I'm starting to hate The Wood Whisperer!!

[keith micinski]

SO, I started making cutting boards about 6 months ago, and at first I thought I'll make a couple because they are pretty neat and it wont be that big of a deal. Well long story short they have been a huge hit and 45 cutting boards later I have made my last cutting board for a while. The worst part in the whole thing is even though we don't really cook at all I would have liked one for myself but every time I started making one someone else wanted two more. :D

[Dick Thomas]

You do realize that you've made them so pretty that NO-ONE will ever actually CUT on them - they'll use them as coffee table decorations!
Nice Job!!!

[Victor Robinson]

I hate the Wood Whisperer for making woodworking cool and accessible. He probably single-handedly made me feel like a guy like me could woodwork...and then everyone on SMC helped me empty my wallet.

Great cutting boards Keith! How are you flattening them after glueup? Drum sander I assume?

[Roger Bullock]

+1 on Dick's comment. Those are some nice looking cutting boards.

[Brian Kincaid]

SO, I started making cutting boards about 6 months ago...they have been a huge hit and 45 cutting boards later I have made my last cutting board for a while...

Keith I hope you were able to receive some benefit from making 45 cutting boards!
-Brian

[keith micinski]

Well hear is the problem Brian. Most of these people are friends and family so I am only charging between 50 to 75 bucks for these even though when I look online the same thing is going for a 100 to 150. And to be honest with you there is a lot of finish hand work that goes into these and even though I have gotten real good at them there is about 40 minutes worth of handwork and routing in each one that can't be sped up anymore. Plus to answer Victor's question I am using a 16/32 drum sander to flatten them which I bought specifically because there was no way I could sand these by hand anymore and I bet I haven't even made enough to pay that thing off yet.:D All kidding aside I am actually really happy I bought the Drum sander because I love it and these cutting boards actually have turned out to be really nice gifts. I am just a little worn out on making the same thing over and over again I guess. I learned about the Wood Whisperer on this great web site and like many things involving this web site it has turned out great. I love watching the pod casts and have learned a bunch of little tips I never would have known with out watching his show. I have been saving a piece of Purple heart for a month and once Christmas ends I am going to finally be able to make one for my self hopefully. Plus these cutting boards have really gotten my work out there and I have gotten other inquiries I never would have gotten with out the exposure so it has actually been well worth it.

[Brian Kincaid]

Well, that's no TOO bad then. Unless you consider the cost of the lumber going into them. All the end-grain cutting boards I have made were made of cherry! I picked up a hand-held belt sander even them out.

-Brian

[Victor Robinson]

Keith, I'll bet that 16-32 is a huge help on these things! I don't have a drum sander yet so I'm having to level them by belt sander. It's tempting to run them through the planer but I know bad things can happen...

I can see how making 75 of the same pattern would get pretty monotonous!! Were all of them similar or did you try other patterns?

[keith micinski]

All most all of them were that design. Every time someone would see it they would want that design. I am going to make a template for myself and turn checkers on a 45 so it is a diamond shape pattern. I did the first 5 with a belt sander and decided I wouldn't make another one till I got the drum sander.

[Jay Allen]

You do realize that you've made them so pretty that NO-ONE will ever actually CUT on them - they'll use them as coffee table decorations!
Nice Job!!!
That is the exact problem I have had with every one I have made, no one will use them. My aunt even went so far as to take that knife out of my hand when I started to use hers.....I told her that it was a utility piece, that was intended for use. I would make her something else as an "art" piece, but she wasn't having it.

[Jonathan Link]

Keith I hope you were able to receive some benefit from making 45 cutting boards!
-Brian

The benefit is he is now intimately familiar with dialing in all his equipment to push these out. I'd say that the cutting board project is one of the most demanding for making sure your equipment is set correctly.

[Jaze Derr]

So....can I have a cutting board? :D

You wouldn't really throw that tool at me, would you?:eek: