Glueing Dilema

[Peter Froh]

I have a finished walnut end grain cutting board. Multiple coats of mineral oil and top coated with beeswax/mineral oil.

I’ve created a maple end grain blank.

I want to vcarve some some letters into the finished walnut board and glue a maple inlay into it.

Will the glue create the bond needed? I was planning on a 0.15” carve and a 0.1” deep inlay.

Thoughts, concerns, solutions?

I'm afraid the wood is saturated enough with mineral oil so the woods won’t bond using Titebond 3.

[Andrew Hughes]

I think it will be a problem getting the glue to bond.
The solution is to use your idea on the next one
Mineral oil goes in pretty deep

[Phil Mueller]

The other option is use the board for 6-12 months until it dries out and then give it a try.

[Jim Becker]

Yes, this is an issue and the inlay really needed to be added before you finished the cutting board. What Phil suggests might work, but you'll not be able to re-oil it at all and there may still be some residual mineral oil at a depth that still affects adhesion. Mineral oil, because it isn't a drying oil, tends to penetrate much farther than drying oils do as Andrew mentions.

My suggestion would be to leave the completed board as-is and construct a new one to do your v-carved inlay.

[Peter Froh]

Thanks guys. The board was finished almost a year ago but I’m afraid that the oil penetrated pretty deep.

Might using epoxy work?

Due to time constraints I can’t put a new one together for her.

[Rich Engelhardt]

You might try mixing up a poultice of corn starch and mineral spirits. Make it about the consistency of bread dough.
Place that on the area where you want the inlay & see if it helps pull the oil out.

Epoxy is liable to react with the oil & turn it into a non-drying goo.

[Simon MacGowen]

Due to time constraints I can’t put a new one together for her.

Do the inlay now as a temp. piece to buy time, and then cut a new one as Jim suggested?

Simon

[Peter Froh]

Well I have it a shot and it worked ok. A few corners where depth was tiny there is some chip out.

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