Off Topic Cutting Board Questions

[kmmcrafts]

Not really scroll saw related but is a woodworking item..

 

Back in the summer I made a cutting board.. came out real nice and the wife loved it.. so she wanted me to make a couple for Christmas gifts. I made some edge grained ones this time one of these boards had warped right as soon as I run it through the planner it comes out wobbly on diagonal corners but the other opposite corners are nice and flat.. both sides this way.. I finally just let it set aside for a couple months and then did another clean up through the planner and seems to be fine.. Now I just made another but with the normal flat grain from walnut and red oak.. same issue .. 

 

How do they make these things so they don't do this?? Any tips? I don't mind having to give it another try but I don't have months to wait for the board to do whatever it is doing over time.. LOL

 

I am guessing I shouldn't have used red oak for one thing.. that wood you can almost watch it warp after planning it nice and flat, LOL

 

Anyway... Looking for tips on making some cutting boards instead of flat bowls, LOL

 

Kevin

[DWSUDEKUM]

Kevin first of all how thick was the end grain lumber you were making the cutting board from?  If it is less than an inch thick its going to have a good chance to warp.  Most end grain cutting boards I see are are 2 -3 inches thick for stability.  What you have with the end grain is a bunch of what are essentially straws and they can absorb moisture at different rates  when the lumber is thin it tends to warp a bit.  

 

What did you use for a finish?

 

DW

[kmmcrafts]

Kevin first of all how thick was the end grain lumber you were making the cutting board from?  If it is less than an inch thick its going to have a good chance to warp.  Most end grain cutting boards I see are are 2 -3 inches thick for stability.  What you have with the end grain is a bunch of what are essentially straws and they can absorb moisture at different rates  when the lumber is thin it tends to warp a bit.  

 

What did you use for a finish?

 

DW

The edge grained ones I did started out at 1-3/4" thick.. by the time I got them to a nice flat board they are down to about 7/8 inch thich, LOL

 

The one I just did is a normal face grained boards that I ripped to size and glued the edges together.. made from the walnut and oak.. and it started out at about a 1-1/4 inch and I have it down to about 3/4" now..

 

The finish I used was by watco butcher block oil.. Love the finish this makes, and the water when washing just beads up and runs right off it. I put on two fairly wet coats ( sanding with 400grit in between coats ) then a nice light coat.. been using it since July and getting washed many times a day (some days). It is starting to get some cut marks on it and I plan to sand it down in the next few days for a recoating..  

[oldhudson]

There are four things I'd say. 

1. Use dry wood.

2. Let it sit in the shop for a week or more before beginning milling, to let the stock acclimate to the RH in your shop.

3. When you start milling and cut or plane one side or edge, do the opposite side or edge too. So that the movement of moisture in/out of the board balances.

4. Use wood with the straightest grain you can find. 

[kmmcrafts]

There are four things I'd say. 

1. Use dry wood.

2. Let it sit in the shop for a week or more before beginning milling, to let the stock acclimate to the RH in your shop.

3. When you start milling and cut or plane one side or edge, do the opposite side or edge too. So that the movement of moisture in/out of the board balances.

4. Use wood with the straightest grain you can find. 

Thanks for the tips.. I did do numbers 1-3.. but the only good section of wood I had wasn't the straightest grained.. Maybe that was the issue..

[amazingkevin]

Not really scroll saw related but is a woodworking item..

 

Back in the summer I made a cutting board.. came out real nice and the wife loved it.. so she wanted me to make a couple for Christmas gifts. I made some edge grained ones this time one of these boards had warped right as soon as I run it through the planner it comes out wobbly on diagonal corners but the other opposite corners are nice and flat.. both sides this way.. I finally just let it set aside for a couple months and then did another clean up through the planner and seems to be fine.. Now I just made another but with the normal flat grain from walnut and red oak.. same issue .. 

 

How do they make these things so they don't do this?? Any tips? I don't mind having to give it another try but I don't have months to wait for the board to do whatever it is doing over time.. LOL

 

I am guessing I shouldn't have used red oak for one thing.. that wood you can almost watch it warp after planning it nice and flat, LOL

 

Anyway... Looking for tips on making some cutting boards instead of flat bowls, LOL

 

Kevin

 

 

Kevin first of all how thick was the end grain lumber you were making the cutting board from?  If it is less than an inch thick its going to have a good chance to warp.  Most end grain cutting boards I see are are 2 -3 inches thick for stability.  What you have with the end grain is a bunch of what are essentially straws and they can absorb moisture at different rates  when the lumber is thin it tends to warp a bit.  

 

What did you use for a finish?

 

DW

 

 

The edge grained ones I did started out at 1-3/4" thick.. by the time I got them to a nice flat board they are down to about 7/8 inch thich, LOL

 

The one I just did is a normal face grained boards that I ripped to size and glued the edges together.. made from the walnut and oak.. and it started out at about a 1-1/4 inch and I have it down to about 3/4" now..

 

The finish I used was by watco butcher block oil.. Love the finish this makes, and the water when washing just beads up and runs right off it. I put on two fairly wet coats ( sanding with 400grit in between coats ) then a nice light coat.. been using it since July and getting washed many times a day (some days). It is starting to get some cut marks on it and I plan to sand it down in the next few days for a recoating..  

 

 

There are four things I'd say. 

1. Use dry wood.

2. Let it sit in the shop for a week or more before beginning milling, to let the stock acclimate to the RH in your shop.

3. When you start milling and cut or plane one side or edge, do the opposite side or edge too. So that the movement of moisture in/out of the board balances.

4. Use wood with the straightest grain you can find. 

Fella's looks like a house is in the works very soon ! I'm so happy for all the info that's stuck in my head reading all the posts.I'm on pins and needles for the big break.Thank you for all your knowledge you've given so freely about everything!