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The cutting board is the classic introductory woodshop project. You'll learn about types of wood, how to safely and accurately cut wood, and then how to put it back together in beautiful and functional fashion.
Take this project as far as you want to. It can be as simple as a few strips of contrasting wood, or it can be complex with rounded edges, feet, laser engraving, a moat, or more. Google "cutting board designs" for a wealth of ideas!
This page is a summary of the steps to guide you through the Project Punch List. For complete directions, read the Cutting Board Project Instructions.
Steps
Steps
1-Read the directions.
1-Read the directions.
Complete the 8.3 Cutting Board Review.
2-Make a drawing.
2-Make a drawing.
You'll need graph paper, ruler and a pencil. A completed drawing has:
Straight lines
Types of wood labeled
A Bill of Materials
Your name and period (of course!)
Wood Species
Wood Species
Alder: Softer than the others. Easy to work with.
Ash: More flexible than most. Strong grain pattern.
Beech: Slight reddish color. Very consistent grain pattern. Harder than the others.
Cedar: Very soft. Not the best choice for a cutting board, especially if combined with harder woods.
Cherry: Reddish in color. Very easy to work with.
Eucalyptus: Unique, consistent red-orange color.
Fir: Softwood. Generally used for construction. Not the best choice for a cutting board. *** Fir not available.
Hickory: Strong, contrasting grain pattern with lots of darks and lights.
Jatoba: Limited quantity (no big pieces!). Very hard. Vivid dark color makes great contrast. ***Limit of 1 1/2" of Jatoba!
Mahogany: Porous grain gives unique grain pattern. Not as hard as others.
Maple: Harder than most. Closed grain with a subtle grain pattern.
Myrtlewood: Unique grain pattern. Generally not available because of insects that often live in the wood will infest other wood stock.
Oak: There are two types of oak, red and white. Red oak has an open grain with a dark/light grain pattern. White oak is a closed grain wood with a more uniform grain pattern.
Poplar: A softer wood with properties similar to fir, even though it is a hardwood. Often has greenish hues in the grain.
Walnut: A dark brown, very hard wood. More difficult to work with because of its hardness and brittleness. Adds a strong contrast to lighter woods.
3-Cut Stock.
3-Cut Stock.
Find wood to match your Bill of Materials (BOM).
Complete "Material Acquisition" form.
Get it signed by teacher.
Cut pieces. (Remember to cut them 1" longer.)
Put leftover pieces back in wood room.
4-Joint one edge of each board.
4-Joint one edge of each board.
That's all.
Joint one edge of each board.
Make sure they're perfectly flat.
5-Table saw each board to width.
5-Table saw each board to width.
Do not measure or mark the board!
Set fence to desired width.
Use a push stick!
Cut.
Clean up your scraps!
6-Glue boards.
6-Glue boards.
Use type 2 glue.
Use lots of clamps.
Make sure they're tight.
Write your name, period and time on the assembly.
7-Plane both faces.
7-Plane both faces.
Alternate faces until one face is flat.
Continue until both faces are flat.
8-Dual drum sand both faces.
8-Dual drum sand both faces.
One or two passes per face should be enough.
Be sure to remove all snipe marks from the planer.
9-Trim ends.
9-Trim ends.
Use the cross-cut table saw with the sliding cross cut table.
Trim one end square.
Set a stop to the correct length and trim the second end.
10-Sand.
10-Sand.
Start with 120 grit.
Using a block of wood, sand both faces.
Sand edges, ends, and corners. There should be no sharp corners.
Repeat with 220 grit.
When you think you're done, sand some more.
Sand some more.
Keep sanding.
I know. Sanding is awful. Go sand some more.
11-Oil.
11-Oil.
Go to the finish room (get permission first).
Put a couple of spacers under your board.
Find a container of cutting board oil.
Put a dime size drop on your cutting board.
Rub it in with a paper towel. Cover the entire board.
Add oil as necessary.
Put a piece of paper with your name and period next to your board.
Let dry for a day.
Get your board and put everything else away.
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