# Gluing up a cheese board



## Andrew777771 (Nov 30, 2013)

I laminated 3/4" birch with face grain glue ups to get a square block 5"x5" x3"(thick). I then glued walnut pieces 3"x3" around the birch as a frame. The walnut is butt jointed to itself. Is wood movement going to be a problem on this. If so what is the proper way to connect the frame? What would be the proper way to do this glue up if it were not laminated and only 3/4" high?


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Wood movement could very well be a problem, what you've done is called the "panel of doom". Read more here. Most of us have tried it at one time. There is no easy way to make this construction unless you use plywood for the middle.


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## bannerpond1 (Mar 15, 2013)

I make only end grain cutting boards and would never make one that thick. You could have made a board twice as long, or two boards, from the wood you had.

Glue your individual boards face to face, designing as you go for what it's going to look like. When it's dry, plane the slab dead solid perfect in thickness. I wouldn't use a hand plane. Make a chalked triangle on the board so you can put the pieces back in order if you drop them. Now crosscut the slab into "bricks." I use a crosscut sled for this. Put all the pieces on a bench, using the chalked triangle. Now roll each individual "brick" 90 degrees. The end grain will be on top. In addition, you can flip every other brick end for end. Now glue them together. Take care to align the pieces. They may slide when you clamp them. Let that dry another day and flatten the end grain slab. I glue sacrificial ends on my boards and run them through my 15-inch planer. The sacrificial boards are torn out, but not the last end grain pieces. If you don't use the sacrificial boards, you can't use a planer. Anyone who tells you that you can't run end grain through a planer is wrong. I do it every time, using the sacrificial boards. I've never had any problem. Just make your cuts 1/32 or so, not like you'd do for planning the face of a board.

You can find videos of making end grain cutting boards to make all this more clear.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

Here was my attempt. Looked pretty good, till the frame failed :-(

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/78062


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