Monday, January 7, 2019

Introduction to Cutting Boards: Tuesday / Wednesday January 8-9 (Thursday / Friday)

Thank you to Mr. Winn for Teaching for me Tuesday.

Cutting Boards are an interesting product. A cutting board can be any piece of wood (or a hunk of plastic), but some boards are particularly beautiful, and the kind of grain that the knife impacts can actually make a difference in keeping knives sharp, and in how flat the board stays.

Cutting boards can feature cutting surfaces of: edge grain; face grain; end grain; or even a combination of grains.

This is a (mostly) edge grain board:

This one is mostly face grain:



This board is end grain:

Read the following links to understand the differences in the boards; recognize that the authors may have an interest in getting you to think one thing or another:

As a class, review the first two links; begin this process by leaving about a half page in your notes to label board faces; and to diagram the structure of the boards being discussed:

Whole class readings:

Consider (e.g. go ahead and do what I suggest) making a note taking / information retrieval chart that includes five columns
Type of board / illustration of grain / pros / cons / "other notes" including source



Readings to study and report out by group:


B) Wagner Meters Webpage (this page is trying to give you some useful information in order to sell wood moisture meters).




Each bench group should review the information that matches their letter above. Each group should report out new information, and in particular note any information that contradicts what was noted before.



Next you are going to view and take notes on how several different makers describe and demonstrate HOW to make a cutting board.

Take notes on ideas, as well as on procedures for making a cutting board as the process is described in the links below.

The following links show various approaches to making a cutting board. I make a note about whether or not I know and trust the maker before each link. EXTRA CREDIT if you notice something fishy or unsafe in any video.

This Old House Makes a Cutting Board: Reliable and Trustworthy source. (9 minutes)

The Wood Whisperer Makes a Cutting Board: This guy annoys me, but he is a well known wood worker, who is careful to show you good techniques. End grain board. Does he annoy you? (18 minutes)

Wood moves? The Wood Whisperer 4 minutes.

Edge grain board. I don't know this source. Be wary. (8 minutes)


If time remains; use the flash cards to quiz one another for the final exam. Turn in flash cards at the end of class if you have not done so already.

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