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View Full Version : Article #2: Cutting Board Tutorial by Mike Schwing



Aaron Koehl
07-02-2003, 12:50 AM
Hello All!

Here is Mike Schwing's Incra-inspired, 7 page
Cutting Board Tutorial (with photos):

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/articles/2

Please post your comments in this thread!
Thanks Mike!

_Aaron_

Mike Schwing
07-02-2003, 7:53 AM
Thanks Aaron! Your editing looks much better than mine!

Glenn Clabo
07-02-2003, 8:39 AM
Thanks Aaron for getting this up. This could be the start of something.

Thanks Mike for the show and tell and letting us see it!

Mark Hulette
07-02-2003, 8:43 AM
Nice work on both fronts! Thanks for the article- looks like there's another item for the to-do list!

Which Incra fence is that?

Doug Jones
07-02-2003, 10:43 AM
Mike,
Great looking cutting boards, I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for posting it.

Keith Outten
07-02-2003, 12:13 PM
Doug,

The Articles posted in this forum are permanent, the forum is setup to prevent them from expiring. We are using a sub-directory for the actual files outside of the SMC forum software. We use this forum as a means of documenting the articles and getting them into the SMC database.

In the future when we produce our first SawMill Creek CD or DVD all of the articles will be included.


Mike,
Great looking cutting boards, I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for posting it.

Aaron,
How long will this project be on the forum? Thanks for letting Mike put it on here.

Rajiv Dighe
07-03-2003, 11:33 AM
Ok, Be prepared for stupid question...

I have always heard of walnut being toxic wood. Given that is it safe to use it in an application where it will be in contact with food? Or is the toxicity of walnut referes to something else?

--Rajiv

Ron McNeil
07-03-2003, 12:06 PM
Thanks Aaron for getting this up. Mike, thank you so much for sharing your technique and providing this Cutting Board Tutorial. I will have to make one in the near future for the wife.

John Miliunas
07-03-2003, 12:38 PM
Thanks so very, very much for the tutorial, Mike! Christmas will be here before we know it and those cutting boards will make some grand presents! Thanks also, to Keith and Aaron who are devoting the time and space to provide us with some fantastic instructional medium! You guys rock!!! :cool:

Mike Schwing
07-03-2003, 2:01 PM
Ok, Be prepared for stupid question...

I have always heard of walnut being toxic wood. Given that is it safe to use it in an application where it will be in contact with food? Or is the toxicity of walnut referes to something else?

--Rajiv

Rajiv,

Walnut dust is quite toxic - it makes me sneeze and wheeze if I don't wear a respirator. Gotta be second to makore in terms of "sneez-ability". Walnut shavings also prove to be a decent herbicide - they're not recommended for use in plant beds. Walnuts themselves are edible as well. The wood? Well - you're not eating it are you?

I'm no chemist or toxicologist - but walnut is fine to use in cutting boards. Just don't chew on it.

Still concerned - use mahogany, cherry, bloodwood, pretty much any nice contrasting hardwood, instead of walnut - the hard maple keeps the softer wood species from falling prey to the knife.

Mike Schwing
07-03-2003, 2:05 PM
Nice work on both fronts! Thanks for the article- looks like there's another item for the to-do list!

Which Incra fence is that?

Mark, that fence pictured is the Incra Ultra 24" router table fence used on the table saw. I still have it, but don't use it anymore due to a new saw and fence set up that I find even more stable, reliable, and accurate - the Jointech Saw Train Fence system.

I would have no qualms about going back to that Incra fence though if ever needed.

Mike Schwing
09-01-2003, 10:11 AM
I just now finished cutting up the strips for another board and had a lightbulb/idea go off!

The thinnest of the strips calls for 1/32" and they're mounted on the outside of the board. I have had past difficulties occasionally with accurately cutting a 1/32" strip as well as sanding the edge off or cutting the entire strip off while squaring a board that didn't have a perfect glue-up. And at least half of the emails I get with questions have to do with that thinnest of strips.

Here's the lightbulb - why even cut that tiny little 1/32" strip? Why not just cut a wider one - to whatever size you want. Then glue that strip on the end instead, and when its all dry, cut it down to size. No need for it to be 1/32" exactly, just close. If your set up isn't perfectly accurate at small cuts like that, just saw it close and sand the rest down.

Additionally, sometimes the glue will move right through that tiny little strip, discoloring it. This may prevent that as well.

I'm going to give it a shot this time!

BuLLdoGG
09-10-2003, 8:32 PM
nice 1 dude thx for sharing

Mark Rios
04-16-2004, 11:20 PM
Thanks very much for the efforts on the site and the tutorial. I am looking forward to making one for my neighbor as a gift.

Maurice Ungaro
10-26-2004, 4:04 PM
Mike,
Cutting boards of that caliber are a pleasure to look at and use. Thanks for the tips. BTW, nice looking Randall setting on a board in a couple of gallery shots at the end.

Maurice Ungaro

Bob Reeve
11-07-2004, 11:27 AM
I just ran across your article and it was what the doctor ordered. I was looking for cutting board ideas for Christmas presents. Very helpful and well written.

Thanks

George Grubaugh
12-09-2004, 4:56 PM
Thanks for the tutorial! I've made 6 now for gifts & I need many more to supply demand. (maybe free is too cheap?)

I am able to make them with just a Bies fence. I use shop made set up blocks so I can move the fence accurately.

peggy gaddis
12-31-2004, 6:41 PM
Mike I really liked your turorial. I am a beginner at woodwork and I made several cutting boards out of red oak for my family for Christmas. I didn't think they turned out to bad. I am attaching a picture of them. This is the first time so I have lots of room for improvement. I started woodworking in Jan. '04 after a near fatal 4-wheeler wreck. I asked my husband while I still laid up hooked to an epideral to go and find me the tools I needed to start a wood shop. I love it. Thanks so much for the info. I shall try.

Christopher Pine
01-01-2005, 12:28 AM
Mike I really liked your turorial. I am a beginner at woodwork and I made several cutting boards out of red oak for my family for Christmas. I didn't think they turned out to bad. I am attaching a picture of them. This is the first time so I have lots of room for improvement. I started woodworking in Jan. '04 after a near fatal 4-wheeler wreck. I asked my husband while I still laid up hooked to an epideral to go and find me the tools I needed to start a wood shop. I love it. Thanks so much for the info. I shall try.

I like what I can see of them! But the picture looks very small?
Can you upsize a little so we can see better?
Chris

Thomas Rudolph
03-11-2005, 12:19 AM
Mike,
Thank-you for a superb tutorial, very well put together. The Incra jig is nice piece of precision equipment. What a work of ART.

al ladd
04-29-2005, 11:20 PM
These boards are gluing endgrain to endgrain with no reinforcement at cool stripe detail. How have they held up in use? I'm a full time box and board maker for whom these questions are of profound importance, and the chance of gaining a little knowledge at someone's else expense (for a change...) is too hard to resist. see my work at www.alladd.com (http://www.alladd.com/). Thanks!

Neil Gentry
04-16-2006, 2:31 AM
Mike

I have always understood that end grain will not glue up very well. How did you get the the 3 sections to stay together. Did you use dowels or biscuits? Just glued them up without anything?:confused:

Wayne Stoops
04-22-2006, 10:11 AM
It looks like it might be a better structural option to glue an inlay in, rather than try to glue end grain. Maybe that's what was done??

Edward Vasek
02-02-2007, 12:05 PM
Ok, Be prepared for stupid question...

I have always heard of walnut being toxic wood. Given that is it safe to use it in an application where it will be in contact with food? Or is the toxicity of walnut referes to something else?

--Rajiv

Hi Rajiv :
You can get a Specil sealer for wood if they are to get in contac with food check your wood magazine's in the sealer section

Edward Vasek Where are you from we are in SE South Dakota

Floyd Cox
02-28-2007, 7:08 PM
If I decide to make one of these, you won't see it with a knife on it but hanging on a wall. That is some beautiful work, Mike

Roy Hatch
08-14-2007, 1:18 PM
Mike, It'll be interesting to see how many years the compliments continue to come.:) I've made a few cutting boards that I was pleased with, but nothing like you have created. I have a big slab of cherry that I bought years ago sitting in the shop and I know that piece of wood is ready to sacrifice itself for something beautiful. Now, I just have to find a piece of maple or something light in color and that will complete the question of what to make for this Christmas! Thanks for the inspiration!

Roy

Cliff Rohrabacher
10-06-2009, 12:08 PM
It looks like it might be a better structural option to glue an inlay in, rather than try to glue end grain. Maybe that's what was done??

It would be possible to rip that strip down for an inlay of about a quarter inch thick. A couple extra steps and some precision cutting required.

I wondered about the end grain glue up too.

However, there are methods for getting a good end grain glue line without resorting to epoxies.
Here is an end grain strength test I found somewhere on the web
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=632076#poststop

Dirk Lewis
10-17-2009, 2:01 PM
It would be possible to rip that strip down for an inlay of about a quarter inch thick. A couple extra steps and some precision cutting required.

I wondered about the end grain glue up too.

However, there are methods for getting a good end grain glue line without resorting to epoxies.
Here is an end grain strength test I found somewhere on the web
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=632076#poststop

Just hope he's still reading this thread 3 years later...;)

Michael Sapper
11-28-2009, 8:16 PM
Mike,

Thanks for the great how-to article on making your cutting board. I created two this weekend with only a minor design change. I placed the thin 1/32 strip inboard with the thickest piece on the outside. The wood combo is Hard Maple and Jatoba (Brizillian Cherry)

Michael

Smith, David W.
01-25-2010, 7:26 AM
This has been a very interesting discussion. I was quite surprised to see how long it had been going on. May I add some things?

Walnut is perfectly good for use in a cutting surface. It actually follows the general rule of thumb well; use wood from a tree with a running edible sap (hard maple) or edible nuts. The only exception to this rule is oak which is far to porous to keep sanitary, IMHO. What shouldn't be used are some of the exotic woods which have toxins and spalted wood. If the insects won't eat the wood, then it isn't safe to use. There are toxins in the wood which the insects have long ago learned to avoid. Spalted wood looks good but the bacteria that is creating the spalting is deadly to humans.

Wood dust from any wood will make a person sneeze and this certainly isn't an indicator of an allergic reaction. Genuine mahogany at one time made my eyes water but I am not so sensitive now and it doesn't bother me.

Finishes and glues are another question altogether. Polyurethane glues are messy and difficult to work with and aren't safe for direct or indirect contact with food. Because of its stiffness, good knife edges will suffer from the contact like trying to cut on glass. Type one wood glue isn't good enough because it will melt when in contact with water. Type two wood glue is better, will stand up to occasional contact with water but doesn't have the waterproof capacity type three has. Mineral oil is the standard finish used but there are some other polyurethane finishes available as well. Watco Butcher Block oil is one of the poly finishes. Sitting on or near the surface after application, it will finally chip away after a while. (I wonder where the chips went?)

Gluing end grain? Only difficult if you are trying to glue an end to an end with a butt joint.

Jeff Hamilton Jr.
02-28-2010, 12:22 PM
...

Gluing end grain? Only difficult if you are trying to glue an end to an end with a butt joint.

David,

Nice looking boards. Just a quick question . . .? You said it was difficult, but didn't describe how you achieved it. Your boards "appear" to be butt-jointed, end to end. If so, did you glue only? Dowels?

Thanks for any advice. Also, how have those held up to using and washing?

Jeff