Looking for advice . . .

[Steven DeMars]

Looking for advice on how to install a removable white plastic cutting board. We have 2' X 3' butcher block center island/table that was purchased from an unfinished furniture store.

I want to cut out a section out of the top about 10"X 7.5" X 3/8" deep. I want to then cut a piece of cutting board material to drop in to the opening. I would put a hole in the top to be able to push the cutting board out for cleaning from beneath.

Can I use an ROUTER INLAY KIT to accomplish this?

Any suggestions would be appreciated . . .

Below is how I got into this mess . . .
I really didn't want to build one from scratch, so it appeared to be the best solution. We stained the lower part applied a satin polyurethane. That came out really well. The butcher block top (not end grain) was sanded and stained also. For a finish we chose to go with System 3 Mirror Coat. We prepped, we leveled, we did everything right. End result, 90% of the top is absolutely beautiful. The Mirror Coat performed just as it should. As for the other 10% of the table located near a corner, it did not level correctly, lots of bubbles and dips. This is only present over this one section, which also appears to be just this one segment of the top. The same piece of wood. Called the factory, they tried to be helpful, but you guys all know that fixing a finish is just about impossible. They suggested a heat gun to melt the plastic. That helped a little, but there is a side effect. The melting point of the plastic appears to be higher that the "scorching/burning" point of wood.So now we have a small area with some bumps, bubbles and now the wood beneath the Mirror Coat is scorched black.
This is by no way a complaint about Mirror Coat. I am pretty sure now that that piece of wood that helped make up the top was either moist or oily. The imperfections only appear over "that" piece of wood.

Thanks in advance,:)
Steve

[Philip Rodriquez]

I would make the hole the same way a person would for a router plate.


Cut a few strips of wood 6 to 10 inches longer than the board. You want them to overhang the long side of the board evenly and you want them wide enough to support a router sled.
Next, cut two more strips the exact length of the sides of the board. Again, you want the strips to be wide enough to support your router sled. We're trying to make a frame that is exactly the same size of the O.D. of the board.
Pocket screw the frame together and now you have a router template for the hole. Just be sure to use a bit that matches the raduis of the corners.
Cheers!

[Myk Rian]

Make the frame using double sided tape. Much easier.

[Steven DeMars]

Thank you for the suggestions . . .any as to what type of bit to use?

Steve

[Glen Butler]

Just curious. Were you planning to use the butcher block top as a cutting surface or was it always intended to be just a countertop? Mirror is cool stuff but it scuffs easily. When I have seen wood countertops they are typically just oiled with mineral oil and left alone. Then you can just use the wood surface for cutting. I know this is after the fact, I am just wondering what your intent was.

[Lee Schierer]

The router inlay bit will likely break several times trying to clean out an area that large. They are only 1/8" diameter. Use it only for the cutting the out line of your parts and use a larger diameter flat bottom cutting bit and a regular collar with your template to clear out the bulk of the material. You will likely need an over size base plate to support the router as you clean out the wood toward the center of the area.

[Mike Heidrick]

So I was thinking about this. A few questions.

Will you seal under the white board (surely you will).

How would you keep food and "juice" cleaned out of it?

Are you looking at a petri dish with this inlay idea? (thinking in the sincerest best health for your family)

Ever think of just starting over and sealing with a butcher block finish and being done?

Maybe just cover the whole thing with a true butcher block top you make and recess the purchased top into that.

[James White]

So I was thinking about this. A few questions.

Will you seal under the white board (surely you will).

How would you keep food and "juice" cleaned out of it?

Are you looking at a petri dish with this inlay idea? (thinking in the sincerest best health for your family)

Ever think of just starting over and sealing with a butcher block finish and being done?

Maybe just cover the whole thing with a true butcher block top you make and recess the purchased top into that.

I was thinking the same thing. A better idea might be. To inlay some strips on the outside perimiter of the cutting board into the butcher block. About 1/3 the length of the sides and ends and centered along the sides and ends. Just to hold the board stationary without creating a cavity that is near impossible to keep sanitary.

I hope that makes sense. Reading it to myself don't quite paint the mental image I was hoping to.

James

[Steven DeMars]

After reading everyones comments . . .

I have decided to either sand and re-pour Mirror Coat or do as the wife says, "live with it, now it has character & you can clone it".

I hadn't given enough thought to the health issue . . . :o

Thank you every one . . .

Steve

[Brian Tymchak]

For the time being maybe just cover the problem area with an opaque cutting board, with little silicon rubber feet on it. No difficult inlay work needed. You could turn it into another wood shop project. Make it out of a nicely contrasting wood.

Brian