Making end grain chopping boards - flatening end grain

[The Gent]

Hello,

I am about to make some chopping boards and I was thinking about how to get the boards completely flat once you have the end grain as the face of the board.

Can you put this through a planer thicknesser and if not how would you go about making sure that the top and bottom were completely flat?

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[adidat]

Can you put this through a planer thicknesser and if not how would you go about making sure that the top and bottom were completely flat?

Kevin

this may suffer going through a thicknesser, so using a belt sander and a flat piece of mdf is my suggestion.

adidat

 

[studders]

this may suffer going through a thicknesser, so using a belt sander and a flat piece of mdf is my suggestion.

adidat

+1 Having made several last Chrimbo I found that the only sensible method, unless you really, and I mean really, like sharpening Plane blades.

 

[adidat]

also more advice, try and glue it up as flat as possible to save yourself work later on. what timbers are you using. i have made various chopping boards for crimbo presseys and they always go down a treat.

please post some pictures of the finished article

adidat

 

[The Gent]

I got some oak offcuts from a friend who makes custom kitchens.

Can you please let me know what you mean by using a flat piece of mdf with a belt sander.

Thanks for you replies folks.

Kevin

 

[studders]

I used a belt sander and a couple of winding sticks to check progress, also 'tis easy to put board on a flat surface to see if it rocks, when I say 'rocks' I don't mean "yeah, like.. crazy man" .

 

[Chems]

Even sanding it is hard work. I flatten mine with the router or a block plane before cutting to exact size.

 

[Ironballs]

Block plane, it's what they're made for! Then finish off with a sander

 

[bugbear]

Since end grain boards have short grain (by definition), they presumably HAVE to be made fairly thick so as not to be absurdly weak. This (IME) tends to make them very big and heavy, hence inconvenient to wash and store.

Is there any effective way to make a thinner and lighter board with the desirable end grain surface - could one use end grain "laminates" over a substrate?

I've never seen one, so either no one's thought of it, or it's hard!

BugBear

 

[adidat]

Bugbear, i once made one 50mm thick out of maple steamed pair and a few other woods. 18 monthes on its still pretty flat. I thought it would split and bend after a year

Maybe this is still to thick. But i would imagine that cascamite could hold it down to a piece of hardwood and a couple of screws hear and there.

Adidat

 

[goldeneyedmonkey]

I've made 50mm thick ones from Sycamore, used Titebond II or PVA (can't remember which) and they're still in one piece and flat. Cheers _Dan.

 

[studders]

:shock:

You've got me worried now as the ones I made as Chrimbo pressies were on average about 1"3/4 thick?

 

[Bremner]

When you make one of these do you need to seal it or treat it with anything?

 

[adidat]

yere you do, i used chesnut food safe oil, about 3 coats i was very pleased with the finish and the smell. 18 months on the finish is pretty good.

apparently olive oil can be used but i have never done it.

adidat

 

[Bremner]

Thanks for the reply, would you put biscuits or dowels in or is it overkill?

 

[adidat]

nope, cascemite is good, just butt joint them

adidat

 

[No skills]

I saw a video of the wood whisperer making a mixed wood endgrain cutting block, he's stock wasnt particularly thick - he did have a problem with it cracking or bowing (sorry cant remember which) but it was explained why in a later video (not down to the way it was made) and fixed.

Have a look on youtube if your interested, although he tends to ramble on a bit I do like he's work.

hth

 

[studders]

I saw a video of the wood whisperer making a mixed wood endgrain cutting block, he's stock wasnt particularly thick -

Indeed, 'twas his 'process' I was following.

... he tends to ramble on a bit.....

hth

He does that.

 

[bugbear]

Bugbear, i once made one 50mm thick out of maple steamed pair and a few other woods. 18 monthes on its still pretty flat. I thought it would split and bend after a year

Maybe this is still to thick. But i would imagine that cascamite could hold it down to a piece of hardwood and a couple of screws hear and there.

Adidat

I think circa 2" is the norm - and if you make a 12"x18"x2" board, that's 432 cubic inches, which is 0.007079 m³, with beech at 720kg/m3, giving 5Kg.

Nice and stable in use, but inconvenient.

BugBear

 

[Benchwayze]

Block plane, it's what they're made for! Then finish off with a sander

Absolutely.
John