I really liked the idea of adding a groove in the cutting board so it could be used for steak/turkey/etc (thanks Shanem!). It just so happened that I had enough stock for a second much thicker top that would double as a serving tray. The width and height were cut such that it would still fit into the base but it will probably be stored separately and not used on a daily basis. One side has a juice groove routed using a round nose bit while the other was left flat. I used the same bit to cut out recessed handles on either side of the board. This cutting board is about twice as thick as the other top and uses the same end grain pattern.

Just for kicks I grabbed the first end grain cutting board I ever did (Woodcraft kit) which had been sitting around unfinished and took the time to finish sanding and throw on a coat of oil. Here’s a quick snap of the three together.

I’m liking the way this is coming together so far. The more I look at it the less I like the base however. At this point I’m considering re-doing it with maple/cherry so that if flows a little better with the tops. Maybe I’ll create the base using maple and cut in a logo or something using cherry. The verdict isn’t out yet. If anyone has a suggestion I’m all ears.

Here we are years later and the blank space down in the man cave… which is currently storage for boxes of junk we don’t need and haven’t opened in years but for some reason the wife demands we keep… is starting to yell louder and louder that it needs to be replaced by something more exciting.

In order to quiet the voices in my head I fired up SketchUp and went to work designing the future wine nook/wet bar. I wanted something that would look classy and be able to hold red wine, a wine fridge for white wine, a kegerator for my home brew, and space the assorted bar junk that I’ve collected over the years. That in mind I got to work and came up with this:

What I have so far is a 96” bar that should (in theory) end up with the following specs:
63 bottles of red wine (or liquor)
48 bottles of white wine in a under the counter wine cooler
2 six barrel or home brew kegs in a modified chest freezer (also under the counter)
2 taps for the kegged beer – I’m also planning on doing custom wood tap handles, but that’ll be another project
1 mini fridge to hold assorted mixers/juices (also under the counter)
15” bar sink with hot and cold water
30 wine glasses in the center wine rack
Plenty of mugs, pint glasses, accessories, etc in the wall cabinets

To be honest this will be the biggest and most extensive woodworking project I’ve ever taken on. I’ve used all of the techniques that are required in other projects but never at the same time or on this scale. Especially since this one joins cabinetry/woodworking with electric and plumbing.

While I’m at it I wanted to mention a great resource for getting components for a project like this. If you’re in the Baltimore area, check out Southern Sales Services (http://www.southernsalesservices.com). They do auctions every five weeks with everything from cabinets to appliances to raw materials. I picked up both the chest freezer and the wine cooler from the auction a few weeks ago – both for pennies on the dollar. I’m sure there are similar places wherever you are so I’d encourage everyone to ask around check out what’s available. It certainly helps with the budget for this project since now I can spend more on the wood, hardware, and of course the massive amount of wine to fill this thing up :)

I’ll be sure to post updates along the way with this project and I’m sure I’ll reach out to the community with questions on things I’m a bit light on (like cabinetry).

First step was a pretty basic end grain cutting board. I went with 8/4 cherry, 8/4 maple, and 4/4 walnut.

Then I made up a base for the cutting board out of 1/2” red oak and did a quick mock up. For some reason my wife yells at me when I bring stuff from the kitchen into the shop so I used screw drivers as what will be a set of knives. The dish will be used to catch whatever comes through from the top of the cutting board.

Then got the oil (cutting board) and stain (base) applied. I was a little hesitant about the stain color of the base but I think it turned out OK.

And that were I got to over the weekend. Next steps are to put in a guide to hold the top in place and add the knife block slots. Overall I’m pretty happy with how this has turned out so far. Who knows, it might not make its way out to LA after all :)