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+-- Thread: How do you make a butcher block top (/showthread.php?tid=7347644)
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RE: How do you make a butcher block top - mike4244 - 04-12-2019
(04-12-2019, 08:02 AM)jppierson Wrote: Isn't the OP asking how to construct a counter top where the end-grain butt joins along the length vs vertically (like a bowling lane)? My understanding of the question is how to get a tight joint from one length of board to the next. So I don't understand how the pinch dogs would help.
Pinch dogs work either way , pulling end grain joints together or as a clamp for parallel clamping. They also can be driven into end grain to act as clamps on the end of a top.
Usually this is used if both sides of the work are showing. The work is made a bit long and the holes from the dogs are eventually cut off.
mike
RE: How do you make a butcher block top - TGW - 04-14-2019
In my part of the worls butcher's blocks are glued up from sector shaped pieces which in turn are glued up beforehand. Theese tapered pieces are glued up radially to form a round butcher's block.
After glued up butcher's block gets it's outer corners knocked off with a plane to make it as round as possible. Then some heavy iron rings for instance 10x40 mm are either hot schrunk onto it like wagon tyres or bolted tight around it with tensioning bolts on one side.
Finally the top end grain of the block is driven full of wooden wedges. You score it with a wide chisel and a wedge is hammered into the groove and cut off flush. Over and over again until you cannot drive the chisel into the end grain anymore because it is under such compression.
Then you have a butcker's block from whick the meat axe will only bounce off when you cut up the meat.
RE: How do you make a butcher block top - Edwin Hackleman - 06-20-2019
This butcher block top works very nicely. I used random length ash for all but the outside pieces, staggered of course. I fastened it to the frame, screwed in from the bottom:
[attachment=18944]
[attachment=18945]
It turned out to be a great project. I used plant-on panels for the sides and the door.
RE: How do you make a butcher block top - mike4244 - 06-22-2019
(04-12-2019, 08:13 AM)daddo Wrote: The old block (1972) I had (22x20x24) was all end grain and dovetailed. It also had 3 threaded tightened rods going through it.
Your describing a real butcher block. I have reconditioned 3 blocks that were bought from various shops that went out of business. The first one was for a neighbor, the other two were referrals from my neighbor. All the tops were quite worn in the center, as much as 1-1/2" deep. I screwed 1x 4 lumber to each side at the same height. Made a carrier for a router from MDF and 2x2 angle irons bolted to the MDF base for strength. I had to do this outside as the stench from the block was overwhelming. Once I got about 3/8" deep the stench from meat was gone. I put a bushing on the base over the cutter for one reason, kept most of the greasy sawdust off the cutter. Took about 4/5 hours to rout the top. I belt sanded lightly to remove the swirls from the router bit.
mike