Thread: Which wood for butchers block?

G'day 'Taderz,

According to "The Commercial Timbers of N.S.W and their Use" K.R Bootle.
Butchers Block timbers are; Tallowwood, favoured, spotted gum, Forest red gum,

Years ago I used to manufacture Kitchen Accessories and used Blackwood and Sally Wattyl for end grain work, but have since heard Blackwood ain't that good for you so maybe give that one a miss.

Have fun with the projects.

Cheers

Steve

Taderz welcome with your first active use of the site. The amount of reading available is staggeriing so I understand why you've spent so much time before " going live". With no fear, I'm sure you'll remember to post pics of the work you undertake with this project.

soth

Hey, I've reached a 1000 posts - none of which proffered much useful advice.

I make 'em out of recycled hardwood from a demolotion yard.
Haven't killed anybody yet!!
.
Endgrain doesn't seem to have a big effect on your knives, and FAR LESS than those bloody plastic chopping boards!!!

Oh, forgot.....I
If you're going to put it on casters, make sure you use the ones that you can lock up unless you want to chase the thing around the kitchen!!

Up here in the New England my brother-in-law cuts a tree trunk out of a eucalypt called Apple Tree about 3 feet in diameter and a bout 3 feet long and stands it on the end in the meat house. The current one has been there for about 30 years and is hardly worn and he cuts up a full sheep every month on it and an occasional beast.

Can't really help with the botanical name of it but he swears that it makes the best butcher block.

The end grain of most timbers is much tighter than the long grain, not to mention a lot harder.

That is why pine is great for end board chopping blocks.

Tallowood and the other eucalypts mentioned are good timbers but unless you can cut the top from a single piece you have to join it with epoxy.
Epoxy, it is claimed, is inert once cured but to me, and this is only personal, who wants to eat epoxy ?

To make an end grain board look good it needs to be sanded very, very finely, and sanding end grain is no easy job, even pine.

Make the stand with a rebate or standing skirt for the end grain board, make the first one out of pine, then later you can choose different timbers if you so desire.

Originally Posted by Cruzi

To make an end grain board look good it needs to be sanded very, very finely, and sanding end grain is no easy job, even pine.

Surely end grain is more porous - so after sanding what finish is required to stop, say, meat from penetrating?

Make the stand with a rebate or standing skirt for the end grain board, make the first one out of pine, then later you can choose different timbers if you so desire.

Sorry. I don't understand this. Can you expand on your statement,please?

soth

End grain boards are sealed with a hot mixture of parrafin oil and parrafin wax, pore size means nothing as the board is sealed.

He makes his stand so the top can be lifted out either to reverse it or replace it, this can be a rebate, or a skirt(apron, running board, call it what you will) that holds the board in place.

Thanks Cruzi.

soth

All good advise above just to add a variation if you do not wish to glue with epoxy you can make (or have made) a heavy stainless stteel band to go aronud the edge in two halves fastend with a bolt to cramp the whole thing together, this is how the early butchers blocks were made and it is how I make mine

Originally Posted by toolbagsPLUS

G'day 'Taderz,

According to "The Commercial Timbers of N.S.W and their Use" K.R Bootle.
Butchers Block timbers are; Tallowwood, favoured, spotted gum, Forest red gum,

Years ago I used to manufacture Kitchen Accessories and used Blackwood and Sally Wattyl for end grain work, but have since heard Blackwood ain't that good for you so maybe give that one a miss.

Have fun with the projects.

Cheers

Steve

thanks steve that is realy helpfull i think i may need to invest in that book
taderz

Originally Posted by Cruzi

The end grain of most timbers is much tighter than the long grain, not to mention a lot harder.

That is why pine is great for end board chopping blocks.

Tallowood and the other eucalypts mentioned are good timbers but unless you can cut the top from a single piece you have to join it with epoxy.
Epoxy, it is claimed, is inert once cured but to me, and this is only personal, who wants to eat epoxy ?

To make an end grain board look good it needs to be sanded very, very finely, and sanding end grain is no easy job, even pine.

Make the stand with a rebate or standing skirt for the end grain board, make the first one out of pine, then later you can choose different timbers if you so desire.

thanks cruzi
you have answered the question bang on for me, do you have any more info on the sealing method??
taderz

when i read the title the first thing that came into my sick little mind was blood wood

Originally Posted by taderz

thanks cruzi
you have answered the question bang on for me, do you have any more info on the sealing method??
taderz

To season (seal) a board, you place a little (a teaspoon or so) sized piece of either pure parrafin wax or pure beeswax into 1 cup of parrafin oil, heat until the wax melts then allow to cool slightly.
The mixture should be warm to hot but not too hot, you have to be able to put it on without burning yourself.

You then add mixture to the board, really cover it, keep it more or less flooded for about 1/2 an hour, then wipe of excess, repeat in a few hours, repeat next day.
Allow the board to sit for 48-72 hours, then rub with clean lint free rag. The board should not feel oily at all, if it does, allow it to sit for longer.

Re-oil monthly and after each disinfection.