Mike Schwing's Chopping Boards

[Sam Salter]

I've just seen Mike Schwing's tutorial on chopping boards. Really cool - I might try a few.

If anyone has made any (or if Mike Schwing is still reading this list), what about the end grain gluing when you chop & turn to make the design detail - any problems?

If this is the wrong place to post this - I apologise but I thought if I posted it with the article, it might not get read for a month or two!

sam :-)

[Dick Strauss]

Sam,
contact Vaughn McMillan (via the members list) for info on cutting boards. He makes some of the nicest ones I've seen. I bow before his expertise!!!!

[Vaughn McMillan]

Sam, a little less than a year ago I made one of the Incra-style boards, starting out with 3/4" maple and walnut, and by the time I got it glued up and flattened it was somewhere between 5/8" and 1/2" thick. (Thinner than I'd like.) I did notice in some of the trimmed-off pieces that the end grain to end grain joint is indeed a bit weaker than the others, so I ended up using a 3/4" x 1/8" cherry spline on those joints. Here's a pic:

35836

To date, the board has held up well, but it's only been displayed, not cut on. (I gave it to a friend.) If I were to make another, I'd start with at least 1" thick material, and I'd use dowels or splines or biscuits to help add a bit of shear strength to the joint. Also, in a slight variation from Mike's tutorial, I recommend putting glue on both sides of each joint. I've had joints fail when I only spread the glue on one of the two pieces being joined. I would rather deal with some excess glue squeeze-out than to fix a failed joint.

BTW, thanks for the compliment, Dick. I'm just a Joe Garage with a table saw and a belt sander, and I'm still learning a lot. :o

- Vaughn

[Dave Carey]

I used Mike's instructions to make Christmas presents two seasons ago. Had no problems with the endgrain and everyone who got one uses it and has had no problems. One even went through Katrina and was one of the only things salvaged from the house.

[Sam Salter]

Vaughn,
I checked out your site on Dicks advice - he's right - beautiful work.
Now I've got all sorts of ideas to try.

Thanks for the help you guys,

sam :-)