Cutting Board Question

[Rick Johnston]

From 5/4 scraps - an edge grain maple cutting board is the project. (approx. 20" x 14"x 1-1.125" thick) The material is all face grain so cutting strips and rotating 90 deg will give me the edge grain.
If you were picking out a new board for the project wouldn't going through the lumber pile to find find one that was a bit more "like" quarter sawn accomplish the same thing, but with less glue joints for both appearance and functionality??

[Chris Padilla]

I'm a bit confused. Do you mean END grain? Face grain and edge grain are basically the same thing. I don't understand what it buys you to rip your maple and rotate it 90 degrees.

Anyway, look up MTM Wood on YouTube. He makes amazing cutting boards.

[Glen Gunderson]

For some reason with cutting boards and wood countertops you'll often run into the terms "edge grain" and "face grain". Basically what they're referring to is the face and edge of a plainsawn board. So if you have a quartersawn board the face is actually what they refer to as "edge grain". Clear as mud, but I guess the terminology works for that particular application. But yeah, in terms of grain orientation, you'd get exactly the same thing just looking for quartersawn lumber.

Really what it comes down to is whether or not using many narrower strips is more suitable than a few wider quartersawn boards for a cutting board. It might be a little more stable, and perhaps cut marks would be a little less visible because of the less uniform appearance of having many boards, but I'm not sure you'd see a huge difference. If you'd prefer the look of just a few quartersawn boards glued together I'd say go for it.

[glenn bradley]

Face grain and edge grain are basically the same in that they both come from trees :D. Flat sawn has growth rings that are 30 degrees or less from the face. If I am facing the edge of a flat (or plain) sawn board I have an angle of 60 degrees or more. Steeper angles from the face are rift sawn at 30 to 60 degrees and quartersawn at 60 to 90.

As to reducing the amount of effort by using some other material in larger pieces, sure you can do that. I don't know that there are hard and fast rules for cutting boards. I have seen all surfaces used. Your choice of surface should probably come from the intended use. End grain is the least damaging to blade edges so if a lot of chopping, mincing and rock-chopping will be going on, that's your guy. For general slicing that doesn't happen as often or is not so aggressive, edge grain boards do well.

Opinions will vary wildly on this but I usually include the "who really cares" knife work by those who only have sharp knives the day they buy them. For these folks (or for cheese serving tray and other low abuse surfaces) a plainsawn slab (or glue-up) with breadboard ends should do fine. Cutting boards and their use, like coffee grinders, charcoal or propane discussions, Festool, Saw Stop, the Zodiac and home schooling . . . opinions are numerous and wide in range. ;)

[Rick Johnston]

I'm a knife sharpening nut and not attracted to the additional moisture the end grain may take on. Makes it easier not to take on the extra work of the end grain. It was my impression that my version of edge grain (not quarter sawn) was better in theory than the face grain board??
if it is not then wider strips looks better to my eye.

[Chris Padilla]

I believe my mind was elsewhere as Glenn so eloquently pointed out. :) Yes, of course face and edge grain are different! LOL

The "bundle of straws" analogy is a reasonable one to think about when thinking about wood orientations although it doesn't represent face grain so well. Maybe if one flattened the bundle of straws a bit it might work better to think about how a knife might interact.

Wood species is also important to consider for knives. Purpleheart is pretty tough and abrasive due to inherent silica. Walnut is softer than maple but still good to use.

[Rick Johnston]

I should have done google dd work as lots of it out there. Chris I'd suspect you are still in the clouds over that super bowl win!! ��