# butcher block glue -up



## quigley (Jun 10, 2012)

I cut 66 blocks of 1 3/4 X 1 1/4 hard maple. I have turned them on edge with end grain up. I have made a squaring frame attached to white masonite. Now I want to make the glue-up. What is the best way to make the glue-up, all at once, or a row or column at a time. The cutting board should finish up about 11 X 14.Any suggestions? Thanks


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

The easiest way would have been to glue the strips together in a slab first, then cut strips from the slab. This would have been fewer pieces to handle.

I have only made one end grain board so far. This was my slab.








I then cut the strips and flipped them over end to end for the pattern and glued the strips together.








I do not have good luck whenever I try to glue too many pieces together.

At this point I would manage these 1 row at a time. This will also allow you to ensure the face of the row is flat before starting the next row. It is amazing how the pieces can look the same, but then when you assemble, some piece is either proud or a fraction smaller than its neighbour.


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## quigley (Jun 10, 2012)

I guess I should have asked before I cut. Oh well, will take a little more time. I will glue one row at a time, then glue the rows to each other. thanks for the feedback. I am using up some cut offs of long planks that were leftovers from other projects.


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## snytribe (Jul 5, 2012)

Be careful about gluing a butcher block top like this. Because of the open end grain they will hold a lot a bacteria. Restaurants do not use these for butcher blocks or food prep because of this.


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## PSDkevin (Dec 18, 2010)

I am not trying to be a know it all here but studies have now shown that wooden cutting boards are much better at preventing cross-contamination. Precisely because they are porous. Bacteria are absorbed into the wood where they die after a period. I know it sounds funny but look it up. If you're concerned about bacteria use separate cutting boards for meat and veg. Or you can use your microwave to disinfect a wooden cutting board. Restaurants have to follow laws that are often misguided. I believe thats why most health dept laws require plastic cutting boards. Anyway just trying to say its not as big a problem as we are led to believe.


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## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

snytribe said:


> Be careful about gluing a butcher block top like this. Because of the open end grain they will hold a lot a bacteria. Restaurants do not use these for butcher blocks or food prep because of this.


I do not think this is true.


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## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

quigley said:


> I cut 66 blocks of 1 3/4 X 1 1/4 hard maple. I have turned them on edge with end grain up. I have made a squaring frame attached to white masonite. Now I want to make the glue-up. What is the best way to make the glue-up, all at once, or a row or column at a time. The cutting board should finish up about 11 X 14.Any suggestions? Thanks


I hate to tell you this but I would scrap that idea. You might be able to get them glued up somehow but I am afraid that the end product will not be what you are wanting. I am well over three hundred end grain boards now and the way to do it is how Dave did it.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Quigley, it's going to be very hard to keep the blocks in alignment even gluing a row at a time. I agree with the others, scrap the blocks and chalk it up to a learning experience. I tried to do this with walnut and maple quite a few years ago (when I was just starting out woodworking) and the results were less than desireable. Many gaps.


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## haugerm (Nov 19, 2009)

Though I agree with the others above, I wouldn't throw out the blocks just yet. They're already cut and waiting for you. Just try the glue-up as you stated one row at a time. No, it probably won't turn out great, but you'll get some good experience with glue-ups and alignment. And who knows, maybe you'll surprise yourself.
--Matt


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## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

If you do try it, make sure to use a slow setting glue like Tite Bond III. TB II will not give you very much time to get things aligned.


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## quigley (Jun 10, 2012)

I realized what I got into. This material was two end slabs off a maple plank. I scraped the butcher block board and have started using the blocks to make a set of alphabet, number blocks for my new Grand Neice. a small set of stencils and painting will begin. I will try a different approach next time, I have a better piece of wood than last time.


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## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

quigley said:


> I realized what I got into. This material was two end slabs off a maple plank. I scraped the butcher block board and have started using the blocks to make a set of alphabet, number blocks for my new Grand Neice. a small set of stencils and painting will begin. I will try a different approach next time, I have a better piece of wood than last time.


That is a great idea! I was trying to think of something you could do with them.


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