunes as friend had a wet/fresh fish stalls all there kit had to go and then we got plastic rubbish which harbours/allows Bacteria's to flourish, yet these bell ends never got taken to task over it.
Many of these Council edicts are just to show they have been visiting with no benefit to anyone just a financial hit to businesses.

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Theres tons of inspiration on pinterest
Edit to add...... why not use darker timber to create the tongues and then groove both sides of the oak to be joined, this would make a feature of the tongues in the end grain

Turning the 'dark wood' into the tongue was what i was intending so slots inside ends of board so would in effect lock it? then fashion it into handles sort of thing.

 

[thetyreman]

1. you don't need titebond, it's 3 x the price of regular white PVA which does exactly the same job.

2. Use only Beech, Sycamore, maple or a fruit wood like cherry, pear e.t.c you want tight closed grain woods so food can't get inside, avoid oak, ash, elm, mahogany or anything with open pores.

3. finish with food grade oil like chesnut food safe oil

4. whatever board you use always clean it with very hot water thoroughly and re oil it every few months when it starts looking dry.

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

1. you don't need titebond, it's 3 x the price of regular white PVA which does exactly the same job.

2. Use only Beech, Sycamore, maple or a fruit wood like cherry, pear e.t.c you want tight closed grain woods so food can't get inside, avoid oak, ash, elm, mahogany or anything with open pores.

3. finish with food grade oil like chesnut food safe oil

4. whatever board you use always clean it with very hot water thoroughly and re oil it every few months when it starts looking dry.

So what happens if only have Oak?
This is a project made out of last of decent wood from house Green French oak and don't have anything else

 

[baldkev]

Butchers blocks were made of end grain 9ak werent they? I thought the tannins in oak were a natural antibacterial?
In any case, ive got an oak chopping board and I'm still breathing ‍♂

 

[Jameshow]

Butchers blocks were made of end grain 9ak werent they? I thought the tannins in oak were a natural antibacterial?
In any case, ive got an oak chopping board and I'm still breathing ‍♂

Yea oak really resistant to fungus and decay outside yet bring it inside and it harbours bacteria and decays before your eyes!

 

[Jones]

I've got nothing against oak chopping boards though some people think the tannin may taint the food, that's why sycamore, maple, beech etc are traditional for dairy and kitchen tools and vessels.
Wooden boards are more hygienic than plastic because the wood will dry even in the pores and knife cuts ,which dehydrates and kills bacteria, plastic can trap moisture and bacteria in the scratches .
A simple edge to edge glued joint should be ok, I don't think biscuits or tongues are necessary though if you want a decorative feature go for it.

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Thinking of doing an end grain diagonal pattern and use dark wood around edges

 

[Inspector]

Here is a cutting board calculator with a bunch of different patterns you can make. Cutting Board Designer Might want to start with a simpler board to begin with before you dive into the hard stuff.

Pete

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Here is a cutting board calculator with a bunch of different patterns you can make. Cutting Board Designer Might want to start with a simpler board to begin with before you dive into the hard stuff.

Pete

50mm thick or more?

 

[Homeless Squirrel]

Here is a cutting board calculator with a bunch of different patterns you can make. Cutting Board Designer Might want to start with a simpler board to begin with before you dive into the hard stuff.

Pete

Cheers for that going to have fun!
Reminds me of fishing rig creator site

 

[Inspector]

50mm thick or more?

Play with the Thickness arrows and you can go to any thickness you like. I quit at 40"/1M because who would ever make a cutting board any where near that.

Pete