How to make a butcher block concave?

[daddo]

This.




And this;

[bchains]

Thank you all - this is very helpful and thoughtful information!
Bryan

[daddo]

I would mention, we have a maple butcher block counter top (about 36 x 30") in the kitchen we use every day to cut everything on and it's been around for 30 years or so. I looked and it is worn down maybe 1/8" on the side we use the most. In just 90 more years we will have a 1/2" indent.

I submit that grossly indented blocks were heavily used for chopping and they may have developed deep cuts and chips that needed removing, and that is why they are so deeply indented. I see no advantage in doing this on purpose, in fact veggies are going to be rolling in your way all the time.

[Steve N]

Welcome to the forum. I am assuming you want to do this to simulate a distressed, used look? I'm not clear if you are making the table like pic #1? Or if you are buying a cheap mass produced table that looks similar to the pic? I would have the same worry someone else posed that the top may not be solid wood on a cheap mass produced table, in which case you are liable to expose some non solid wood core. If you are certain it is solid wood the best way to get to where the top in pic #3 is would be to use a belt sander, and just randomly go at it. Making passes at the edges of the table to start, just randomly extend them into the table, and always think of an undulating surface. 60 or 80 grit to start, and the species of wood will tell you the top end for grit to get the fuzzies knocked down so you have a fairly smooth surface. Probably something around 150 to 320 grit.


I agree with daddo that your will likely ruin the table as an effective work surface if you cause it to be non flat. Carrots are definitely out anyhow.

[joe1086]

LIL

If you blow up the OP's Ikea table image and look at the end grain, it looks like the tabletop is solid wood. Two layers of long grain butcher block.

[Steve N]

LIL

If you blow up the OP's Ikea table image and look at the end grain, it looks like the tabletop is solid wood. Two layers of long grain butcher block.

I had just clicked on the link. I hadn't been aware it was from Ikea. You do realize they are the Kings of hiding particle board inside of what "appears" to be solid wood. I tried looking at their site for that table, and wasn't able to find it. There are only 2 ways I would assume it was solid wood.

#1 saw it in half, and look.

#2 Ikea would need to have in the description that it was solid wood. Unable to find the table, I can't say it is. I can say you will find darn few descriptions of "solid wood" in their catalog, or a store.

As I had said I couldn't follow the OP's post if he was using a pre-made mass produced table? Or if he was building a solid one that looked the way that pic did. So if he is building it could be solid wood, but looking at a blown up image, or even seeing it in the store I have seldom been able to say if they are solid, or faked solid, as only the Master's can do. They can hide particle board so well they had a covered particle board cabinet door in a fish tank, half submersed for at least 2 years at the local store. No swelling, seams were tight, however if you were to go at the cover with saws, sanders or routers you would see the particle board in about a 64th of an inch

[Project510]

at 6:27 here is an interesting way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zCp10N4u6o