Thread: DIY grain filler - best way?

Personally I would not be using a chopping board that has cracks or holes in them. Last time we went out looking for a chopping board we found quite a few in the STORES that had holes in them. I am not going to name that stores but there was more then one large retail chain. I don't like the idea of using a board that would possibly capture food in the hole.

As you have made this and it would be a waste to bin it personally I would use epoxy to fill the gap. That said there would be a chance of having some epoxy particles break off when in use.

And I agree with your wife Stilton cheese is nice.

Polymerized epoxy is biochemically benign (food safe). Sawdust + matrix is always going to look like a sawdust repair.
What can you add to the cracks for interest? Lengths of copper/silver wire? Then epoxy over those.

Originally Posted by Robson Valley

What can you add to the cracks for interest? Lengths of copper/silver wire? Then epoxy over those.

Not sure how the copper wire will fit, a these are the splits I am talking about.

That's 'internal collapse', which some woods are particularly prone to unless dried very, very carefully (is that "Ash"? It's one that has this problem).

I guess people like the appearance of end-grain cutting boards, but they do have their detractors (like my spouse). Yes, I know butchers used the ends of logs as cutting-boards for centuries, and there are advantages in having the end-grain as the working surface when you are chopping things with cleavers (less splintering). But they are far from easy to reliably clean, which is part of the reason they've pretty-well disappeared from the scene. Fortunately, the products were invariably cooked, so they weren't as big a public-health problem as they could have been.
In the domestic situation, end-grain makes less sense to me, unless you are going to restrict their use to dry goods. The porous work-surface makes them extremely hard to clean properly, even without internal checks.....

Cheers,

I would just use epoxy to fill the gaps as long as you bear in mind that any fill will look obvious and ordinary over time no matter what you do.

Bug growth is not that much of an issue even on end grain because wood is a-biotic. Provided food is not left on boards in great thick layers there is less bug growth on any wooden cutting boards than plastic or even glass. Note how bugs are grown on glass petri dishes

I've used both sawdust mixed with glue (Titebond for those who are health-conscious) for small cracks and a clear epoxy for larger knot holes. Many people will tell you not to use timber with cracks for chopping boards, and they're entitled to their opinion, but for one thing beggars can't be choosers, and a lot of people find they add character to the board. As far as bacteria goes absolutely it's a concern, but if you're sealing it up tight so no moisture or bacteria can get a foothold in the first place, what's the problem?

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A mate of mine is a butcher. Upon taking up a manager's position, he noticed deep cracks in the block. The pouring of boiling water down said cracks delivered a mass of maggots which covered the entire surface!!
I would be filling those drying cracks with epoxy.

Thanks all, but I did note it won't be used for meat or chicken etc, due to those cracks, even when filled as don't want the risk. Some I knew about, but the ones in the middle of the timber gave me a surprise, and a decent reason to yell vulgarities. Anyway I'll probably go clear epoxy, it might add a bit of a feature. Will post full pics when done.

Looks to me like its possible to shave up some end grain matching shaped tapered wedges and tap them in with epoxy. The longer and finer the taper the better. Done reasonably well the holes will disappear .
Rob

Originally Posted by auscab

Looks to me like its possible to shave up some end grain matching shaped tapered wedges and tap them in with epoxy. The longer and finer the taper the better. Done reasonably well the holes will disappear .
Rob

Rob, I hadn't thought about that, thank you. I will wedge it as you suggest and I can run though the drum sander to finish the ends.