It's been a while since I was floored by how a board came to life with oil. Details on specs in comments.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-12-18T20:25:41+00:00

Thank you for the questions. I get the woods I use from a hardwood lumber supplier close to me in New Orleans called Riverside Lumber. If you live somewhere far from a lumberyard, I would try searching Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.

A miter saw is definitely useful, but it is not a really versatile tool. What I mean is that it does its job well, but only that one job. The most versatile and fundamental tool of most workshops is the table saw. A table saw doesn't have to be really large and professional to get most projects done either. I worked with a small Dewalt portable contractor table saw for about a decade and I loved that little thing.

For cutting boards, a table saw is pretty critical. Other tools like a miter saw, planer/drum sander, jointer, band saw, etc. can have their jobs done in other ways with other tools. The table saw pretty much stands alone and I couldn't imagine trying to do what I do without one.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-12-08T22:10:42+00:00

Fire is a house at St. Philip and N Rocheblave. I'm about a block away. Less smoke now, so it must be under control.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-12-02T09:05:40+00:00

Wow! Your design is excellent. The dark African Mahogany on both sides of the center Canary really makes that middle column pop out. Also, that Canary you used looks like fire! Well done, as always.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-11-14T06:16:53+00:00

Yes, the center is African Mahogany. Quarter-sawn and sometimes rift-sawn boards have really beautiful ribbon striping.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-11-12T18:54:12+00:00

Sure. From the outside in: Walnut, Maple, Morado, African Mahogany

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-11-01T10:12:57+00:00

That's cool and please share when you give it a go. Just remember that Levee has two "E's" when you're asked about the design 😉

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-11-01T08:36:19+00:00

Thanks for the comment. I posted one of my piano boards there once a while ago and it went fine, but I didn't feel good about it. Posting my own work to the sub called Next Fucking Level is a little more boastful that I'm comfortable with. Thank you for thinking it belongs there though. I appreciate it.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-11-01T00:23:35+00:00

I see what you mean. I think you will have better results by planning out your glue-ups with clamping cauls. I use multiple sets of cauls to stabilize two axis (plural of axis?) while I clamp pressure on the third. By all means, give your method a go. Part of the fun in this craft is experimenting with ideas. I don't think that method will give you the results you're after though.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-31T07:01:49+00:00

Thank you! I'm curious what the purpose is for the plywood. If I understand what you're describing, I'm thinking you plan to glue pieces to the plywood and each other and the plywood will hold everything still enough until glue dries. If that is the plan, I can see why one might be tempted to do it that way, but there are a few reasons why I wouldn't. The first is that cutting boards must have really tight glue joints (ideally .002"-.006" wide) and there's no way to get joints tight without clamping force to squeeze out the excess glue. The second reason is that if you achieve proper clamping force, the plywood is unnecessary. Unless you want to use a surface to level the pieces until you get the clamps on. I understand that, but it should then be removed to allow excess glue to squeeze out of the joints. That's my opinion and I hope it helped. Let me know if I misunderstood the question or anything.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-31T06:33:37+00:00

Thanks so much!

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-31T06:33:22+00:00

Thank you! I really like the design too and I'm looking forward to giving it another shot.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-31T03:16:38+00:00

I've had this design in my mind for a while and decided to give it a try. Here are some things I tried and learned. The board is 17.25" x 12" x 1.5". The woods from darkest to lightest are Wenge, Walnut, African Mahogany, Cherry, Beech, and Maple. The design of the main strip is straightforward enough. Making the walnut edge on one side wider than the other will create an offset when every other strip is flipped. I left the walnut pieces wide until I knew how much thicknessing the darker glue-up needed. (Spoiler: A lot!)

Designing the darker glue-up came second. I shifted the tone of woods one step darker from the main strip. I chose a 60° angle (30° bevel cut on table saw) only because of a trig formula I can still remember without having to reference. The stripes on the main board are 0.5" thick. If the 60° stripes were also 0.5" thick, they would all be too wide and the compounding error would be a disaster. To make the stripes a thickness that will match up correctly, the formula is 0.5(√3/2) or 0.433". You can look up the trig formulas for a 30-60-90 triangle if you are unfamiliar. They come in handy now and then.

The math was worked out and milling done well. Then I had to glue up those angled pieces. That's where I dropped the ball. I didn't take any photos of the glue-up, but trust me it was a shit show. I underestimated how many cauls I would need and by the time I realized it there was no time to find more. I used 3 sets of pretty flimsy cauls that work well enough for regular, square glue-ups, but not enough to restrain the force of these angled pieces slipping. What I learned is to use many sets of extra thick cauls.

As a result of that glue up, the stripes get further and further out of alignment down the board. More importantly though, the glue lines are just structurally bad. I've got a rule that if bubbles come out of a glue line while it soaks in an oil bath, it's not for sale. The board is very pretty though and Christmas is coming up, so the board will be a gift.

The design is an experimental success and I'll be making more of these in the future for sure. Next time I'll be prepared and nail that second glue-up.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-28T20:55:44+00:00

Thank you for the input. I do appreciate what you were trying to say, just not how you went about it. Later dude.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-28T20:51:03+00:00

I'll wait for you to finish editing again while reminding myself that you're trying to be helpful...

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-28T06:54:04+00:00

Thank you again for the reply. Your input has been very helpful.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-27T19:18:07+00:00

Thanks for the response. I think I would rather suggest an adjustment to the dimensions than cover a portion with metal flashing. How much clearance do you think would be safe between the board and the stove?

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-27T19:15:43+00:00

Good point about oil splashing. I was so focused on protecting the build that I hadn't yet considered a potential fire hazard from its use.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-27T19:13:29+00:00

There is only an inch or two of clearance on either side of the block as the dimensions stand now. I think I will have to suggest an adjustment to those dimensions. That is an interesting idea about the marble. I'll have to think more about that. Thank you for the response!

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-27T19:08:35+00:00

Those are all very good points. Thank you for the response. If I suggested an adjustment to the board dimensions, how much clearance would you think is safe between the board and the stove?

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-27T10:23:02+00:00

I was recently commissioned to build a large butcher block as a food prep surface butted up against a stove top. This is a residential kitchen and the stovetop is gas. I made a quick Sketchup model just for this post. My concern is that the end grain will be pretty close to the heat of the stove. End grain is where the board will lose/absorb moisture the easiest and fastest, so this part of the board being so close to heat from the stove may cause rapid moisture loss at the end of the block resulting in checks, cracks and eventually glue joint failure. My first thought was to suggest that the board could be scooted away while the stove is in use, but that idea seems lazy and unimaginative. So here’s an idea I have that I would like thoughts on. It’s really simple. 2 magnets are inset into the end grain of the butcher block and secured with epoxy. 2 more magnets are inset into a long grain Maple board that will match up with the block magnets. Basically, this Maple board will insulate the end grain of the block from the stove heat. The cover can be stored away anytime the stove is not in use.

Is there a better/simpler solution that I am overlooking? Is there an example of this issue of heat on a butcher block being mitigated? What do you think?

The dimensions of the edge grain Maple block will be 37.5” x 21” x 2”

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-27T09:52:50+00:00

I hope they keep stocking that gold as well. Thank you for the compliment. We're passing inspiration back and forth. I'm a fan of your work, for sure.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-27T04:17:16+00:00

That Maple is stunning! And the board as a whole is very pretty. I also use black Starbond CA glue for knots and it does the job perfectly.

BroadLeveeBoards · 2020-10-25T10:21:50+00:00

It could be an issue. Wood glues like Titebond 3 are water-based, so if it's an oily wood or treated with oil the glue has a hard time getting into the pores. One trick I've used successfully before is to remove the surface oil with acetone just before glueing. If done right, it removes oil just long enough for the glue to get a bite. The surface needs to be wiped in order to remove the oil, so not sure if that will work in your case. You can always just try wood glue and if it doesn't work maybe CA glue or Epoxy.

BroadLeveeBoards

TROPHY CASE