Cross grained cutting board from a cookie?

Is it possible to make a cross grained cutting board from a cookie off an old cherry tree? Or will it just check into pieces as it dries out? The tree I’m working with is standing dead for three years. It would be a shame to burn the whole thing up.

Thanks!

 

I am not sure if it would check bad or not most cookies do but you might try end grain cutting board good article on woodmizer web site go to success stories for woodworking article on larch wood handcrafts good video on how they do it JB

 

Please do a search under one of our members Shawn Curry and cutting boards. He is not on here much anymore but you may glean some information from his threads.

Christmas Cutting Boards

 

My free, new to me chainsaw, was cutting so straight I thought I’d have a go at making a cutting board out of a burly section of flowering cherry I set aside a while ago. Any pointers for keeping it from checking?

They’re not perfect, but maybe rustic?I think they might just work out. Maybe plane, sand and then oil.

 

keep them in a damp basement so they dry out more slowly ?

 

may even want to seal the ends and store them on stickers so even air circulation.

 

I do a lot of green woodcarving and green woodwork & there are several keys to keeping the wood from checking/splitting etc. Not sure how it's going to work on a burled section as you have several different types of grain there.
1) The wood always splits/checks from the pith toward the outside so if you cut your pieces to make sure there is no pith you've got a good head start.
2)On wood sawn with the grain, quarter sawn wood is the most stable. This is where the annual rings are going the short distance through the thickness of the piece, leaving roughly parallel lines on the face instead of the cathedrals you get from flatsawn.
3)Absolutely seal the ends otherwise they will dry out before everything else and shrink faster causing the checks. This is part of the problem with burl sections, the grain is going in literally every direction.
4)Dry it very, very slowly. I do everything from keeping it in a plastic bag, opening and closing it daily to let excess moisture out, to keeping it later in a paper bag or two taped together, where the moisture has to get through the bag and usually that is kept in a basement that is relatively damp. Maybe uncoated cardboard boxes if bags aren't big enough. But the idea is slooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwww release of moisture.
If the wood dried first in log form, either standing dead or a log, still with bark laying on the ground for several years, it will be much more along the drying process and more stable but still, follow all above. Also start out with pieces bigger than you want finished so you can work away defects once it's stabilized.

 

Great info, thanks. I do have the slabs down in my basement under the stairs where the homebrew and sump pump are. Also in my favor, I’d think, the tree was standing dead for several years and the log sat around for another six months after that.
How long do you baby a piece of work as far as moisture goes? I was hoping to cut a couple more and give these two out as Christmas presents to the family. Would applying oil help or hurt in there was still moisture in the wood?

 

I baby it until it reaches a point I feel it's stable which, unfortunately is kind of a case by case basis. In my case, I also work the wood green and get it to a roughly uniform thickness where it dries faster without worry of cracking.
If you have access to a moisture meter, that would be helpful. Although I have one, I've developed a good sense with my hands as to moisture content. When it's in the bag, the moisture equalizes, the excess in the center moving out toward the surface and you can often feel it when you first take it out of the bag. But, at some point when you feel it is dry enough, move it up into the house, maybe in a paper bag for a few days, then outside the bag, maybe just intermittently at first. (Mine gets this while being worked, then goes back in the bag overnight)
You don't want it to go straight from a damp basement to a heated interior around Christmas time.

Oil will certainly help stabilize it once it's dry or at least very close to dry but you don't want to put oil on it too soon. Some oils are much more waterproof than others too.

 

Why not soak it in PEG to keep it from shrinking/cracking?

 

PEG, is like a resin or epoxy? I think I was going for a more rustic look.

How about mineral oil. Is there harm if I oil it too early? Can I oil before I plane and sand?

 

Polethylene glycol. Basically soaks into the wood such that it doesn't dry out and shrink. http://owic.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/pubs/peg.pdf

 

Ah, I see. I think PEG is what I am looking for, thank you.

 

Looks like the same active ingredient in miralax. I wonder... do you have any cheap sources? A little pricy on Amazon.

 

I haven’t found a cheap source. It is the same ingredient. It comes with a number after it like PEG-600 or PEG-1000. I assume that refers to the average chain length. Not sure what form is optimal for this use.

 

I ordered a bottle of powdered laxative that i’m going to try out on an off cut before trying on one of my boards. I’m guessing it might not sand real well. I was doing some research and found someone who uses antifreeze for de-leaking wooden boats and swelling loose pegs etc. he even claimed it cured him from foot fungus.
I wouldn’t use poisonous stuff on something meant for food, or my toes, but I am wondering by if it would take some of the squeak out of our wooden floors. Too much swelling could mess them up the floors too I would imagine, but tempting to do a round of mopping.

 

I might stick with mineral oil on these rather then venture with the laxative. I think they are pretty well dried out by now. Next step is the random orbit sander.

 

I dunno about using anti-freeze topically, not just because of the propylene or ethylene glycol, but the corrosion inhibitors and dyes can't be good to be having absorbed into your body via the largest organ you have . Usually you fix squeeks in floors with proper/improved fasteners.

 

I ended up using cutting board (mineral ) oil, after some heavy passes with some sanding tools. I’m pretty pleased how it turned out. Hopefully it doesn't Check too much, but I think it is pretty dry by now.