Guitar Pick Cutting Board

Summary

In this woodworking video, Marc crafts a guitar pick-shaped cutting board using walnut and curly maple. He emphasizes the importance of wood grain and board stability, detailing the cutting, gluing, and sanding processes. Marc shares his experience with end grain boards and opts for a long grain design for durability. He demonstrates how to create feet for stability, raises the wood grain, and applies food-safe oil and beeswax for protection, finishing with a playful hot dog cutting scene.

Takeaways

• 🎸 Marc, despite being a drummer, chose a guitar pick shape for his cutting board due to its triangular form without sharp corners.
• 🛠️ He created a template from a picture of a guitar pick to achieve the desired shape for the cutting board.
• 🌳 High-quality lumber like walnut and curly maple was used for the cutting boards, aiming for straight grain patterns.
• 🔩 The cutting boards were constructed with end grain oriented vertically for stability and a consistent quarter sawn face.
• 🪵 Each wood strip was jointed and planed to ensure all faces were clean before gluing.
• 💧 Titebond III, a waterproof and food-safe adhesive, was used to glue the strips together.
• 🔨 Clamps with cauls were used to ensure the panel stayed flat during the drying process, saving time on sanding.
• 📐 Marc demonstrated knowledge of end grain cutting boards, highlighting their beauty and the challenges of constructing them to last.
• ✂️ After the glue dried, the boards were sanded and shaped using a bandsaw and disc sander.
• 🔩 A routing template and jig were used to create the feet on the bottom of the cutting board, ensuring it sits stably on any countertop.
• 🛡️ The final product was finished with multiple coats of food-safe oil and beeswax for protection, emphasizing the importance of maintenance.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of the guitar pick cutting board Marc is discussing?

Marc is using a guitar pick shape for a cutting board because he wanted a triangular shape without straight edges or sharp corners, and the guitar pick provided the perfect template.

Why did Marc choose walnut and curly maple for the cutting boards?

Marc chose walnut and curly maple because he wanted the grain to be as straight as possible for the aesthetic appeal of the cutting boards, which were intended to be gifts.

What is the significance of the endgrain being oriented vertically on the cutting board?

Orienting the endgrain vertically makes the board more stable and provides a more consistent quarter sawn face facing up.

How does Marc ensure the panel of the cutting board stays flat during the gluing process?

Marc uses a set of clamps on each end of the cutting board to ensure it stays flat and doesn't require a lot of post-processing.

What is the advantage of using Titebond three for gluing the cutting boards?

Titebond three is waterproof and food safe, making it an ideal adhesive for cutting boards that will come into contact with food.

Why did Marc decide to make a cutting board instead of an end grain cutting board?

Marc chose to make a long grain cutting board because it's easier to batch out for gifts, and it doesn't have the same challenges in construction and maintenance as an end grain cutting board.

How does Marc create the shape of the cutting board?

Marc uses a template made from a picture of a guitar pick, which he then traces onto the board before cutting it out at the bandsaw.

What is the purpose of the underside chamfer Marc creates around the cutting board?

The underside chamfer gives the board a lighter look and is created using a chamfering bit.

How does Marc create the feet on the bottom of the cutting board?

Marc uses a routing template and a guide bushing with a bullnose bit to establish the shape of the foot, then removes the rest of the stock with a shop-made routing jig.

What is the importance of raising the grain of the wood before applying the finish?

Raising the grain with water swells the fibers and makes the surface rough, which is then lightly sanded smooth. This prevents the new owner from experiencing an unpleasant surprise when the board expands with use.

What type of oil does Marc prefer to use on the cutting boards, and why?

Marc prefers to use a food safe drying oil like polymerized linseed oil because it provides better protection and is more appealing than mineral oil, which does not dry.

What is Marc's recommendation for packaging the cutting boards if they are given as gifts or sold?

Marc suggests including a small jar of the finishing wax, along with a card explaining how to care for the cutting board, when to apply wax, and what not to do with it.