End grain cutting board problem

[stoppy]

One of the edge boards is slightly smaller and after cutting strips and alternating them to achieve a checkerboard design I have small gaps, alternating on the top and bottom edges of the board. (Again I’m new to flat stock work) What is the best way to get that one board to have parallel sides on the long grain sides.  I dry clamped the boards and could not eliminate the gaps.

[Scoony]

After doing the long grain glue up, I run it thorough the planer. I make it long enough so any planer snipe I get at the ends can be cut off. Then cross cut, flip and glue.

For any cutting board that will get some use, I would not want any gaps in the glue up. If you haven't glued up the strips, a hand plane will flatten that side quickly.

[OneStaple]

Scoony, I agree with your method, but it sounds like he’s already done the cross cutting.

stoppy, if I understand your situation correctly, you should be able to run the pieces through your table saw with the end grain up. Assuming your fence is set correctly, that will make the two long grain surfaces parallel. Sounds like you should be able to trim 1/32” or less, resulting in minimal reduction in width after glue up.

Good luck!

Tyler

[joe1086]

Sounds like the issue is that the OP has uneven top and bottom end grain surfaces and wants to level them. If that is the case, then a bit of a workout with a sharp plane is in order. Or as Scoony mentioned a power planer can be used but with great caution. I've done it that way many times but have glued sacrificial leading and trailing edges to the board and taken extremely small passes. Many experienced woodworkers advise against running endgrain through any kind of planer for fear the work or the planer will explode.

Another option is to find a local shop and see if they can run it through their drum sander.

[stoppy]

The OP left out something important, the problem is on the long grain edge, not the end grain edge. Ran the pieces through the planer, got the sides parallel and the gaps are gone.

I’m in the process of making another one for eldest daughter. Will do a couple things differently so I don’t have this problem.  One thing will be making it longer and wider in case this issue shows its ugly self again. And my apologies for my less than perfect explanation in the OP, the end product is an end grain cutting board. The wood opposite the hard maple is a laminate of son and wife’s college colors , so I don’t think this will be  a user board.