used my end grain cutting board for the first time, cut very wet spinach, board cracked:
What did I do wrong?
My thoughts: Should one not use it for wet things like washed vegetables?
Should I avoid the cutouts for carrying?
I do not have any experience with end grain, neither with making -that’s why this here is from CICworkshop, excellent quality!- nor using those in my kitchen.
If I give those away (gifts or sold) they should not crack the first day.
Ideas?
MS
Since it’s cracking along a glue line, that indicates a failure of the gluing process, rather than the wood splitting.
A glued joint can fail for a few different reasons, but starvation (either not enough glue applied, or clamped too tightly), surface contamination (oily woods are hard to glue), or surface preparation (glued surfaces must be parallel and smooth) are good contenders.
EDIT - rereading, it appears you bought the board already glued up, yes? If so, this looks like a manufacturing defect.
Yes, these really incredible guys From CIC workshop already agreed to replace the board set. The replacement shipping confirmation came in this minute. they also thought that there possibly shouldn’t have been cut that deep for the handle cut out. And possibly also for my future useI thought I will not cut dripping wet vegetables or meat or something.
Murphy’s law: nothing is as easy as it looks spirit
Glad that they stand behind it. Did you do an inlay on it? I bought one of the kits when they first came out but haven’t even opened the box yet.
Cullen, I am rather a rational type. I think at least. I am rarely excited about things.
But these end grain cutting boards are something extraordinary. Thick, heavy, smooth like a baby butt, sharp edges: my wife almost wanted me not to touch them. And: they sell a set maple base / walnut top for $100, that can never be made in shop for that price, and never with better quality. In the meantime they offer 5 different kinds of wood, that can be combined.
And the customer service is also top. Cannot recommend these people there in Texas more…
And yes, I made two, one not presentable, that is the one that I used in my own kitchen, and another one that still needs sanding and finishing:
That is a kind of team work with guys in that forum and from CC (Tod: TY!), they made that happen.
I bought the walnut/maple pairing as well even though I have a lifetime supply of walnut in my wood pile. I never really wanted to go through the process to do the glueup for an endgrain board myself.
They have multiple different options on species now.
He posted a video a couple of months ago on the process for making the boards and it was pretty cool. I like the CIC videos on YouTube. Even though he has a huge shop and a multi million dollar business he still makes videos for the little guys.
I also bought a couple of sheets of the BamX material he sells. I used one to make the Skeeball project put out by CIC shown below and plan to use another for the marble maze from IDC this weekend. I have had a little success with inlays so that cutting board blank is definitely on my short list.
Do they supply oil/wax to condition and maintain their cutting boards? I’ve seen some folks completely submerge their cutting boards in mineral oil over night to saturate them. I would think it would help with natural temperature and humidity swings as well as cutting wet materials.
I’ve only made about ten cutting boards - a variety of edge/face and end grain, so take all that I say with a grain of salt. I’ve abused old “professionally” made, laminated cutting boards and laminated tabletops through weather abuse and it seems like moisture and the swelling that comes with absorption can delaminate and warp things pretty good.
Glad the company stands behind their product.
