Well, I knew I could, but I also knew that I would need some help to remember how it all went together. I roughly knew how it was done, having read how these were done some time ago but I needed some details. The Wood Whisperer ( an online woodworking videopodcaster ) arrived to the rescue just in time when he posted a podcast on just this topic. As a result of this and some work prototyping since then I am now in a position to make these or similar cutting boards, to any size, with any kind of wood and with varying patterns possible.

There are a few variations to suit the New Zealand environment. I made this one out of Rimu ( Dacrydium Cupressinum) and Macrocarpa ( Cupressus Macrocarpa) mainly because I had it on hand and there was some contrast between the two woods.

The Macrocarpa is not the best for a cutting board as it is softer than Rimu and is also an aromatic cypress and it may impart some flavors to the items being cut on the board….however…I like the way it looks, so this one is just going to sit around and look pretty and is the model for the subsequent ones. This particular one will not be pressed into service.

Notes for Woodworkers: I must say for those starting out woodworking, I wouldn’t recommend this as a first project. It’s very important to keep everything very accurately square and flat and gluing so many pieces becomes a challenge. Any slight imperfections from flat and square are amplified by the many cuts and many pieces in the glue up. Mine was less than perfect despite my intentional attention to detail – my table saw being ever so slightly out of square – something I’ll be sure to double-check next time. A good belt sander was called into action to pull me out of this one but I think the results are still satisfactory – and end grain finishes up to such a nice smooth finish which is pleasant to the touch.

Features:

• End grain  Like the best professional chopping blocks, the grain on this cutting board runs vertical, in the same direction as the cutting action of the knife. When knives cut into end grain, they don't sever the grains but rather push them to one side, which then closes up when the knife is withdrawn. This has the effect of maintaining the durability of the surface( since you are not cutting the fibres) as well as saving the edge of the knife ( it is not working to saw the wood ) and most importantly, it prevents deep cuts in your wood surface from being formed which means easier cleanup and the prevention of bacteria forming in those grooves. Wooden cutting boards are, in any case, better than plastic boards because wood, being a natural material is able to close up cuts preventing bacteria from building up. This has been proven in laboratory testing.
• Handles are routed into the sides for easy lifting.
• Large size. Plenty of room for cutting lots of differnt things and having room to set them aside.
• Thick. at 11/2" or 38mm, there is plenty of heft for long life, even after years of chopping.
• Food safe & waterproof glue will keep this board together even if it gets wet
• Food grade mineral oil finish is the same finish used for children's toys.

 Finish: This cutting board is finished with 3 applications of food grade mineral oil. The mineral oil is flooded on to the surfaces and then wiped off when it won't absorb any more. Subsequent applications are then made after every 24 hours until complete.

Dimensions:  540mm x 300mm x 38mm  ( 21 1/4" x 11 3/4" x 1 1/2" )

Care : The cutting board should only be wiped with a wet cloth with some mild soap. When the finish has worn down over time, it's an easy matter of applying a rejuvenating wipe of mineral oil and letting dry for 24 hours.