Ever Framed a Cutting Board?

[Edwin Hackleman]

I wish mine would get used as well. I give them hoping they are put to use.

Somehow I cannot view this Pic. Anybody have any idea why?

[stoppy]

Yes, we wish they would be used. I was informed Sunday by our kids fat chance of that happening. I admit my case is slightly different. The maple in the boards came from bowling lane beds they all bowled on growing up and the laminated wood was their college school colors. Still they were made to be used. Inch and a quarter thick end grain hard maple is not going to wear out in their lifetime of using them. On the other hand if I was given a gift of one of the beauties shown in this thread a knife would never touch it.

[mound]

I made three rectangular cutting boards using quartersawn white oak, 12" x 16". They are an inch thick and the grain is running vertically with 90 glued up pieces each.  It seems that an outside wrap-around frame might set these boards off nicely, but it would have to be joined tightly, and I doubt mitered ends would be strong enough. If I make and attach frames, I'm, also not sure whether to use the same species or switch to another hardwood for a pleasant contrast.

Do you have any suggestions or Pics of your work? TIA.

I have got to believe that 90 glued together strips of purely vertical grain, QSWO will not move in a way to cause problems framing it in.
That's just my gut instinct. Would be interesting to test it out and see!

[KLaz]

Maple and walnut end grain with Paduak end grain border.  No issues whatsoever.

   

   

[Edwin Hackleman]

Beautiful work, KLaz. Somebody asked me to post a pic of my 24" wide thickness sander. I made it in the shop, and then made a dolly cart for it because then was easier for me to move it around:

   
I really needed this baby for that white oak end grain. Three boards required replacement of the sandpaper wrapped on the roller. My table saw belt drives it. Original plans were in ShopNotes for a smaller version. I used ash to build it about 12 years ago.

[FS7]

Two things.

One, we use the heck out of our cutting boards. This includes my wife and children climbing on the counters and occasionally standing on them, which they do not like. I have repaired more than a few. I have also done a few experimental designs with the grain moving in different directions, some of which worked and some of which didn't. At this point I try to stick to the same grain orientation. In any case, you can take a board (say 5' x 6"), cut it into short pieces (6"-7"), and glue them all side to side. After planing or sanding, you can rip 1" strips (or whatever the thickness of your board is) and end up with end grain "strips" that you can use to frame the board. Species shouldn't matter too much.

Two, for people who don't use the boards, I actively try to prevent this. I have at least two in my kitchen at all times that are "pretty" but get used. Multiple times a day. I include a handwritten note on what the board is made from, how it is made, why wood is safer than plastic, all of that. I mention that it is safe for all proteins and can be easily refinished but is never to go in the dishwasher. I also include a note that I reserve the right to repossess the board if it's ever unused or misused (dishwasher). I also offer free refinishing for life on any board I make.

To this day it bugs me to no end that my in-laws received a cutting board for their wedding (many, many years ago) that they used until it started to fell apart. It was made partially with plywood for some reason. In any case, I took it back, ripped out the plywood, added some hickory and bubinga (family heirloom wood, as it were), and remade the wedding gift board. It sits unused and they use a Chinesium plastic POS.

[K. L. McReynolds]

Friends and family do not use wooden cutting boards. So, after making several and finding that fact, I morphed the boards into serving trays. Those get used.