Woodworking #7- Make an End Grain Cutting Board Pt.1


One of my favorite woodworking projects is a butcher block end-grain cutting board. Im not sure if its the “back to basics” simplicity or just the fact that it is one of the most useful projects a woodworker can make, but something keeps bringing me back for more. A custom cutting board makes a great gift and many woodworkers make them in batches every Holiday Season. And if you are relatively new to woodworking, this is a great project to hone your milling, glue-up and tablesaw skills. In Part 1 of this two part series, we cover the preparation and construction of the board itself. I hope you enjoy this project as much as I do.

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25 Responses to “Woodworking #7- Make an End Grain Cutting Board Pt.1”

  1. CelticReject says:

    I’ve just gotten into woodworking and just want to thankyou for so many great tutorial videos. Cheers, CR

  2. TheFishingschool says:

    i will definatly try i guess i will have to go buy an army of clamps, oh well it will be worth it knowing that i made something useful

  3. TheWoodWhisperer says:

    @TheFishingschool Well, of course a cutting board is a great project that just about anyone can use and appreciate. So I usually recommend that as a first project. Other than that, I would simply try to fill a need. Look around the house, ask family members, and see what people want. Then try to find a plan for that item and go for it!

  4. TheFishingschool says:

    dear mark,

    i have a very low quality shop (not a lot of power tools) i have a miter saw, a wood lathe, a table saw,a belt sander, a grinder, and in the next few days i am getting an old air compressor from my grandpa. i do not have a lot of funding to get wood and i am looking to make something cool to impress my family can you give me some ideas please?

  5. TheWoodWhisperer says:

    I guess you could use poplar if you wanted to, although its not idea. A little soft.

  6. pyrodragon2488 says:

    besides the red oak for the dark, what would be good for the light at HD

  7. TheWoodWhisperer says:

    Some HD’s carry maple, so that’s the best choice. If not maple, then I would be inclined to use red oak. Its normally not ideal for cutting boards because of the open pores. But since this is an end grain board, the pores on the faces are no longer part of the cutting surface. Its all end grain. So I would say red oak.

  8. pyrodragon2488 says:

    wood whisperer what wood would be a good substitute that’s avaiable at home depot

  9. TheWoodWhisperer says:

    Unfortunately no. I am not that well-versed in Australian woods.

  10. wow39358 says:

    hey i was just wondering if you know of any Australian woods that would do nicely for a cutting board but still have the light and dark colour
    Thanks

  11. jacktheyido says:

    Thank you. I’m going to start saving some money and start a class in the summer and I’ll post up a video of my 1st project.

  12. TheWoodWhisperer says:

    I would start with a topic or project you are actually interested. Lots of ways you can go in woodworking, and your personal preferences could take you in one direction or another. Your tool choices will also depend on these preferences. But a good beginners class should give you an introduction to basic tool and wood. I think that’s what you need at this point.

  13. jacktheyido says:

    Is there any areas of woodworking you should start on or is it all round woodworking on a class

  14. TheWoodWhisperer says:

    I always recommend people take a class first before they start buying tools. Its important to know what the tools do and which ones you need for the type of woodworking you want to do. So see if you can get your parents to sign you up for a local woodworking class, and start there.

  15. jacktheyido says:

    hello i am only 14 but i want to start my own little workshop. what tools do you recommend to buy to get started on woodworking.
    thanks
    like the videos and just subscriped

  16. TheWoodWhisperer says:

    I think you might be best served buying a set of plans. I just did a google search for pool cue rack plans and got a few results. Plans are a great way to get your feet wet in woodworking.

  17. bearsafetyus says:

    Hey i am a very novice woodworker and was wondering how i would make a pool cue rack. How do i notch the wood at the corners to combine the pieces??

  18. TheWoodWhisperer says:

    thanks! search for brayer on Amazon and you’ll see a few options.

  19. scabberdoug says:

    great work on the cutting board, makes a really nicely finished item. Where did you get that glue roller? Been looking for one for a long time.

  20. mossbach says:

    thks buddy nice work
    Congratulations

    Greetings from Mexico

  21. NorthoftheBorder905 says:

    Been watching your videos for awhile now. Fantastic. Just subscribed. Keep up the great videos.

  22. 29gasoline says:

    awesome video i think i will make one for myself after my father passed i got all his wood working materials i just always thought it was to hard for me but i think i can do this if i det stuck i guessi can ask my hubby for help but i want to do it all on my own and your videos are very informitive thanks

  23. emlerron says:

    Great vids! Entertaining, educational, and
    enjoyable. I used to work for a company
    that made custom wood items and end
    grain cutting boards were a hit. We used
    hard and soft maple for a contrasting
    effect. The maple was primarily scrap from our bigger projects it was a good way to utilize our scrap. Keep up the good work!

  24. en101com says:

    Great!

  25. franktcarver says:

    Good video

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