Replies

1. 
   Steinmetz | Jul 28, 2004 04:19pm | #1

   BUZ, How about 1-1/2" maple with walnut splines (Longitudinally)   No glue, but use 3/8-16 all-thread with nuts and washers to bolt up.?

   Recess for washers and nutz then plug with walnut plugs . Orient the plug's grain perpendicular to maple's grain.    Steinmetz

1. 
   Buzzsaw | Jul 28, 2004 04:31pm | #2

   So you are talking about say 12" wide boards with slots cut into their edges for the walnut splines (kind of llike Frank Klauz's workbench)? Why not use glue?Regards,

   Buzzsaw

1. 
   Steinmetz | Jul 28, 2004 09:13pm | #4

   Buz, 1-1/2" Square maple rails full lenght, with holes drilled first (With jig)

   Mill out full lenght grooves for splines at all mating surfaces (Use several pieces of spline to avoid threaded rod holes) ( like biscuits)

   Holes bored with oversized bit. Nuts over thick washers.  1" od washers

   Glue or not.?  Steinmetz

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Jul 28, 2004 06:54pm | #3

   I don't understand using threaded rod. In effect, you are creating a cross grain situation no different than gluing a wooden board across the ends of the grain.

   The cutting board must be allowed to expand and contract. If that is inhibited a couple of things might happen. One is that the nut and washer will be pulled into the wood when it expands. This may end up deforming the cutting board. It the very least, when the panel again contract, the nuts are loose and performing no further function.

   I would just face glue the boards, clamping them tightly. There is no need for any cross grain support.Howie.........

2. 
   closeenuf | Jul 29, 2004 05:25am | #5

   Buzz,

   I built a much smaller rolling island last year with a true end grain butcher block top.  I did it the hard way and robbed my firewood pile for the maple.  It was a lot of work but I did most of the grunt work on the band saw roughing out the strips and then finished squaring in the normal way with the jointer. planer, table saw.  I did all the laminating with West System epoxy which so far has held up well.  I can personally attest to the amazing self healing properties of end grain maple.  At the same time I brought the island out of the shop I had also purchased a coupla small comercial face grain cutting boards for use on the counters.  The end grain island gets the bulk of the cutting and is still just a smooth as a babies bottom.  The face grain boards are already very rough...you would not want to rub your palm across them for fear of spinters.  I used mineral oil as a finish and it took a while to get a good level of saturation but it now takes very little maintenance.  Good luck.

3. 
   JGI | Jul 29, 2004 07:01pm | #6

   My understanding is that butcher blocks and cutting boards have traditionally been made out of beech.  The tight grain is considered food friendly not to mention that beech is nice to work with. I am building my work bench out of beech and have made several cutting boards from it as well.  Hope this is helpful.

4. 
   Dave45 | Jul 29, 2004 07:52pm | #7

   Something to keep in mind about cutting boards and butcher blocks is that the FDA recommends that they be made of maple.  Other woods apparently can cause problems with contamination of food - or collect 'stuff' in the pores.

   I make decorative cutting boards for Xmas presents and tell folks to keep them clean and use mineral oil to seal the surface.  I glue them with Gorilla Glue since it has excellent resistance to moisture.

5. 
   IanC | Jul 30, 2004 02:30am | #8

   Buzzsaw, Believe me, I understand your desire to make your own top.  I've made many things that I could probably have bought cheaper in the long run but I  couldn't beat my chest and say  " I made that"!

   So, that said:

    I couldn't find a perfectplank website but if they're offering a true hard maple butcher block top for 12.50/ sq.ft. delivered, I'd grab it.  You can't compete with that unless you either get the wood free or don't pay yourself anything for your time.

   Generally, good quality maple butcher block goes for about $28/ sq. ft. , still cheap compared to Corian, stone and granite.   

   Factory made butcher block is dead flat and the joints don't open up.  This is  difficult to accomplish in a small shop unless you're very proficient with a smoothing plane or have a very wide belt sander.

   My counter tops and 4x8' island are of factory- made maple with 4 coats of Waterlox. I installed a 3' wide run of 12" ceramic tiles on either side of the two sinks because no wood will survive directly adjacent to a sink regardless of finish used.  Eventually the finish will break down and the wood will blacken and look nasty.  Maple is especially prone to turn black and it rots much easier than you'd think.

   I also don't cut directly on the maple top, mainly because it's too handsome to abuse.  I cut on two small boards, also maple. 

   I have undercounter puck lights and at night, the maple top is beautiful. Some of the strips are quilted and with the Waterlox finish, it really pops.  I  wouldn't trade it for granite, soapstone or any of the other $60/ sq.ft surfaces.

   Where is the perfectplank site?

   Ian

1. 
   Buzzsaw | Jul 30, 2004 03:01pm | #9

   http://www.perfectplank.com

   Thanks for all your advice... I think after thinking more about it, I'm going to just have a plywood top for the island and my wife is going to tile it with 12" tiles that match our hallway. Regards,

   Buzzsaw

1. 
   IanC | Jul 30, 2004 03:54pm | #10

   That was easy.  I must have hit a comma instead of period last night. I see their tops are fingerjointed which would help explain their lower costs.

1. 
   Buzzsaw | Jul 30, 2004 04:30pm | #11

   Yeah,

     I'm not too partial to fingerjointed tops and that is one reason I probably wouldn't pursue it. Thanks...Regards,

   Buzzsaw