Home Menu

Menu


Woodworking (rec.woodworking) Discussion forum covering all aspects of working with wood. All levels of expertise are encouraged to particiapte.

DIYbanter » Do - it - Yourself » Woodworking > How to make a cutting board
Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 28
Default How to make a cutting board
After having a doizen or so comercial cutting boards split and thrown
into trash I want to make my own. Can someone give me guidance how to
make it so it won't split, how to finish it, if it at all, etc. Most
important for me is it shoiuld be very durable as I don't want to make
it every month. I plan using maple to make it.
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #2   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 6,375
Default How to make a cutting board
In article , Sasha wrote:
After having a doizen or so comercial cutting boards split and thrown
into trash I want to make my own. Can someone give me guidance how to
make it so it won't split, how to finish it, if it at all, etc. Most
important for me is it shoiuld be very durable as I don't want to make
it every month. I plan using maple to make it.

Make sure the wood is thoroughly dry, straight, and flat. Then use a
waterproof glue -- not merely water *resistant*. A urea-formaldehyde glue,
such as DAP Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue, would be the best choice IMHO.
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #7   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 4,764
Default How to make a cutting board
On May 4, 11:18*am, (Doug Miller) wrote:
In article , (Derek Lyons) wrote:
(Doug Miller) wrote:

Make sure the wood is thoroughly dry, straight, and flat. Then use a
waterproof glue -- not merely water *resistant*. A urea-formaldehyde glue,
such as DAP Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue, would be the best choice IMHO.

No, the first consideration for cutting board glues is whether or not
it is safe to use in contact with food. *I can find no cite that the
glue above is FDA approved.

I guess you should have looked a little harder. The technical bulletin listed
at the manufacturer's web site specifically recommends it for use in cutting
boards.

http://www.dap.com/docs/tech/00030201.pdf

The glue most often reccomened is Titebond -II or -III.

Depends on who's doing the recommending...

As the guy who would be building the board, and my family and friends
the one eating off of it, I'd be less than thrilled to read these
words in the DAP Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue MSDS:

EFFECTS OF OVEREXPOSURE - INGESTION: May cause stomach and intestinal
irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, weakness, and headache.
Ingestion of over 1 gram/day of barium chloride (25 grams/day of
product) may raise blood pressure and affect heart action.

The amount is someone would ingest from a cutting board would be
minimal, but still, let's look for a safer alternative.

Gorilla Glue:
Ingestion Product is not intended to be ingested or eaten.If this
product is ingested,severe irritation of the gastrointestinal tract
may occur,and should be treated symptomatically. Do not induce the
patient or animal to vomit.Call a doctor,ambulance or seek
veterinarian assistance immediately.

The word severe scares me. Keep looking.

Titebond II:
INGESTION: No hazard expected in normal industrial use. Ingestion is
not a likely route of exposure.

Hmmm. I guess Titebond is weaseling around on this one. I cook meals
for small groups and the use of the product in a cutting board does
make the exposure route much more likely. Keep looking.

Maybe the new and improved Titebond III?
Nope. The most weaselly MSDS of them all. It states that ingestion
is a route of entry, and that you should contact a poison control
center immediately, but it has no information about the effects. It's
also interesting to see that they put NO to skin contact as a route of
entry, but it says it can cause skin irritation. From their promo
literature we have this gem: "FDA approved for indirect food contact"
What does that mean

Franklin's Hide Glue:
INGESTION: Single dose oral toxicity is considered to be extremely
low. No hazards expected from swallowing small amounts incidental to
normal handling operations. Ingestion may cause gastrointestinal
irritation.

If this is starting to make you nervous, take heart, the cutting board
you are using now probably came from China where they're using the new
lead-based glue-extender.

And there's hope:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1014193722.htm

I ran across a number of places where a particular glue was listed as
either non-toxic...or maybe not. This site
http://askville.amazon.com/wood-glue...questId=790353
gave the plastic resin glue (urea formaldehyde) a non-toxic in its
cured state rating. I think I'll take that and call it good and worry
about some other stuff that will kill me.

R
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #8   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 2,091
Default How to make a cutting board
From the Titebond site regarding Titebond II

"is FDA approved for indirect food contact (cutting boards)"

http://www.titebond.com/IntroPageTB....ne=2?prodcat=1

Like many substances, once they cure, they are pretty safe.


On May 4, 3:44*pm, RicodJour wrote:
On May 4, 11:18*am, (Doug Miller) wrote:





In article , (Derek Lyons) wrote:
(Doug Miller) wrote:

Make sure the wood is thoroughly dry, straight, and flat. Then use a
waterproof glue -- not merely water *resistant*. A urea-formaldehyde glue,
such as DAP Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue, would be the best choice IMHO.

No, the first consideration for cutting board glues is whether or not
it is safe to use in contact with food. *I can find no cite that the
glue above is FDA approved.

I guess you should have looked a little harder. The technical bulletin listed
at the manufacturer's web site specifically recommends it for use in cutting
boards.

http://www.dap.com/docs/tech/00030201.pdf

The glue most often reccomened is Titebond -II or -III.

Depends on who's doing the recommending...

As the guy who would be building the board, and my family and friends
the one eating off of it, I'd be less than thrilled to read these
words in the DAP Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue MSDS:

EFFECTS OF OVEREXPOSURE - INGESTION: *May cause stomach and intestinal
irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, weakness, and headache.
Ingestion of over 1 gram/day of barium chloride (25 grams/day of
product) may raise blood pressure and affect heart action.

The amount is someone would ingest from a cutting board would be
minimal, but still, let's look for a safer alternative.

Gorilla Glue:
Ingestion Product is not intended to be ingested or eaten.If this
product is ingested,severe irritation of the gastrointestinal tract
may occur,and should be treated symptomatically. Do not induce the
patient or animal to vomit.Call a doctor,ambulance or seek
veterinarian assistance immediately.

The word severe scares me. *Keep looking.

Titebond II:
INGESTION: No hazard expected in normal industrial use. *Ingestion is
not a likely route of exposure.

Hmmm. *I guess Titebond is weaseling around on this one. *I cook meals
for small groups and the use of the product in a cutting board does
make the exposure route much more likely. *Keep looking.

Maybe the new and improved Titebond III?
Nope. *The most weaselly MSDS of them all. *It states that ingestion
is a route of entry, and that you should contact a poison control
center immediately, but it has no information about the effects. *It's
also interesting to see that they put NO to skin contact as a route of
entry, but it says it can cause skin irritation. *From their promo
literature we have this gem: "FDA approved for indirect food contact"
What does that mean

Franklin's Hide Glue:
INGESTION: Single dose oral toxicity is considered to be extremely
low. *No hazards expected from swallowing small amounts incidental to
normal handling operations. *Ingestion may cause gastrointestinal
irritation.

If this is starting to make you nervous, take heart, the cutting board
you are using now probably came from China where they're using the new
lead-based glue-extender.

And there's hope:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1014193722.htm

I ran across a number of places where a particular glue was listed as
either non-toxic...or maybe not. *This sitehttp://askville.amazon.com/wood-glue-diferent/AnswerViewer.do?request...
gave the plastic resin glue (urea formaldehyde) a non-toxic in its
cured state rating. *I think I'll take that and call it good and worry
about some other stuff that will kill me.

R- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #9   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 6,375
Default How to make a cutting board
In article , RicodJour wrote:
On May 4, 11:18=A0am, (Doug Miller) wrote:
In article , =
(Derek Lyons) wrote:
(Doug Miller) wrote:

Make sure the wood is thoroughly dry, straight, and flat. Then use a
waterproof glue -- not merely water *resistant*. A urea-formaldehyde gl=
ue,
such as DAP Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue, would be the best choice IMHO.

No, the first consideration for cutting board glues is whether or not
it is safe to use in contact with food. =A0I can find no cite that the
glue above is FDA approved.

I guess you should have looked a little harder. The technical bulletin li=
sted
at the manufacturer's web site specifically recommends it for use in cutt=
ing
boards.

http://www.dap.com/docs/tech/00030201.pdf

The glue most often reccomened is Titebond -II or -III.

Depends on who's doing the recommending...

As the guy who would be building the board, and my family and friends
the one eating off of it, I'd be less than thrilled to read these
words in the DAP Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue MSDS:

EFFECTS OF OVEREXPOSURE - INGESTION: May cause stomach and intestinal
irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, weakness, and headache.
Ingestion of over 1 gram/day of barium chloride (25 grams/day of
product) may raise blood pressure and affect heart action.

That's referring to the *unmixed* *uncured* glue. Once mixed and cured, the
stuff is insoluble in water.

[snip]
This site
http://askville.amazon.com/wood-glue...requestId=3D7=
90353
gave the plastic resin glue (urea formaldehyde) a non-toxic in its
cured state rating. I think I'll take that and call it good and worry
about some other stuff that will kill me.

Like I said...
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #12   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 2,349
Default How to make a cutting board
On 2009-05-05, Martin H. Eastburn wrote:
Best to finish in Mineral oil.

I disagree. I know more about cooking than woodworking. Yes,
traditionally, butcher blocks are treated with Mineral oil. Do you want to
use a "petroleum" product around your food? I don't.

I never used any oil on my 10"X10" cutting board for 12 yrs! Yes, it
finally split and I discarded it. Hey!! That's 12 yrs. I think I can
afford it. You wanna invest in a 3'x3'x3' butcher block, ok. Use some
mineral oil, if you want. I'm not putting Shell oil in my bod. Jes my
opinion.

nb
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #13   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 11,640
Default How to make a cutting board

"notbob" wrote in message
...
On 2009-05-05, Martin H. Eastburn wrote:
Best to finish in Mineral oil.

I disagree. I know more about cooking than woodworking. Yes,
traditionally, butcher blocks are treated with Mineral oil. Do you want
to
use a "petroleum" product around your food? I don't.

I never used any oil on my 10"X10" cutting board for 12 yrs! Yes, it
finally split and I discarded it. Hey!! That's 12 yrs. I think I can
afford it. You wanna invest in a 3'x3'x3' butcher block, ok. Use some
mineral oil, if you want. I'm not putting Shell oil in my bod. Jes my
opinion.

nb

Pharmaceutical grade, it is even used as a laxative. Perfectly safe.


Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #14   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 2,091
Default How to make a cutting board
Unless you live the Amish life, you are eating mineral oil everyday.
It is sprayed on rice to stop dust, gel caps for pills are made from
it, hundreds of foods use it in their coatings. And it is available in
the pharmacy to be used as a stool softner taken straight.

It is one of the many amazing refined items we get from oil. It is
closest in structure to wax and in the industry is actually called
parifin oil in the trades.

On May 4, 8:05*pm, notbob wrote:
On 2009-05-05, Martin H. Eastburn wrote:

Best to finish in Mineral oil. *

I disagree. *I know more about cooking than woodworking. *Yes,
traditionally, butcher blocks are treated with Mineral oil. *Do you want to
use a "petroleum" product around your food? *I don't.

I never used any oil on my 10"X10" cutting board for 12 yrs! *Yes, it
finally split and I discarded it. *Hey!! *That's 12 yrs. *I think I can
afford it. *You wanna invest in a 3'x3'x3' butcher block, ok. *Use some
mineral oil, if you want. *I'm not putting Shell oil in my bod. *Jes my
opinion. *

nb

Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #16   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 6,035
Default How to make a cutting board

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
...
In article ,
wrote:
On Mon, 04 May 2009 13:14:34 GMT, (Doug Miller)
wrote:

Make sure the wood is thoroughly dry, straight, and flat. Then use a
waterproof glue -- not merely water *resistant*. A urea-formaldehyde
glue,
such as DAP Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue, would be the best choice IMHO.

Use "quater sawn" maple. Drill through the full width of the board
and insert staimless steel "tension members, nutted tightly with the
ends of the holes filled with dowels.

Phooey. If the wood is properly dried, properly jointed, and properly
glued,
there's absolutely no need for "stainless steel tension members".


Actully if you take all of the precautions that you mentioned and build a
butcher block style cutting board, "with end grain pointing up" the likely
hood of the joints and or wood splitting increase dramatically. The end
grain will soak up enough liquids and oils that it will eventually swell and
can crack. I have a mobile butcher block that I build almost 30 years ago
that split for the reason mentioned after about 6 years of use. Rods added
through the center have prevented this from reoccouring.
If your cutting board uses the side or edge of the wood for the cutting
surface glue is all that you should need.




Finish with vegetable oil

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Most vegetable oils will become rancid in fairly
short
order. Finish with mineral oil, or with walnut oil.

That is not true. My wife has never used anything but vegetable oil on the
butcher block and there has never been a problem with anything going rancid,
at least in the last 30 years. While mineral oil and or a butcher block oil
may be a better choice, vegetable oil has done just fine for us.






Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #17   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 1,619
Default How to make a cutting board

"Leon" wrote

That is not true. My wife has never used anything but vegetable oil on
the butcher block and there has never been a problem with anything going
rancid, at least in the last 30 years. While mineral oil and or a butcher
block oil may be a better choice, vegetable oil has done just fine for us.


Perhaps your wife has a magic touch in the kitchen?? :-)



Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #18   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 6,375
Default How to make a cutting board
In article , "Leon" wrote:

Actully if you take all of the precautions that you mentioned and build a
butcher block style cutting board, "with end grain pointing up" the likely
hood of the joints and or wood splitting increase dramatically. The end
grain will soak up enough liquids and oils that it will eventually swell and
can crack.

Indeed that's true -- which is one reason I don't build cutting boards that
way. The other reason is I don't like the look.

I have a mobile butcher block that I build almost 30 years ago
that split for the reason mentioned after about 6 years of use. Rods added
through the center have prevented this from reoccouring.

Yep, I can see that. More trouble than it's worth IMO -- easier, and (again,
IMO) better looking to use strips, with the edge grain up.

If your cutting board uses the side or edge of the wood for the cutting
surface glue is all that you should need.

Agreed.




Finish with vegetable oil

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Most vegetable oils will become rancid in fairly short
order. Finish with mineral oil, or with walnut oil.

That is not true. My wife has never used anything but vegetable oil on the
butcher block and there has never been a problem with anything going rancid,
at least in the last 30 years. While mineral oil and or a butcher block oil
may be a better choice, vegetable oil has done just fine for us.

OK, perhaps I should have said "may become rancid". Still better to use an oil
that eventually dries; walnut, being a food product, is of course completely
food-safe. Or leave it unfinished, and dress it with a card scraper every now
and again.
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #19   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 630
Default How to make a cutting board

"Leon" wrote:

That is not true. My wife has never used anything but vegetable oil
on the butcher block and there has never been a problem with
anything going rancid, at least in the last 30 years. While mineral
oil and or a butcher block oil may be a better choice, vegetable oil
has done just fine for us.

Let's see now, my slab of plastic doesn't need to be oiled, will go in
the dishwasher if desired, doesn't damage knife edge during use, can
be sterilized with household bleach.

That just about covers all my needs for a cutting board, but as a work
of art, it sucks.

Lew


Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #20   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 104
Default How to make a cutting board

"Leon" wrote in message
...

My wife has never used anything but vegetable oil on the butcher block
and there has never been a problem with anything going rancid, at least in
the last 30 years. While mineral oil and or a butcher block oil may be a
better choice, vegetable oil has done just fine for us.



Wesson oil for ours and the same for my mothers. I would bet that most of
the "going rancid" replies are from people that are just repeating what
others say rather than having any experience.


Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #22   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 18,538
Default How to make a cutting board
On Tue, 05 May 2009 11:11:30 GMT, (Doug Miller)
wrote:

In article , wrote:
On Mon, 04 May 2009 13:14:34 GMT, (Doug Miller)
wrote:

Make sure the wood is thoroughly dry, straight, and flat. Then use a
waterproof glue -- not merely water *resistant*. A urea-formaldehyde glue,
such as DAP Weldwood Plastic Resin Glue, would be the best choice IMHO.

Use "quater sawn" maple. Drill through the full width of the board
and insert staimless steel "tension members, nutted tightly with the
ends of the holes filled with dowels.

Phooey. If the wood is properly dried, properly jointed, and properly glued,
there's absolutely no need for "stainless steel tension members".

You could also use some T88
epoxy or equivalent on the joints between the bords if you want "belt
and suspenders"

*Any* waterproof glue comes under the category of "properly glued".

Finish with vegetable oil

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Most vegetable oils will become rancid in fairly short
order. Finish with mineral oil, or with walnut oil.

Walnut oil is considered a vegetable(as opposed to mineral) oil.
So is Almond oil, and coconut oil - both recommended for "seasoning"
cutting boards.
"Salad Bowl Oil" is a combination of "vegatable oils" as well - cold
pressed flax (linseed) oil and organic lemon oil with a non-toxic
drier (usually Zircon Octoate) (BioShield)

General Finishes Salad Bowl oil is petroleum distilate (mineral
spirits) and oil modified Urethane.

Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #23   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 6,062
Default How to make a cutting board
On May 4, 9:02*am, Sasha wrote:
After having a doizen or so comercial cutting boards split and thrown
into trash I want to make my own. Can someone give me guidance how to
make it so it won't split, how to finish it, if it at all, etc. Most
important for me is it shoiuld be very durable as I don't want to make
it every month. I plan using maple to make it.

Is this a cutting board for 'work' or 'looks'?
If it is for work, a slab of polyethelene is the best choice. Won't
hurt your knives and is food safe.
Wooden boards need to be looked after with more care and make sure you
use food-safe adhesives and finishes. That also means NEVER to use
peanut oil to finish your board.
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #24   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 4,764
Default How to make a cutting board
On May 4, 9:21*am, Robatoy wrote:

Wooden boards need to be looked after with more care and make sure you
use food-safe adhesives and finishes. That also means NEVER to use
peanut oil to finish your board.

There was an interesting segment on (I think) America's Test Kitchen
about wood vs. plastic cutting boards. They took swab samples from
both types of cutting boards and put them into Petri culture dishes
and watched what grew. They took samples from boards that were washed
different ways, brand new boards, and boards that were cleaned and
stored for a few days. All of the boards showed that there was
bacteria living on the boards - including the brand new ones.

The interesting part was that the wood boards that were cleaned and
put away for a while had their bacteria populations actually
decrease. Something in the wood was fighting the bacteria, and
they're not sure what it is.

The plastic boards are almost self-healing and that's a two-edged
sword. It keeps the surface essentially intact for longer, but the
cuts close up around whatever you were cutting and the closed semi-
healed cuts protect the bacteria from the washing.

Wood boards do need to be handled a bit more carefully, but I think
it's a very worthwhile trade off.

R
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #25   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 1,852
Default How to make a cutting board
Grand father-in-law - was a butcher in his later life. He always cleaned
his block table Ammonia. He also poured it on his cuts and had several
finger tips slightly askew - being affixed again with Ammonia killing germs.

Martin

RicodJour wrote:
On May 4, 9:21 am, Robatoy wrote:
Wooden boards need to be looked after with more care and make sure you
use food-safe adhesives and finishes. That also means NEVER to use
peanut oil to finish your board.

There was an interesting segment on (I think) America's Test Kitchen
about wood vs. plastic cutting boards. They took swab samples from
both types of cutting boards and put them into Petri culture dishes
and watched what grew. They took samples from boards that were washed
different ways, brand new boards, and boards that were cleaned and
stored for a few days. All of the boards showed that there was
bacteria living on the boards - including the brand new ones.

The interesting part was that the wood boards that were cleaned and
put away for a while had their bacteria populations actually
decrease. Something in the wood was fighting the bacteria, and
they're not sure what it is.

The plastic boards are almost self-healing and that's a two-edged
sword. It keeps the surface essentially intact for longer, but the
cuts close up around whatever you were cutting and the closed semi-
healed cuts protect the bacteria from the washing.

Wood boards do need to be handled a bit more carefully, but I think
it's a very worthwhile trade off.

R
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #26   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 630
Default How to make a cutting board

Sasha wrote:
................................................. .
After having a doizen or so comercial cutting boards split and thrown
into trash I want to make my own.
................................................. ..
Sounds like too many trips thru the dishwasher to me.
................................................. .......

"Robatoy" wrote:
................................................. .....
Is this a cutting board for 'work' or 'looks'?
If it is for work, a slab of polyethelene is the best choice. Won't
hurt your knives and is food safe.
Wooden boards need to be looked after with more care and make sure you
use food-safe adhesives and finishes. That also means NEVER to use
peanut oil to finish your board.
................................................. ...........

Not sure if it is polyethylene or polypropylene that is FDA approved,
but without a doubt, plastic is for dough and wood is for show, to
paraphrase the golf metaphor.

A 3M scrub pad, some soap and hot water is all that is needed to keep
things sterile.

I probably wash and scrub mine 5-6 times while doing the prep for a
meal.

Am paranoid about immediate cleaning board after cutting meats,
especially chicken.

You want to be anal about it, scrub board then pour some household
bleach over all surfaces and let air dry.

The "poly" slab I'm using now is at least 25 years old and can
probably last at least another 25.

If I want a board for show, wood it will be.

If I want a board for dough, poly is for me.

YMMV

Lew


Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #27   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 6,035
Default How to make a cutting board

"Sasha" wrote in message
...
After having a doizen or so comercial cutting boards split and thrown
into trash I want to make my own. Can someone give me guidance how to
make it so it won't split, how to finish it, if it at all, etc. Most
important for me is it shoiuld be very durable as I don't want to make
it every month. I plan using maple to make it.


Good advice given but for best results don't let it stay wet, rinse it and
either immediately dry it off or stand it up on edge so the water will run
off.


Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #28   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
dpb dpb is offline
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 12,595
Default How to make a cutting board
Leon wrote:
....
Good advice given but for best results don't let it stay wet, rinse it and
either immediately dry it off or stand it up on edge so the water will run
off.

And _never_ put it in a dishwasher -- that's probably what killed the
others if were to venture a guess.

--
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #29   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 3,848
Default How to make a cutting board
Sasha wrote:
After having a doizen or so comercial cutting boards split and thrown
into trash I want to make my own. Can someone give me guidance how to
make it so it won't split, how to finish it, if it at all, etc. Most
important for me is it shoiuld be very durable as I don't want to make
it every month. I plan using maple to make it.

Cutting board or chopping board (block)?

I have each. One cutting board of maple no more than 3/4" thick (maybe
less) about 12" x 18"; one of hickory that is bigger and about 1" thick; one
chopping board/block of hickory about 1 1/2" thick by 7" x 7". Chopping
boards are meant for whacking as well as slicing, cutting boards for
slicing.

All are glued up with type 2 yellow glue. All are finished with boiled
linseed oil.

The smaller maple board is made of three boards edge glued. One side has a
"blood groove" routed out near the perimeter with a 1/2" core box bit, other
side is smooth. It stays on a counter standing up where it is handy for
slicing bread, etc. It was made at least 16 years ago.

The hickory board is made from numerous 1" x 1" strips. It lives on a slide
under the counter top over the trash bag so trimmings can just be pushed off
into the trash. It can easily be lifted out and put on the counter. It was
made 8-9 years ago. Double sided just like the smaller maple one.

The hickory block has end grain as the cutting surface. It was made by
gluing up seven or eight 1" x1" strips of hickory, each 24" long. I made
three of those then cross cut them into 1 1/2" pieces and glued those pieces
together. Extra was used to turn four small feet so it stands maybe 1-2"
above the counter where it lives...handy for slicing an onion or tomato,
whacking or trimming a chop. It too was made 8-9 years ago; in fact, I made
15 of them as gifts. Mine is still in first rate shape, presume the others
are as well.

Someone mentioned using polyethelene...not a bad choice at all but the
consensus is that wood harbors the least bacteria. Its prettier too

The wood boards really don't need a finish but I use BLO anyway just to make
them pretty. Yes, it wears off. Food safe? Yes when dry. Type 2 glue
food safe? Don't know but I sure wouldn't worry about it being so...neither
the glue nor the BLO are going to be sucked into whatever you cut.

As far as splitting goes, if the wood is seasoned when you use it and the
glue surfaces are straight and smooth it isn't going to split. To clean,
rinse and dry. Use a bit of soap THEN rinse and dry if need be. No
dishwasher though.


dadiOH




Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #30   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 2,532
Default How to make a cutting board
On Mon, 04 May 2009 11:25:25 -0400, dadiOH wrote:

The wood boards really don't need a finish but I use BLO anyway just to
make them pretty. Yes, it wears off. Food safe? Yes when dry.

Tried & True makes a polymerized linseed oil with no driers. Completely
non-toxic. A chemist I know says he wouldn't trust the "safe when dry"
finishes if they were to come in contact with acidic foods, such as
tomatoes. I don't know if he's right or not, but with non-toxic finishes
out there, why take the chance?

--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #31   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 2,091
Default How to make a cutting board
Yes use Maple. You want Hard Maple or Sugar Maple. Assuming you buy
boards that are surfaced flat, rip them to a width about 1/8" wider
than the thickness of board you want. Using different thickness boards
can add visual interest by making different width strips. If the rips
are clean enough then just flip them on edge and do a glue up using
Titebond II. Titebond III is a little more water secure but is the
wrong color for Maple. Make sure each board fits tight along its
entire length. If the rips are not super clean, then joint the ripped
faces. If you have any gaps, then joint them away.You may need to rip
a little wider to account for thickness loss of jointer. You want the
cutting face to be the edges of the boards.

Assuming you are going 1 to 1 1/2" thick, only glue up about 4 or 5
strips at a time to be sure you get good clamping pressure. Make as
many of the sub slabs as you need for the final board size. Flatten
the slabs in a wide sander or with a belt sander or other method. Hard
Maple will chip if you try to machine plane it but you could hand
plane if you are good.

Glue the slabs together into one final board. Flatten, dimension,
shape the edges as desired and sand out to 150.

Soak with mineral oil once a day for a week, onece a week for a month
and once a month for a year. This will yellow the wood significantly
but more importantly, the oil fills all the voids where the enemy
"Water" would like to go. It aslo keeps out other food oils that can
go rancid.

After using, rinse with hot water, dry with a towel and stand on edge
until dry. If occasionally you want to disinfect it, a 10% solution of
vinegar in warm water will do the trick, dry as stated before.

Never soak it in water. If you use Boiled Linseed Oil as suggested or
any other oil BE SURE it is pure and does not have any "Dries" in it.
These are heavy metal and very toxic. You can get mineral oil at
culinary shops or at the pharmacy. Some people suggest other fod oils
and generally they can go rancid so they are not suggested although it
seems that maybe walnut oil works, even though walnust themselves go
rancid quite easily but it is in pretty wide use in Europe. I prefer
mineral oil.

Finally, if it ever splits along a glue line (it can happen), just let
it dry for a week or two, rip it down that glueline and re-glue it.


On May 4, 6:02*am, Sasha wrote:
After having a doizen or so comercial cutting boards split and thrown
into trash I want to make my own. Can someone give me guidance how to
make it so it won't split, how to finish it, if it at all, etc. Most
important for me is it shoiuld be very durable as I don't want to make
it every month. I plan using maple to make it.

Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #32   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 3,287
Default How to make a cutting board
On May 4, 11:35 am, "SonomaProducts.com" wrote:

If you use Boiled Linseed Oil as suggested or
any other oil BE SURE it is pure and does not have any "Dries" in it.
These are heavy metal and very toxic.

Just to expand on Sonoma's post....

DO NOT use Boiled Linseed Oil on any food surface. Ever. BLO is
dries out quickly due to the introduction of the aforementioned
chemical driers which are indeed quite poisonous.

However, UNlike most of today's resin finishes which are toxic when
wet or uncured, then food safe when cured, the poison component does
not go away when the resins cure. Think of the old oil based paints
with lead in them. The paint can be dry for decades and the inert
metals in the finish are as deadly as they day they were manufactured.

There is no such thing as "PURE" BLO. It doesn't exist.

The misnomer of "boiled linseed oil" is a myth itself. IIRC, the
"boiling process" is the introduction of metal salts in the mixing
vat.

"Boiled" Linseed Oil is manufactured by taking linseed oil and adding
metallic driers to the oil itself, in the same fashion we used to add
Japan Drier (again, nothing to do with Japan) to oil based (sometimes
linseed/tung oil) paints.

Without metallic driers, the oil is simply "linseed oil" or "raw
linseed oil". It takes weeks or months to simply dry a bit. But
without driers, the raw stuff is actually edible. Outside of making
bread, I am not sure what the linseed oil/flaxseed oil is actually
good for in normal use.

"Boiled linseed oil" came about as a quick fix for someone that wanted
an oil finish without the time or trouble involved.

Here's something from Russ Fairfield. Not a professional, but
knowledgeable:

http://www.woodcentral.com/russ/finish6.shtml

Robert
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #34   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 3,287
Default How to make a cutting board
On May 6, 5:08*pm, Steve Turner wrote:

You could also (still can, I presume) buy the linseed oil
itself to mix your own paint or make it flow better. *

You can still buy it just about anywhere. Just DAGS "raw linseed oil"
and you will get plenty of sources.

It was my
understanding that it was not at all toxic and I can still remember the
wonderful smell, but I can't remember if I actually ever tasted it. *:-)

Flaxseed oil is the same thing, just refined differently. Like you, I
love the way it smells, and I remember going into old cabinets maker's
(not necessarily pros) shops that had that smell in the air.

That smell just seems to take you back a few years....

Robert

Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #35   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 6,062
Default How to make a cutting board
On May 6, 7:09*pm, "
wrote:
On May 6, 5:08*pm, Steve Turner wrote:

You could also (still can, I presume) buy the linseed oil
itself to mix your own paint or make it flow better. *

You can still buy it just about anywhere. *Just DAGS "raw linseed oil"
and you will get plenty of sources.

It was my
understanding that it was not at all toxic and I can still remember the
wonderful smell, but I can't remember if I actually ever tasted it. *:-)

Flaxseed oil is the same thing, just refined differently. *Like you, I
love the way it smells, and I remember going into old cabinets maker's
(not necessarily pros) shops that had that smell in the air.

That smell just seems to take you back a few years....

Robert

Flaxseed oil makes you poop.
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #36   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 230
Default How to make a cutting board

"Sasha" wrote in message
...
After having a doizen or so comercial cutting boards split and thrown
into trash I want to make my own. Can someone give me guidance how to
make it so it won't split, how to finish it, if it at all, etc. Most
important for me is it shoiuld be very durable as I don't want to make
it every month. I plan using maple to make it.

One question not asked, why do your boards fail? SWMBO boards are 30 yo or
better.


Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #37   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 630
Default How to make a cutting board

"Rick Samuel" wrote:

One question not asked, why do your boards fail?

What do you want to bet there is a dishwasher involved?

Lew


Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #38   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 2,091
Default How to make a cutting board
On May 4, 10:27*pm, "Lew Hodgett" wrote:
"Rick Samuel" wrote:
One question not asked, why do your boards fail?

What do you want to bet there is a dishwasher involved?

Lew

And even then it is the heat of the diswasher, not the water that
degrades the glue.
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
  #39   Report Post  
Posted to rec.woodworking
external usenet poster
  
Posts: 1,597
Default How to make a cutting board
On Mon, 4 May 2009 06:02:59 -0700 (PDT), Sasha
wrote:

After having a doizen or so comercial cutting boards split and thrown
into trash I want to make my own. Can someone give me guidance how to
make it so it won't split, how to finish it, if it at all, etc. Most
important for me is it shoiuld be very durable as I don't want to make
it every month. I plan using maple to make it.


Are these cutting boards washed by hand, soaked or put into the
dishwasher? I suspect it is the care of the board that is making it
split. My cutting boards have been used over 25 years and have not
split yet. I wash them by hand, rinse and try to keep them dry. I
use one for meat, another for vegetables.
Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes
Hybrid Mode Hybrid Mode

Posting Rules
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
cutting board Stoutman Woodworking 10 April 15th 07 05:37 PM
cutting board Stoutman Woodworking Plans and Photos 0 April 15th 07 03:26 AM
Red Oak in cutting board? rkruz Woodworking 13 July 30th 05 12:47 AM
Red Oak in cutting board? jjsmithin Woodworking 8 July 29th 05 03:51 AM
Cutting Board Highspeed Woodworking 20 December 23rd 04 06:36 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 11:12 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"

 

Contact Us DIY Banter Forum Home Privacy Statement