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I finally completed this butcher block. First one i've ever made! The block is hard maple, the legs and dowels are sapele. The legs go 8 inches into the block! I ran into a few engineering obstacles, one being clamping the block and the other just being the problems of making everything fit right. Sanding the top and bottom of the block (the end grain) was a bitch. I sanded the top and it took about 5 hrs to completed! I finally decided to rethink it and I made a jig that allowed a router to even out the surface before sanding it.

I'm proud to say that all the glue joints are sound and that the project was a complete success. The only bad part is that I need to sell it : (. I'm in engineering school and my part time job is just not cutting it. It's so hard to sell something youve put so much time and effort into. Selling it has proved to be futile… oh well

Block Dimensions:

25" x 19" x 14.5"

...it sits proud of 34 inches off the floor a

Gallery

Comments

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That is one awesome BEAST! I wish I had somewhere to put something like that. I love it, great job.
 

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So are all the pieces of maple 14.5" tall, or just the outer pieces?

That thing must weigh a ton if it's all solid!

Looks really sturdy, like it will outlast all of us on here!

Nice job, for sure. Any pointers/tips/tricks you want to share on the build?
 

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Thanks guys!

I calculated the weight using the avg specific densities of each wood and I think I got somewhere around 160 lbs, but I dont remember so that could be wrong. All of the pieces are 14.5" tall except for 16 pcs which are around 6" tall to serve as the mortise for each leg.

If anyone has any questions about how I built it I'll be more than happy to answer any and all that I can. The best tip I could give would be to make sure your tolerances are tight and to surface the end grain with a router before sanding. Sanding end grain has got to be the most frustrating process I have ever attempted. Another tip would be to fabricate some parallel clamps for clamping the block together and getting a nice and even joint. Next time i might look into making the block hollow , but this is "old school" I guess and if that's what you are looking for then just know it will cost more, obviously. I also thought that if I ever make another one that I will look into making the entire block just thick enough so that it will fit through some milling company's wide belt sander. From my experience wide belts also have a hard time with end grain, but as long as you take off very little then its just a long, but not as labor intensive process.
 

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Nice job ! Anyone that likes to cook would love it ,l know l would.
 

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very butcher wood love this one
and they shuold never be hollow
mass /waight is the right thing so it don´t dance on the floor and don´t make noise
when you use it just a dead dump sound
a hollow wuold dance and make the noise alot louder than the shop from the meat axe it self

thank´sfor sharing :)
Dennis
 

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Nice work-will be around long after we're all gone. It's amazing that this isn't a quick sale. It's sure tough being a one-off woodworker these days; people don't appreciate the material cost, time and wear and tear to do something like this.
 

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It will take a few generations to wear that butcher block out. Very nice.
 

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Very nice! Good idea about using a router jig to rough sand the end grain, my inlaws have one of these and it needs resurfacing. I'll have to remember that. About how many Board Feet of maple went into making this if you dont mind me asking. I'm assuming its 8/4?
Thanks for posting this
 

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Don't mind at all. I think I got right around 55 board feet and used around 40-43 board feet of 8/4 lumber.
 

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Very nice work 60grit…....How much are you asking for this and where are you selling it?
 

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Thank you. I'm asking 900 dollars and I'm in North Carolina
 

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Seems like a fair price. There is a Boos block table of a similarly sized tabletop (except yours is over 4-inches thicker!) for a little less than this. From your calculations, your block is also about 50-pounds heavier… a substantially sturdier piece.
 

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I would love to see this when I visit my daughter in NC if you have not sold it by then. Early March. Where in NC? I'll be going to Burlington, NC from Kentucky. My husband has a shop in KY. www.lefevercabinets.com and our butcher blocks are 2" thick and weigh at 2.5# per square foot.
We appreciate artistic wood crafters like this, who realize the time and effort in a piece.
 

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I'm in Raleigh, NC, which is about 45 min away from Burlington.
 
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