A Simple Cutting Board

[Mike Cutler]

Thought I'd share a quick little project. Easily done in a full day or two, minus the complete finish.
It's a nice cutting board, and is intended for use. Some of the cutting boards I've seen here on the board are stunning, and there is no way I'd risk damaging them. Too much fine work. This one is meant to be "damaged".

The cutting board is essentially breadbord ends with a through mortise and tenon joint,pinned and glued, in the center and pinned at the ends, to allow for seasonal expansion/contraction. At 16 1/2" wide in Qsawn Bubinga, the top expands and contracts about an 1/8". This is the second one I've made

The dimensions are 21'x 16 1/2" and ~1" thick. Finish is General Finishes salad bowl finish, food approved.

I got the design from one of the woodworking magazines, but I don't
remember which one. The magazine story goes that the design came from the middle ages, found in a castle kitchen, in the UK somewhere.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Very cool cutting board Mike. I like the through pinned M/T bread board ends. The wood looks real nice too.

[David Tiell]

Mike, I gotta tell ya. If your intent was to make one that isn't too pretty to use, you failed miserably! :D That is one beautiful cutting board! Very nice work.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

David is right. That looks too nice to use!:) Thanks for sharing.

[Charles Jackson III]

Nice cutting board.

[Kyle Stiefel]

Very nice board Mike. Let the dining begin!

[Mike Cutler]

Mike, I gotta tell ya. If your intent was to make one that isn't too pretty to use, you failed miserably! :D That is one beautiful cutting board! Very nice work.


I'll have to try harder next time.;) Maybe a little retro urban decay motif.

The wood might have been a little over the top. :rolleyes: I got a lot of 5/4 bubinga for a good price awhile back, and being an odd thickness,I had to give it a go. Maybe I'll use some beech, or maple next time. I think elm would be nice too.

Thank you for the compliment.

[Jay Jolliffe]

Not trying to steal this thread. What woods would you NOT use to make cutting boards. Woods that may be harmful to cut on. I saw a few boards in a store & they had a lot of different woods & some I thought may be toxic....So what would would you not use...

[Mark Singer]

Mike,
Very nice work and simple understated design! I really like it!

[Mike Cutler]

Not trying to steal this thread. What woods would you NOT use to make cutting boards. Woods that may be harmful to cut on. I saw a few boards in a store & they had a lot of different woods & some I thought may be toxic....So what would would you not use...

I personally wouldn't use ebony, cocobola, or walnut. The first two are known skin allergens, and the last is a known toxin. I'm certain there are others.
Realize though that most cutting boards are sealed and finished, a true bread/pastry board however is not, so the actual contamination of the food, by the wood is severely limited. Additionally most people will probably not use a cutting board enough in a home kitchen enviorment to have to worry about the properties of the wood.
In a restraunt enviorment the wooden cutting boards are generally maple, and are required to be dedicated. One for meats, one for fruits and vegetables and one for breads and pastry to limit cross contamination of the food. ( Kosher requirements are probably a lot more involved).

Wooden cutting boards are actually approved for use in commercial application by the FDA, this is a reversal of a previous position. It was found that the incidence of bacterial contamination on a wooden cutting board was equal to, and sometimes actually lower than a cutting board made of HDPE.
The cellular nature, and celluose properties of wood acted as a wicking agent to remove the water from the bacteria. Bacteria, being >90% water then died, and could be washed away. An HDPE cutting board could actually trap bacteria below the surface and the bacteria could survive for longer periods of time.

It also appears that the source of most concern for contaminating a cutting board is in fact soap. The soaps used in cleaning cutting boards can become trapped, in both an HDPE board and a wooden board, creating their own unique set problems. It is not recommended to soak cutting boards in soap and water solutions.

I also found some interesting threads about woodworkers that developed severe respiratory infections from "refinishing" family cutting boards, and butcher blocks. Don't do it.

Just about any finish is safe, once fully cured. However, if you are going to sell cutting boards, it's prudent to use a product that has an FDA food approval rating,and the corresponding documentation and MSDS sheets to prove it.