Keeping it round.......

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

OK, you spiny lot might be able to help me here.

My lovely wife, put in a request for a nice big round chunk of wood to use as a chopping block. She calls it a "Chinese Chopping Block", which you see in the Chinese restaurants here.

basically a round block of wood, about 12" wide and 4"-6" thick.

I got here one......

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/images/jackpot/feb_14th/feb_14th_truck_load.jpg
In the above pic you can see it on top of the stack on the right.

So I figure I'll peel the bark off, and then I'll flatten it with a router rig, but what do I do to keep it from cracking?

This is the kind of thing I'm talking about.....
http://www.wokshop.com/HTML/images/pix/chop_block.jpg
Cheers!

Help me out, I don't want to disappoint the wife on this one!

Cheers!

[tod evans]

metal banding, for cooking use stainless....02 tod

[Glenn Hodges]

Stu, the best bet on making it so it will not crack is to make it like a bowl blank. Split it down the middle, saw it as round as you can, and then make it round on a lathe. If you want to work the log as you described you can drill out the pith, and fill it with a perfect glued in contrasting piece of wood which has been turned on your lathe. Removing the pith will improve your chances of it never cracking. My wife has a cutting board which has a grove around the top outside rim which catches fluids which is often useful. You can make this with a parting tool or a Bedan tool or whatever you like to use, good luck.

[David Mueller]

Stu,

I'd think, if it's not dry, seal the ends and let it sit for a year or so and see if it cracks. Another idea I thought about is drilling out the pith with a hole saw, maybe 2-3" and put in a contrasting plug of wood. You can turn the plug on the lathe? Sill the wood needs to be dry then I'd soak it in a oil bath. Most use just plain mineral oil, I like walnut oil or salad bowl oil. I follow this for cutting boards. Oil every day for a week, every week for a month then every month for a year then once a year for life. They seem to last forever then.

Hope that give you some ideas.

(Glen, you type to fast)

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

I like the idea of drilling out the pith (the sum of all things evil in wood!) and putting in a contrasting color of wood, yep, that is a great idea!

I thought about the metal banding, might do that as well.

Great ideas guys, thanks much!

Cheers!

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hey, I just found this on the net.....

http://www.fukuji.net/manaita/167-8kyaki.jpg
same basic size as the piece I have, they want.......... $380 for it....:eek:

I'm going to have to get some more that size!! :D

[Glenn Clabo]

Stu,
Are you sure she/you wnat it solid? I've seen some solid ones...they were full of cracks. Not goot for bugs that make you sick. Maybe a resawing and using end grain...like this? Just a thought...

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Good idea Glen!

Cheers!