While I'm waiting on the Shelix cutterhead for my jointer to move forward on the audio rack I'm working on a very large Hard Rock Maple cutting board, at least it's large to me - 18" x 24" x 2" thick.  It weighs about 32 lbs. which is fairly stout, I think.  Matter of fact, the hardest thing about doing one this size is difficulty in handling the glued up board.

 

It will have a juice groove along two edges of one side and the other side will be laser engraved with a family crest.  Obviously, the side with the juice groove is the working side and the laser engraved side is for show.  TB III is used because it's FDA approved for food service items, plus it gives a few more minutes of open working time.

Here are a few photos up to this point - 

 

1.75" square strips glued - 

 

Trimming one end square; it's too wide for my sled so I had to remove the back board and use clamps to make certain it didn't move as I pushed it into the blade - 

 

Cutting 2.125" strips on the bandsaw; this is a screenshot from the time lapse video I took as we did the cutting - 

 

End grain strips set on table saw extension - 

 

Tomorrow I'll sand each strip, then arrange them to look the best, and then glue the pieces.

 

There is a live video on my Instagram, about one minute of the glue up.  Later, I'll post video of other steps on Instagram.

 

David

WOW!!!  

8 hours ago, Gunny said:

WOW!!!  

 

I second that!

I don't understand why you want end grain exposed on the cutting surface. The pores must be sealed to prevent accumulation of foodstuffs and possible microbial growth inside the board. The board looks great with the long grain. 

hat

21 minutes ago, hatuffej said:

I don't understand why you want end grain exposed on the cutting surface. The pores must be sealed to prevent accumulation of foodstuffs and possible microbial growth inside the board. The board looks great with the long grain. 

hat

Hat, end grain cutting boards and butchers blocks have been around since the days of cooking for the kings and queens in Europe centuries ago, End Grain is hard very hard, harder than the flat grain. The best butcher blocks are end grain.

End grain is the preferred orientation for a butcher block or cutting board because it's self healing, at least to a large degree.  Edge and face grain doesn't do that.  These blocks have been used for decades without issue though I do understand your point.

 

David

 

Edit - John, you and I were typing at the same time! 

Edited August 24, 20205 yr by difalkner

10 hours ago, Gunny said:

WOW!!!  

 

2 hours ago, Cal said:

 

I second that!

I third it! 

try to stagger your joints on second glue up.

a few of the cutting boards i've made over time:

 

all but the last one are end grain.

Just curious, is there ever an issue with differential expansion on the end grain like this? That is, do you need to be careful of radial and tangential orientation to prevent cracking apart, especially since it will often get wet.

3 hours ago, DAB said:

try to stagger your joints on second glue up.

That's the plan.  The pieces on the tablesaw extension are just there straight off the bandsaw, not arranged in any particular order.

 

David

2 hours ago, kmealy said:

Just curious, is there ever an issue with differential expansion on the end grain like this? That is, do you need to be careful of radial and tangential orientation to prevent cracking apart, especially since it will often get wet.

Not that I've seen.  We've done about 80, maybe more, and none have cracked.

 

David

Initial layout - probably glue it like this later today.  The end pieces won't be used for the final board but they will have screw holes for mounting to the CNC for cutting the juice groove.

 

 

David

7 hours ago, kmealy said:

Just curious, is there ever an issue with differential expansion on the end grain like this? That is, do you need to be careful of radial and tangential orientation to prevent cracking apart, especially since it will often get wet.

Not had a problem with mine. I think since it is not structurally framed and is therefore allowed to move in all directions. And differences would be small since most pieces no more than 2 inches long by 1 inch.

Edited August 25, 20205 yr by Gerald

Glued all the end grain strips tonight - 

 

 

David

21 hours ago, hatuffej said:

I don't understand why you want end grain exposed on the cutting surface. The pores must be sealed to prevent accumulation of foodstuffs and possible microbial growth inside the board. The board looks great with the long grain. 

hat

 

Thanks for asking the question hat, I have wondered the same myself.

 

And thanks @John Morris and @difalkner for the responses.

 

18 hours ago, DAB said:

a few of the cutting boards i've made over time:

 

Those are some beautiful pieces Dab.

Edited August 25, 20205 yr by Cal

16 hours ago, kmealy said:

Just curious, is there ever an issue with differential expansion on the end grain like this?

 

Great question Keith, I had not considered this.

 

And thanks @Gerald for the reply.

4 minutes ago, Cal said:

Thanks for asking the question hat, I have wondered the same myself.

And thanks @John Morris and @difalkner for the responses.

Those are some beautiful pieces Dab.

I do have a question though, along Hat's inquiry, thick butcher blocks obviously do well with end grain, but cutting boards, would they be more prone to warping and bending as thin end grain boards?

10 minutes ago, John Morris said:

I do have a question though, along Hat's inquiry, thick butcher blocks obviously do well with end grain, but cutting boards, would they be more prone to warping and bending as thin end grain boards?

I've never seen an end grain cutting board. Mostly edge grain. Charcuterie boards and, the like are usually only 1/2" or so, thick. I've made some larger ones of 3/4" to 1.5" . Even the thicker ones are too thin for end grain, IMO.  

31 minutes ago, John Morris said:

I do have a question though, along Hat's inquiry, thick butcher blocks obviously do well with end grain, but cutting boards, would they be more prone to warping and bending as thin end grain boards?

Yes sir, I have seen several in person and many in photos.  But I've also seen a few photos of thinner end grain boards that warped.  We made about 35 small end grain boards, I guess more like cheese boards, and they've all remained flat.  It probably has to do with how the grain was oriented in the build process, whether there's runout in the boards, how flat they were to begin with, etc.

 

Here are some of the small boards we made (gave one to each family in our Sunday School class and to our church staff) - 

 

David