# Hand holds in cutting board



## nblumert (Oct 15, 2008)

I am making a round cutting board for a friend of mine. They want some hand holds routed into the side of the board. In school I did one like this, but I don't remember how to do the hand holds. I bought a core box bit, but have no idea how to do it. What do you suggest?
Nick


----------



## Patrick (Nov 16, 2008)

Not really sure what you're trying to do.Are you trying to put a handle on it or just a U shape groove in it for water run off?Do you have a router table,guide bushings or edge guide?


----------



## nblumert (Oct 15, 2008)

On the side of the cutting board They want some sort of groove so the tips of their fingers can go in to lift the cutting board. They want them to be routed onto the outside edge of the cutting board. This is not a well that would normally be on the top to catch liquids.
Nick


----------



## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

If I understand what you want, just turn the board on end. I assume that you bought a box bit that is smaller in diameter than the board is thick.

On your touter table position the fence so that the bit will be centered in the edge of cutting board. Then just route however long and deep a grove you want in the edge of the board.

G


----------



## thekctermite (Dec 23, 2007)

You could make a pattern from plywood and use a guide bushing in the router's base to follow the pattern with a handheld router. Just make the pattern a 90 degree angle shape so it can be clamped to the faces of the cutting board. I always rout my bed hardware this way, and it would work the same with a core box bit.


----------



## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Maybe I'm not reading this right but it sounds like you want some recesses in each side of the cutting board to make it easier to pick it up from the counter top. I would set up stop blocks on the router fence and using your router bit, run the board through to make your grooves. The setting of the stop blocks would correspond to the length of the grooves that you want.
Ken


----------



## tribalwind (Dec 7, 2008)

i think what i'd do for this, 
rather than trying to make a skinny finger groove(not sure how thick your board is) 
i'd maybe use a large pan/bowl bit and sink it halfway into the boards thickness. making a rectangular recess on 2 or 4 sides overlapping the edge, then use a small roundover on the edge. you could even leave a small lip close to the edge ,like a raised rim just along the bottom edge for the fingers to hold,..hope that made sense. ? ah screw it. pictures says 1,000 words right  
heres 1 i saw (without a raised bump)... easy to do this with corebox too...









heres the slot style i think you're after... 








personally, i'd do it the other way....this seems tricky,maybe with a horizontal router table ?... 
could sorta do it with a cove-bit with a bearing on it (not really same).cut half,flip board,cut other half. but the depth is limited.
a bit like this would be perfect i'd think but i dont know if they come in a bigger radius size,this is only 1/8"










final thought for now.this might be the best bet....
cut 2 squares of 3/4 ply or mdf to same diameter as your cutting board, sandwich board with clamps,stand it on edge and clamp to bench or vice somehow.,2x4s around outside edge for wider router support if needed.add clamp on either side of area to be routed out for stops. use your routers edge-guide,then just rout down in with the corebox on 2 or 4 sides.
hope that made sense too, i'm tired!.:blink:
this was fun thinking about though,i enjoyed it :thumbsup:


----------



## nblumert (Oct 15, 2008)

Tribalwind, the butcher block cutting board has the hand hold that I was planning on doing, but the first picture looks like it woudl be easier and more functional. Thanks for teh suggestions to you and everyone else in the thread.
Nick


----------

