On Mon, 07 Dec 2015 09:53:17 -0500, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Mon, 7 Dec 2015 05:30:31 -0800 (PST), stryped
wrote:
I am making my mom a rather large cutting board as she needs it. between
2ftx2ft and 3ftx3ft. (Need to measure her counter.
It will be made of hard maple. She wants it flat (no feet) so she can
use both sides.
I was wondering if I could use 3/8 stainless all thread through it to
decrease the likelihood of warping. Or will this just cause more
problems?
If I use all thread, should I use a tap and thread the holes the all
thread goes through? Should I drill and install the all thread once it
is glued? Should I use glue on the all thread?
I will have to make this in "sections" then install the sections
together. (My planer is not big enough to plane the entire piece.
Any advice from you experts is appreciated!
Disclaimer: Not an expert.
Opinion based on many decades of woodworking: If you're talking about
solid maple, it will warp. You can use plywood, as Jim referred to, or
you can rip it into narrow (maybe 1") strips, *reversing* the side on
each one, and edge-gluing them with something good (recorcinol is my
choice but it will leave dark-brown glue lines; epoxy will do as well
without the color). Biscuits or dowels will NOT make it stronger. They
just help to line pieces up.
That will be pretty resistant to warping. Tell mom that when she washes
it, wash *both sides* and wipe them dry before putting it away.
Use as little water on it as possible.
I don't think that allthread will do anything except compress the wood
at the washers, compressing it more each time you wet it and crushing
the wood. I have examples of French saute pans that keep compressing
their maple handles for just this reason.
BTW, with epoxy, you won't need any more clamping force than it takes to
hold the strips together. With resorcinol, you will need good bar
clamps, at least two on EACH side of the board.
Good luck! In the good woodworking resources (Fine Woodworking, etc.)
you will find lots ot helpful advice on this. Cutting boards are a
common gift item.
I was going to say basically this -- and repeat Bob Englehardt's
suggestion of checking in on rec.woodworking.
I've got a nice cutting board made with the alternating-grain-strip
method by my father in law that is very nice, and has stood the test of
time. I don't know what glue he used, but I can attest to the method
working well.
Note, it is NOT end-grain -- the grain runs lengthwise, and the thing
works just fine.
--
Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com