# End grain cutting board making advice?



## mlau (Apr 28, 2020)

Hey everyone, I want to make an end grain cutting board.

I'll be using a pretty special piece of walnut, part of a log that I salvaged when I first became a dentist.
The log was quartered and air dried for 10 years.
I've saved it for a special project, and now have....plenty of time.

Do you have tips on board making?

I'd tried titebond 3 on my previous board, and it left some yellow residue.
Not sure if I should use epoxy mixed with wood dust?

Also, not sure if you have tips on segment sizing for longterm stability of the board? 

I thought that there was a max size to the chunks, but saw John's unicorn walnut thread: Walnut Unicorn
Yowza! And that's gorgeous!


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## McMan (Apr 28, 2020)

A PM to @John Loftis would go a long way here


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## mlau (Apr 28, 2020)

Ah! I didn't know there was a PM function on this forum.

Figures, as I still don't know how to use this instagram thing, or TikTok


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## M1k3 (Apr 28, 2020)

mlau said:


> Ah! I didn't know there was a PM function on this forum.
> 
> Figures, as I still don't know how to use this instagram thing, or TikTok


The maître d' at my work refers to all social networks as "MyFace"


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## John Loftis (Apr 30, 2020)

I can give some basics, but the main constraints are what equipment you have, how 'dialed in' it is, and how well you know how to use it. 

End grain butcher block making is all about precision. Everything needs to be square and tight and clean, or the glue joints will fail. Arguably, the most important tool in a hobbyist's shop for making a butcher block is a jointer (called a planer across the pond, not to be confused with a U.S. 'planer' which they call a 'thicknesser.') 

The jointer is not a machine that casual woodworkers typically own, and it's a surprisingly difficult machine to learn to use well. But it is invaluable in getting a piece of hardwood dead flat with one perfectly square edge. You can't wing it with just a planer and expect to get perfect results. I know there are work-arounds with a planer using sleds and such, but you just won't get great results without a jointer. 

The other key piece of equipment is a good, aggressive sander. In a pinch, you can use something like a Makita belt sander. But your life will be SO much easier if you have (or can access) a drum sander or wide belt sander. Paying a cabinet shop $20 to run a butcher block through their sander will save you hours of hand-sanding. 

In terms of process, there are zillions of video tutorials on the interwebs, but the basics are:
1) make strips of wood flat and square
2) glue those up into a single panel
3) Cross-cut that panel into equal-sized strips (for me, my butcher blocks are 2" thick so I would cut them at 2 3/16" long each)
4) turn the strips 90 degrees so the end grain is facing up. 
5) glue them using Titebond III (epa approved, waterproof, food safe)
6) sand the faces so everything is flat and smooth. Sanding end grain is extremely difficult and time consuming. You won't get there with just a random orbital sander. 

I've invested an obscene amount of money in equipment to help me do what I do efficiently and well, but each butcher block still takes me hours to make. If you start the process with patience, realizing this is not an 'instant gratification' project but something that will take time, you can enjoy the journey.


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## mlau (Apr 30, 2020)

Thanks for the tips.


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