Charcutier Board

[Alasdair]

I have been managing the restoration of a Victorian sawmill and came across this bit of old wood which was to get dumped, so I dumped into my pickup.

 

[Alasdair]

The board is elm and after scrubbing a bit of the old bandsaw marks off I thought the grain looked interesting and decided to see if I could flatten it and make a charcutier board.

 

[Alasdair]

I didn’t want to cut and rejoin the board as I thought the grain pattern would be better left as was but at the same time, I wasn’t sure on what if any movement this board would experience so I decided on breadboard ends (I had a bit of Iroko lying about which was ideal).

Breadboard ends is something I have had little experience with, but nothing ventured and all that. I ripped the Iroko down (table saw I’m afraid) and cut a 15mm mortice (it was the cutter that was in the morticing machine, again no hand tools).

I marked the ends of the Elm board with a knife (hand tools this time) and cut the tenons with a palm router, I did use my gents saw to cut the shoulders on the boards and rip the tenons for the haunches.

I then clamped it all together dry when fitting to my satisfaction I pulled it apart and bored for drawpins.

 

[Alasdair]

Clamping an old radiator bracket into the vice I drilled an 8.5mm hole (which is the same size as the draw pin holes) I proceeded to run some small bits of Iroko through it to make pins.

 

[Alasdair]

A little glue in the centre of the board and bottom of the pin holes I clamped it together and drove in the pins.

This is where my photography totally let me down as I forgot to take any more pictures.

 

[Alasdair]

However, I did take a couple when I returned to this about a week later. I wasn't totally happy with one of the shoulders and decided that a little inlay would sort the problem so I took a bit of oak (which came from the same job only a different area, the oak was an old header block from the stables that held Glasgows most famous Clydesdale horses). I cut a couple of 8mm slots and fitted in the oak slithers.

 

[Alasdair]

Some shots of the finished article now away to a new home (wedding present)

 

[Alasdair]

Apologies for the lack of photographs (must do better) it was interesting because of where the timber came from and also how dry it was (brittle in some areas).

 

[Malc2098]

Nice.

I used to like working with Elm at school back in the 60s.

 

[akirk]

the photos that are there do bring it to life - lovely wood, superb to have rescued it and what a lovely finish...
I suspect the recipients will be very happy

 

[Alasdair]

I did get a bit fed up trying to orientate the photos so apologies if they appear upside down.

 

[Alasdair]

Nice.

I used to like working with Elm at school back in the 60s.

By the time i got woodwork at school in teh early 80s it was jelutong you were given (and only in little pieces) :lol:

 

[Alasdair]

the photos that are there do bring it to life - lovely wood, superb to have rescued it and what a lovely finish...

Thank you, I have a couple of pieces left and already got my boss asking if I could make one for him. :lol:

I suspect the recipients will be very happy

hopefully, will find out in a couple of weeks.

 

[Dr.Al]

That looks lovely, top work.

What are the finished dimensions (roughly)? I'm struggling to get the scale from the photos.

 

[Alasdair]

I'm struggling to get the scale from the photos.

I should've included a standard banana for scale :lol:

Its about 600 x 520 ish thats about as accurate as this non engineer will get :lol:

 

[Dr.Al]

I'm struggling to get the scale from the photos.

I should've included a standard banana for scale :lol:

Its about 600 x 520 ish thats about as accurate as this non engineer will get :lol:

Plenty good enough for me, thanks

 

[PAC1]

Excellent. Wonderful wood is Elm

 

[AndyP]

I must admit to have not ever heard of a charcutier board before. Do you think that it will be solely used for it’s intended purpose? It looks very inviting as a chopping board.

 

[Alasdair]

personally I would chop on it, makes a decent sized cheese board not like the small fiddly ones where half the cheese ends up on the floor (perhaps thats got something to do with port consumption and not board size but I think I'll stick to boards being too small).

 

[AndyT]

Beautiful!
I'm glad you rescued that elm from the heathens who were chucking it out. So much good old stuff goes to waste.

 

[AJB Temple]

Stunning grain. Great rescue. Well done.

 

[TrimTheKing]

Very nice mate, wood grain is stunning.

 

[RogerS]

I must admit to have not ever heard of a charcutier board before. Do you think that it will be solely used for it’s intended purpose? It looks very inviting as a chopping board.

Remind me, Andy. Où habites-tu ??

 

[Woodbloke]

Excellent. Wonderful wood is Elm

Nice board! Agree about Elm but it needs really careful seasoning and conditioning to get the best out of it; if it's not handled nicely it's liable to warp and twist like a break dancer on steroids - Rob

 

[Cabinetman]

Lovely rich colours Alasdair, and I really like the not just an oblong shape of it.
Ian

 

[Phil]

I must admit to have not ever heard of a charcutier board before. Do you think that it will be solely used for it’s intended purpose? It looks very inviting as a chopping board.

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