New cutting board ???

[1894]

Just got a cheapy , Edge grain , not end grain. I think it is bamboo.
Any ways , I scuffed it all down with some 400 grit sandpaper , vacumed all the dust off and applied several coats of mineral oil to the whole thing.
The first time I used it and tried to wash it ( just running water and a bit of dish soap , no soaking

) I could feel quite a bit of raised grain popping up.
Did I just not get enough oil soaked into the wood yet ?
Any tips , more oil ? , more sanding ? wet sanding ? beeswax /oil topcoat ?

 

[richtee]

Usually when sanding wood... disclaimer..I have never worked with bamboo! You dampen the wood after a sanding with a medium grit...dry wood- sand again medium, dampen, dry- sand again with a fine. And perhaps one more time even. The grain will keep coming up, but less and less each time. Your premature oil coat is gonna be a bugger...cloggin the paper, but it'll still work.

 

[1894]

Thanks Richtee , looks like I've a few days of work to go on this

The dampen , dry , sand , repeat as necessary , route sounds like the way to go.

 

[fatback joe]

On a new board the oil schedule is -

Once a day for a week
then
Once a week for a month
then
Once a month for a year
then
Once a year

Or so I was told.........easy to rememember.

 

[davenh]

Here's another option.....I did a butcher block top island, and a few cutting boards from leftover material. For the finish I used Tung oil. This top got 6 coats. the first 3 coats were thinned 50/50 with a food grade citrus solvent for deeper penetration into the wood. I also gave a light wet sanding in-between the first few coats for a smoother finish.

Followed application instructions listed on the site linked below.

Here's a link to the site where I purchased materials. They have both the citrus solvent and Tung oil. The Tung oil has to be 100% pure.

http://www.realmilkpaint.com/oil.html

Pic of the maple BB island top after drying, which is finished with the same method and material as my cutting boards. One big cutting board

.

 

[mavrick813]

Hey dave you want to do a Cutting board for me?

I see the possibilty of you making a few bucks if your up for some orders.

Mike

 

[richtee]

Very Pretty! But...ain't the classic butcher block end grain? THAT would be a project in that size! Hmm altho...some arrows and a rack of pins would set that off real well... sorry... I'm from MI...we bowl alot ;{)

 

[supervman]

That's some mighty sweet work there pal.
Makes a brother proud to work on something he made by hand.
Points to you man.
SKOL
V

 

[supervman]

Mineral Oil is used in LOTS of these "fancy" seasoning oils for Cast Iron and Woods like Salad Bowls.

CHEAP and easily accessible.

"Food Grade" Mineral Oil is a LOT more expensive than the stuff you get at the Pharmacy.

The stuff at the Pharmacy is not "Food Grade" but it is for Human INTERNAL consumption.

Good enough for me. I buy that and it works GREAT on Cast Iron and Woods.

Real Cheap. It doesn't go rancid.

Yeah, the Pharmacy stuff is for "constipation" but I haven't noticed any "problems" while using the stuff.

My two cents.

 

[nick]

That looks beautiful...but I have a question. I thought Tung Oil was poisonous if comsumed. I have a couple Tung Oil trees on my property and read where the seeds were poisonous. Is it just the raw seeds??? or what??

 

[pops6927]

That table's just right fer bonin' out a deer or hog or a 1/4 of beef.. lemme git my cimeter, my old carbon steel bonin' knife and handsaw.. be right back.. someone tackle a pig and throw'er up on there! (Oh, light the lump in the smoker, too.. git'er ready.. shoulders and butts in 10 minutes!)

 

[pops6927]

Although, I'm sure the first time a knife cut goes all the way across someone's gonna pay dearlly for it! haha! Tremendous job well done, it looks beautiful and a top to cherish for many years to come!

 

[davenh]

Thanks guys...thought 1894 might be interested in the finishing materials.

Actually it started out as an 8' chunk of unfinished maple BB from Lumber Liquidators, 1.5" thick, but not wide enough. Had to add 6" to the width, piece in maple strips and do the finish work. Fun project, mobile too, get to take it with me when I leave.. :)

Mav..be happy to walk you through making one

.

Rich...not the first time hearing the bowling comment

.

End grain is more desirable, but wanted more of a food grade counter top that could also double as a food prep station. Got to work with what you got

.

Couple pics of the cutting board, and a few of the island, we like pics

.

Pic from today, the finish hasn't been touched up in a couple years. Will have to re-coat shortly, the cutting board can use it. Still holding up real well with the Tung oil finish.

Few more of the island. Recycled some oak faced cabinets, added some oak trim and veneer. Built on a thick plywood base with some wheels. Gave us some great storage and mobile prep space.

 

[camocook]

Just got a cheapy , Edge grain , not end grain. I think it is bamboo.

Are you sure it is bamboo?We got our first bamboo cutting board about 1 year ago and didn't do a thing to it.Use it ,wash it let drip dry.It's a small one. I like it so much I'm gonna get a bigger one.

 

[davenh]

Nick..Pure 100% Tung Oil is considered food grade.

Here is a reference from Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_board

• A light food grade mineral oil is a good preservative for wooden cutting boards as it helps keep water from seeping into the grain. Alternatively, one may also use a food grade drying oil such as poppyseed oil, tung oil or linseed oil. The first two dry much faster than linseed. Note that most commercially available linseed and tung oil are not “food grade†as they contain metallic driers. In general, edible savory vegetable or olive oils are not recommended because they tend to go rancid, causing the board to smell and your food to pick up the rancid taste.

 

[supervman]

SWEET set up man. Calphalon non stick, Wusthof Cutlery, MONSTER choppin block. That rocks!

 

[davenh]

Good call on the cookware, bought a ton of the Calphalon Commercial stuff during closeouts and on Amazon

. Most of it was like 70% off.

Knives are Henckels 4 star.

 

[supervman]

Oh.
The logo on the choppin block looks like wusthof but NOTHIN wrong with Henckels. In fact, they're better.

Did you know if you regularly shop for meats at a butcher shop "most" times the butcher will sharpen your knives for free if you ask him. NO one and I mean NO ONE can sharpen a knife like a butcher. I'm not talkin Sams/Costco but a place with butchers you know by name. FYI.

SKOL
V

 

[davenh]

Good to know..Thanks!

I've been using a Lansky sharpening system and it works pretty good. Takes some time, but good results.

 

[coyote]

check out this link to some mighty fine cutting boards..they even make a chili one..way kool..

http://www.ozarkwest.com/cuboseonfone.html