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After seeing some great examples here on LJ and some other Youtube videos, I wanted to make a pizza peel using multiple wood types and with a shaped/carved handle and knob. I used maple, cherry, black walnut and paduak. It is a laminated piece with 35 individual pieces making up the peel. The paddle is 1/2" thick and measures 16" across 15 1/2" deep and 33" long with the knobbed handle. I also wanted to shape a rounded handle grip on it figuring that would be more comfortable to hold rather than keeping it as a thin wider flat plank as seen in the last picture.

This was my first project involving major glueups and I can see now how everybody comments you can never have enough clamps. The center plank/handle/knob piece started off as a 3.75×34 x 2 piece of maple that I made a series long parallel cuts on the bandsaw to create a symmetrical compound/3d knob, as seen in the third picture. This also centered the 1/2" thick plank within the long 34" long piece 2" thick and was left with larger dimensions on the x, y and z axis at the end of it to form the knob. I then was able to cut further detail into it prior to shaping and sanding it with an oscillating spindle sander and various pneumatic drum sanders that I use mainly for intarsia.

I really put my Laguna LT16 HD with Driftmaster fence through the test on this project. I wanted to cut thin precise strips and that's exactly what I was able to do with that setup and the Resaw King blade. I was able to resaw thin strips within a thousandth or so repeatability. On the rounded handle grips I was able to cut the thin black walnut strips about 1/32" thick as seen in the fourth picture. Did I mention that I love my Laguna bandsaw?

I rounded over the edges of the peel with a 1/4" roundover bit and created the sloped bevel on the topside and undercut on the bottom side with a straight file and elbow grease and then smoothed everything out with a random orbit sander up through 320 grit. I hand sanded up to 600 grit.

The only issue that I had on this build that I couldn't fully correct was some bleeding of the paduak into the maple. After sanding everything down, I should have blasted the piece thoroughly with compressed air prior to wiping on denatured alcohol to clean it out prior to finishing. Once I applied the denatured alcohol I did get some minor bleeding that I think I could have avoided or at least have lessened with the common sense use of compressed air first. I tried to sand out the bleeding with some success, but I'll chalk that up to experience and I'll be sure to not do that again.

I've been finishing the peel with straight mineral oil as per the research here on LJ applying one coat per day for a week. I'll be done in another two days.

Thanks for looking and can't wait to make some pizzas on my grill next week.

Gallery

Comments

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Nice band saw work. You are right about never enough clamps.
 

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4,567 Posts
That is a real eye catcher. Nice pizza peel board. I like the handle !!
Amazing how well that bandsaw cuts (with the right guy on the end of the wood). I can see why you like it!!

cheers,Jim
 

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21 Posts
Too good to use it, compliments.
 

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Now that is an amazing pizza peel. The only thing that would make your post more appealing is a picture of your peel holding a pizza :).
 

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459 Posts
Great job. I am working on one of these now, but with fewer pieces and a shorter handle. I was thinking of making one and saw a Wood Whisperer video on his build. I made my handle a little longer than his, but I like your length better. I have to find my board stretcher! I like your idea of slightly under cutting the bottom edge.
Thanks for sharing yours.
 

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4,054 Posts
Absolutely gorgeous ! Now to make the matching cutting board : )
 

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1,217 Posts
Nailed it! More like glued it, but you get the idea. Good stuff.
 

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Beautiful! The handle end reminds me of a canoe paddle (which is a compliment).
 

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6,953 Posts
That's gorgeous!

Love the rounded handle!
 

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29 Posts
Wow ….very cool looking pizza peel…looks great, excellent job.
 

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297 Posts
Talk about an eye catcher. I immediately clicked the image when I saw it on todays top 3 here on LJs. That is a beautiful project man!
 

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1,833 Posts
Really nice work…. A real beauty!
 
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