Cutting Board Build With Curved Strips
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You have mastered the straight cutting board. You are bored with straight lines. You want to make something that makes people say, "Wait... how did you do that?"
Enter the Curved Strip Cutting Board.
It looks like the wood has melted. It looks impossible. But it is actually a clever trick using a router and a template.
The Concept
You can't cut a curve on a table saw (safely). And you can't cut a perfect mating curve on a bandsaw (too wobbly). The secret is Template Routing. If you use the same template to cut the female pocket AND the male inlay strip, they have to fit together perfectly.
Material & Tools
- Router: 2HP or bigger. This is heavy work.
- Template Tape: Double-sided tape that holds strong.
- Flush Trim Bit: A bearing on the tip rides against the template.
- MDF: To make the master template.
The Build Process
Step 1: The Master Template
I cut a gentle "S" curve out of a piece of 1/2" MDF. I sanded this curve until it was perfectly smooth. Any bump in the template will be transferred to the wood.
Step 2: The Base Board
I took a solid block of Maple (the cutting board body).
- I attached the template.
- I used the router to cut the curve through the maple. Now I have two halves of a board with a curved edge.
Step 3: The Inlay Strip (The Walnut)
I needed a curved strip of walnut to go in the middle.
- I attached the SAME template to a piece of walnut.
- I routed one side.
- I moved the template over by 1/2 inch.
- I routed the other side. Now I have a curved noodle of walnut that matches the curve of the maple perfectly.
Step 4: The Glue Up (The Nightmare)
Clamping a curve is like trying to hold a wet bar of soap. When you apply pressure, the pieces want to slide past each other.
- The Trick: I added "alignment cauls" (blocks of wood) clamped vertically to the bench to force the pieces to stay in line.
- Pressure: You need a lot of clamps to close the gaps on a curve.
Step 5: Flattening
Once dry, the board was a mess of glue and uneven levels. I ran it through the planer (light passes!) until it was flat.
Result
The result is an optical illusion. The straight grain of the wood runs straight, but the walnut strip wanders drunkenly through it. It breaks the brain.
This is an advanced project. It requires trust in your router skills. But the payoff is a piece of art that you can chop carrots on.