Introduction:
Hi everyone, Sean here. As many of you may know, when I am not working on renovating the cottage or looking for hidden treasure at a vide grenier, I enjoy making wooden chopping boards and serving platters. As far back as I can remember, I have always enjoyed working with quality wood. In fact, woodworking has been my passion for 38 years. I love the feel of a good quality wooden board in the kitchen, and enjoying the offerings of a charcuterie board - so I had the idea of making boards and selling them on my online shop which you can view here, to bring my creations to you. Many of you have asked about my woodworking methods, so in today's blog post, I will be showing you my process of creating these functional yet beautiful pieces. Without further ado, let's dive into it!
Choosing The Right Wood For My Creation:
The first step in crafting my wooden board, is selecting the right piece of wood. I like to make sure to source the wood ethically, from a sustainable source, or use untreated upcycled timber when possible. Before starting any project, I carefully inspect the wood for defects like cracks or splits. Once I have a piece I would like to use, I will conceptualize the design, making sure that the dimensions of the wood, i.e. thickness, line up with that idea. It is also important to bear in mind using the appropriate type of wood. Hardwoods, like oak, is ideal for its durability and lovely grain patterns are often a good material, however can be difficult to work with. Pinewood is a softer wood, it is lightweight and is resistant to shrinking and swelling but can be less durable. Teak which is a tropical hardwood, has a beautiful golden colour and smooth grain and offers in my opinion a great material for wood working.
Crafting The Boards:
With the wood selected, it's time to move on to fabrication. Here's a simplified breakdown of the steps:
1. Cutting to Length: I measure and cut the wood piece to the desired length, depending on the type of board or platter I'm creating, and the wood that I have to work with.
2. Shaping: Using pencil marks, I outline the shape I want. Then, I employ a jigsaw to cut the wood to shape.
3. Edge Routing: To give the edges a smooth, rounded finish, I use a router.
4. Sanding: Sanding is a crucial step to achieve a flawless surface and remove imperfections. I start with coarse 60-grit sandpaper and gradually move to finer grits, like 240-grit per square inch. This gradual refinement ensures a mirror-like finish.
5. Cleaning: After sanding, I thoroughly clean the piece to remove fine dust and debris, this is an important but sometimes overlooked step by woodworkers.
6. Finishing Touch, Oiling: To protect the wood and enhance its natural beauty, I apply two coats of food-grade mineral oil - then leave to dry. This not only provides a stunning finish but also ensures the board is safe for food preparation.
7. Listing: Once the board is complete, I will list it here on my website, where it's ready to find its new home.
Conclusion:
Crafting wooden chopping boards and serving platters brings me great joy. Each piece tells its own story. My passion for quality wood and the process of transforming it into functional and aesthetically pleasing items. If you're interested in owning one of these rustic treasures for your cooking and dining experiences, you can explore a selection of my wooden boards in my online shop here.
Thank you for joining me on this through my woodworking process for crafting wooden chopping boards, charcuterie boards and serving platters. I look forward to bringing you more lovely hand-crafted pieces for your homes and kitchens. If you have any ideas for personalized boards, leave me a comment on my latest video or message me on Instagram. Bye for now.
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