Cutting Board material

moggymatt · Post by **moggymatt** » Mon Mar 21, 2011 11:53 pm

My 10 year old daughter Amy wants to make a cutting board for her mom and we're making a 4-H project out of it. This is her research phase. She would like to know what wood is best to use? We have enough 3/4" Black walnut, Oak, Pine, plywood, or laminated partical borard for the 12" x 12" pattern she wants to follow.

Looking foward to the help,
Paul & Amy

kalynzoo · Post by **kalynzoo** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 12:33 am

What fun! Pine is soft and may swell in the wet environment of a cutting board. Particle board will swell. I've seen plywood cutting boards, however you don't want to expose the end-grain, so you really cannot get real decorative. I think a pattern of Oak and Walnut would be lovely.
Whatever you decide, enjoy your time working together, making a cutting board and memories.

bigeddy · Post by **bigeddy** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 1:13 am

kalynzoo wrote:What fun! Pine is soft and may swell in the wet environment of a cutting board. Particle board will swell. I've seen plywood cutting boards, however you don't want to expose the end-grain, so you really cannot get real decorative. I think a pattern of Oak and Walnut would be lovely.
Whatever you decide, enjoy your time working together, making a cutting board and memories.

I live in Tumwater and I travel quite a bit. Im not sure when I will be in spokane but I have both black walnut and spaulted oak. Im sure I could spare some for a project like that. I have 2 five year old and 1 four year old grand children girls. I do projects with them for their parents so I know the joy a project like this can give. You can leave me a pm (private message) just incase. I check in everyday.

flatfoot · Post by **flatfoot** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 4:51 am

Do a little research, if expensive knives are to be used on this board you will be doing the knives a favor using the end grain. High end knives run in excess of $100/piece. I saw one not too long ago made of rock maple and another hardwood I can't remember specifically. I just looked it up again on youtube, the guy is called the woodwhisperer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B8oAJs3sik

The idea of using end grain is that when the knife is drawn across the board it will be running across the wood fibers thus creating a new cut in the board ie a place for bacteria to get in. With the end grain the knife blade can sort of stay between the ends of the wood fibers which will give slightly allowing the knife blade to pass though them without any damage to knife or board.

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 8:56 am

From the woods you have, using the oak and walnut will make a very nice and long lasting breadboard . Use a waterproof like Titebond III to assemble the parts and you won't have any problem with things separating if it gets wet. Check out this web site for some ideas and added information on breadboards -- http://www.toolcrib.com/blog/2008/10/20 ... ew-my-mind

wa2crk · Post by **wa2crk** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 8:57 am

Hi
Oak is not generally recommended for cutting boards because of the open grain. The best woods for cutting boards are maple,cherry and walnut.
Woodsmithshop (the TV program) ran a show recently that showed some cutting boards. These were a bit fancy but could be simplified for your requirements.
Bill V

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 10:29 am

wa2crk wrote:Hi
Oak is not generally recommended for cutting boards because of the open grain. The best woods for cutting boards are maple,cherry and walnut.
Woodsmithshop (the TV program) ran a show recently that showed some cutting boards. These were a bit fancy but could be simplified for your requirements.
Bill V

Red oak = open = bad]< I am referring to the end grain total openess of red oak.

Truth be known, wood is not a good candidate for cutting boards from a health and allergy standpoint, but have been used with minimal concern for quite some time.
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Anybody wanna address the grain orientation(all same way/alternating/random)?;)

garys · Post by **garys** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 11:59 am

I've always used maple for cutting boards because of its closed grain. It is hard enough to stand up well to the knives without losing splinters like the softer woods.
The worst cutting board I've ever seen was plywood. Cutting on it made splinters everywhere and nobody wants that in their food.

ryanbp01 · Post by **ryanbp01** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 12:21 pm

garys wrote:I've always used maple for cutting boards because of its closed grain. It is hard enough to stand up well to the knives without losing splinters like the softer woods.
The worst cutting board I've ever seen was plywood. Cutting on it made splinters everywhere and nobody wants that in their food.

Unless you're a beaver or a woodchuck!:D

BPR

john · Post by **john** » Tue Mar 22, 2011 7:33 pm

Depending on the thickness of your wood, another option would be to make edge grain boards. These usually require less glue-ups than end grain and are still easy on knife blades. Ideally the wood should be 1"+ thick.

I have done some in maple and they looked pretty good, nice grain.

Good luck and have fun.

John

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Cutting Board material

Cutting Board material

When is the project needing to be done?