# Juice groove or not



## MrHiggins (Feb 17, 2019)

I am in the middle of building a large edge grain maple cutting board that I will use primarily for carving cooked meats (roasts, turkeys, etc...). Are you dimensions are approximately 17 inches by 30 inches. 

Should I bother routing in a juice groove? I'd have to borrow a router, build a jig, etc..., so obviously my life would be easier without the groove.

(Photo shows a 270 Toyama for perspective)


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## DamageInc (Feb 17, 2019)

I don't like a juice groove since small diced vegetables will go in it when scraping the board, but if you plan on using both sides of the board, you can do a groove on one. Also, that board is very big and you'd need a hell of a lot of juice for it to run from the middle and all the way out.


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## HRC_64 (Feb 17, 2019)

My vote is no...easier to clean/maintain without it. IMHO a big board and paper towels means juice groove N/A.


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## MrHiggins (Feb 17, 2019)

That's the exact answer I wanted to hear! like I said, my life will be a lot easier without having to route a groove in this thing.


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## Kgp (Feb 17, 2019)

Nice looking board! I agree, no groove. Branding your initials or "logo", however, would be classy!

Ken


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## Bensbites (Feb 17, 2019)

I vote no, adding a grove will expose the end grain and drastically add upkeep.


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## podzap (Feb 17, 2019)

Bensbites said:


> I vote no, adding a grove will expose the end grain and drastically add upkeep.



What exactly do you mean by "expose the end grain"?


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## Bensbites (Feb 17, 2019)

podzap said:


> What exactly do you mean by "expose the end grain"?


The edge of the grove will be end grain. Like little straws of wood fiber ready to suck up meat juice. They just need to be treated with board conditioner (mineral oil/beeswax)


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## podzap (Feb 17, 2019)

Bensbites said:


> The edge of the grove will be end grain. Like little straws of wood fiber ready to suck up meat juice. They just need to be treated with board conditioner (mineral oil/beeswax)



Right, now I got you. Interesting application of terminology there


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## McMan (Feb 17, 2019)

No.
Someone last year was building a board and asked this same question--overwhelming consensus was "nope".


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## podzap (Feb 17, 2019)

I only have one board with a juice groove on it and that is the big Arcos that I use for cutting lots of tomatoes when making salsa. Big tomatoes get messy real fast regardless of what you do, but my wife wanted it...


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## MrHiggins (Feb 17, 2019)

I love it when the easy answer is the right answer. I opted not to get my groove on, and have started to oil the board. Once it absorbs some mineral oil, I'll melt and buff some bees wax onto it. Thanks, folks.


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## podzap (Feb 17, 2019)

Also, your board is just large enough to double as a pastry board (rolling out pasta, pizza dough, etc). My pastry board (made out of 18mm thick plywood) is 60x80 cm (roughly 24x30 inches). Definitely wouldn't want flour getting stuck in grooves when brushing it off


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## MrHiggins (Feb 17, 2019)

Here she is with a few rounds of oil and bee's wax. I put some handles on it.


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## MrHiggins (Feb 17, 2019)

And here's its maiden voyage...


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## MrHiggins (Feb 17, 2019)

And the result...


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## Dylan (Feb 17, 2019)

It compliments your counter tops quite nicely! 

Seeing handles on it like that gave me the idea to do the same with one of mine so I can hang it from some hooks for storage & drying like I do with some larger pots and pans.


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## MrHiggins (Feb 18, 2019)

Dylan said:


> It compliments your counter tops quite nicely!
> 
> Seeing handles on it like that gave me the idea to do the same with one of mine so I can hang it from some hooks for storage & drying like I do with some larger pots and pans.


Here's mine hanging from a hook on my kitchen island.


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## podzap (Feb 18, 2019)

That's just perfect.


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## Dylan (Feb 18, 2019)

I agree, well executed!


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## Kippington (Feb 20, 2019)

Really nice work!
I'm kinda bummed you missed the opportunity to post a maiden picture of it with juice running everywhere haha!


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