Oh, Mom's gonna love this!

Great job, I am going to try to make one some day, I like the combination of woods.

You bet she’ll love it.

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

That’s a great board!!!

-- Matt Garcia Wannabe Period Furniture Maker, Houston TX

She’ll be thrilled, and be one happy mom,

-- (You just have to please the man in the Mirror) Mike from Michigan -

I like the sapwood on the cherry piece at random. Kind of breaks up the pattern in a subtle, good way. Nice.

-- My philosophy: Somewhere between Norm and Roy

Great board She’ll Love it!

Here are some tricks to help you in the future that were passed on to me by fellow LJ’s on here. Only to help. Not being rude.

When your doing the 2ND set of cuts and then flipping every other one over to make the pattern be careful to watch the grain and ensure they all match. Sometimes when we cut them and set them down they get put down differently and this causes the grain to be mixed up.

I use a 50/50 finish on mine, Salad Bowl finish and mineral spirits about 5 -7 coats ,and boy do they really shine after a few coats and hold up well. Then every few weeks just rub some mineral oil on them and your done.
Again hope this helps.

-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"

Ken,

For informations sake, salad bowl finish is a varnish. It is food safe, but cutting on it is different. Interesting and long read here:

http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Butcher_Block_Finish_Dispute.html

Steiner ~ I’m like ‘Skeeter’ (what a great name), I like the contrast of the sapwood in the board… it makes it come to life. Nice work!

-- I just got done cutting three boards and all four of them were too short. (true story)

Thanks to all for the comments. Ken and Zach, I welcome all comments. Yours are highly valued. Great comments about the grain direction. That’s what really makes a standout board. Some that I see on this site are works of art.

I just had to leave the sapwood in, as a couple of you commented on.

Spooninator – The guy that forced me to see dying kitties as an art form! Good to hear from you again. With all those great ideas floating around in that giant head of yours (your profile pic), why don’t I see anything new? Hope life’s treating you well.

-- Scott - Katy, Texas

Hey Scott ~ Thanks for the nod. Yeah, with the economy …I took on this intense job where I spend the day with my head down in the sewer sandblasting manholes. Tough job in the Florida heat, but a man has to feed his family. I leave around 6 a.m. and usually get home past 7 p.m. On top of that, we bought a condo (remodeling) and so I have no shop. But don’t despair…. much to my wife’s chagrin I have accosted the dining table and am about 3,000 matches deep into a 10,000 match project… so if we don’t go up in flames you will be hearing from me in a few weeks. Best regards!

-- I just got done cutting three boards and all four of them were too short. (true story)

Zach117 Interesting article…. I have made over 35 of these boards and always show the customer before I start finishing. Once the see mine in the hose that are 9 month old and get used heavily the want the 50/50 food grade finish. I have read some other toxicity reports as well all saying its safe. But with that said like most everything in this world its bad for ya period! Thx again

Stiener, great work bra!

-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"

Great board

Steiner another nice board. I know your mother will put it through its paces. After all its a very important tool for a bbq.

-- The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. "Helen Keller"