Added curved/wavy stripes to a cutting board. (video)

Art Mulder

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(Youtube link at the end)

I made a couple of cutting boards with inset curves/waves.



You start with a cutting board “blank”. I know, it’s tempting to just round the corners and apply finish and be done — you’d have a perfectly good cutting board, eh? — but this is starting point for this project.



You then need to make a curved pattern, something like this. The shape of the curve is of course totally up to you. Just be sure it is a fair curve — ie: no bumps or jiggles. It needs to be smooth and flowing!



In your router you need a guide collar and a good straight bit. The thickness of the bit matches the thickness of your inset curve. I used a 3/8” bit to remove material, so I will be inserting a 3/8” strip of curved wood. Well, actually several strips that add up to 3/8”.

You can’t just cut a curve in the board and insert wood, as it will look wrong, as you’ll be spreading apart the boards that make up the cutting board and they won’t appear straight any more.



You cut the curve about halfway through the board, and then take it to the bandsaw and cut the two pieces apart. Then you take it over to the router table. You then run the bearing along the clean cut you made previously, which cleans up the rough part left from the bandsaw. The result is a clean smooth curve that perfectly matches your pattern.



Next it is time to cut some thin strips of wood for the insert



Next is the TB-III glue and clamping. Make every effort to keep the two sides of the cutting board FLAT with respect to each other. Oh yeah, and if you have them, quick-grip clamps really help here, as the pistol-grip squeezing action really helps with closing up the wide gap



After it is dried, you plane down the excess from the strip, and then I send it through my planer for a very light pass to true up both sides.



…CONTINUED…
 
…CONTINUED…


Oh, and if you want a SECOND curve, then go back to the beginning and do it again. You can use the same curved template, just flip it over and angle it differently, whatever orientation you like.



Then it is finish time. I like to use a salad bowl finish from Lee Valley. It is a mixture of beeswax and Linseed oil. Smells delightful, is totally food safe (you could use the board immediately after application.), and goes on very easily. Just wipe it on, buff it in, and keep buffing to a shine.



And here is the result





There is more details at my web page: http://wordsnwood.com/2015/curves/

Or if you prefer to watch a video, here is my project on youtube:

Thanks!
…art

ps: I did not invent this process! You can see projects like this around the web. Apparently Fine Woodworking posted a guide at some point. I owe a huge debt to Reddit users “joelav” who has a imgur gallery here with instructions: http://imgur.com/a/FnIq4
 
its still nice to see someone do it.

I had some thoughts last year to do it when someone else posted it here, (I think glenn Bradley), I wanted to cut out and get close to the breast cancer symbol ribbon, and make a cutting board with pink Ivory inlay, but I chickened out.
 
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well done Art,, you keep doing this well on thee videos and how to's and you will be come a star for sure i know your headed that way and i feel you will do well at it.
 
Art as others have said i think you nail the art of communicating your project to an audience in a variety of mediums.

As to the cutting boards with a wave, i respect and appreciate the work and design but i figure i am a square head and prefer the conventional straight lines in this case or checker patterns etc.

That dont mean they not nice just not my taste.

Now if the whole board was made wavy well then i could buy into it and find it interesting. But to put a wave through the middle of a good board, for me makes no sense. Its kinda just because i can project. :( Sorry.
 
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