Combining projects, or how to fix a chopping block

[SteveB]

My wife took MY favorite chopping board, a very nice large older one, and used it for a project of hers. Her project was to poke holes in some project of hers with an ice pick, using the wood chopping block as a backup. (She since went to the fabric store and bought the proper punch, saying the chopping board did a "sloppy" job on her project.) I now have a chopping block with about 25 1/4" deep holes in it, the size of the tip of an ice pick. What would be the best material to fill the holes with, then, probably sand flush. Something that wouldn't come out, or sluff off with time. Since I only use KNIVES on it, there should be no problem of them being punched or gouged out unless the grandkids are given it by SWMBO for butchering lizards or similar.

These women. They can use your stuff in the most outlandish way, ruin it, but don't you dare touch any of their stuff.

And then say, "What's the problem? Just fix it!" Or, "Wassamatta? You have two of them, and that one your Dad gave you was getting old anyway?"

Sheesh. Think I'll use her nice white placemats next time I need to wash Big Red, and see how she likes it.

"Oh, Honey, don't you like the way the grey tones accentuate the white?"

Steve

[philoÂÂ]

I would not think that filling it would be a good idea, I'd just sand it smooth.

[Ed Pawlowski]

The best way may be to run it through a wide belt sander or thickness planer. Do you know of any woodworkers you can ask for help? I don't know of any fillers that would be suitable.

[Norminn]

An old-time fix for filling nail holes is to mix sawdust with glue. Seems that would work better than trying to plug with solid wood. Argh! :o)

[SteveB]

The holes are 3/16" to 1/4" deep .............

[SteveB]

I like this. The holes and the size of toothpicks are nearly identical. I can put a dab of good glue, then softly pound a shortened toothpick stub in until it bottoms out. Let it dry. Trim. Sand.

Why in the world would I want to take 1/4" off the thickness of a whole cutting board?

Steve

[Dean Hoffman]

Would it be practical to drill the holes through the board then use dowels as plugs?

[SteveB]

No, there is an indent carved for a SS bowl for shavings, and there are rubber feet on the bottom. And a blood tray around the top.

Actually, it was the first thing I tried, but SWMBO said it looked bad.

Steve

[pilgrim]

Hello SteveB

I think that I might have been married to your SWMBO's sister at one time. At least my SWMBO seemed to act just like yours does. I tried everything I could think of to make my life better. Nothing worked. Finally I tried a divorce. That worked very well indeed.

(I had to look SWMBO up on the internet. I beg forgiveness for getting so far off topic.)

[TimR]

doh.

JBWeld all the way.

[Stormin Mormon]

Been a day or two since you posted. Nothing really comes to mind. The drill and peg (and then refinish the surface) sounds good. Cut the pegs flush with a Japanese saw.

I guess the question, why fill the holes? Rinse each time with the sink sprayer hose. That's more work, of course.

[TimR]

Serious suggestion this time.

Using an ice pick she may have crushed and compressed fibers but not actually severed them.

If so, soaking in water sometimes expands them back close to what they were. It's worth a try.

[dennisgauge]

Because particles of food will get jammed down in the holes, and no amount of rinsing will dislodge them. They will rot and smell and harbor dangerous bacteria.

Frankly, the only way to save the board for food use is to plane it down the 1/4" and refinish it. If that's even possible.

The filled holes will be "hard spots" in the board and cause you all sorts of grief with your knife work. They will still be places for tiny particles of food to get lodged and harbor bacteria.

[Stormin Mormon]

and no amount of rinsing will dislodge them. They will rot and smell and harbor dangerous bacteria.

plane it down the 1/4" and refinish it. If that's even possible.

you all sorts of grief with your knife work. They will still be places for tiny particles of food to get lodged and harbor bacteria.

After some more thought, "leave the holes" is not OK. Drill and dowel might work, and then refinish with varnish or what ever got used last time.

[hrhofmann]

used it for a project of hers. Her project was to poke holes in some proje ct of hers with an ice pick, using the wood chopping block as a backup. (Sh e since went to the fabric store and bought the proper punch, saying the ch opping board did a "sloppy" job on her project.) I now have a chopping bloc k with about 25 1/4" deep holes in it, the size of the tip of an ice pick. What would be the best material to fill the holes with, then, probably sand flush. Something that wouldn't come out, or sluff off with time. Since I o nly use KNIVES on it, there should be no problem of them being punched or g ouged out unless the grandkids are given it by SWMBO for butchering lizards or similar. These women. They can use your stuff in the most outlandish wa y, ruin it, but don't you dare touch any of their stuff. And then say, "Wha t's the problem? Just fix it!" Or, "Wassamatta? You have two of them, and t hat one your Dad gave you was getting old anyway?" Sheesh. Think I'll use h er nice white placemats next time I need to wash Big Red, and see how she l ikes it. "Oh, Honey, don't you like the way the grey tones accentuate the w hite?" Steve

Round wood toothpicks hammered into the holes with white glue is what came to my mind.

[philoÂÂ]

Probably the best reply of the lot. It may work. At any rate, for sanitary purposes the only way to fix the thing is by sanding or planing it down.

The soaking may at any rate much reduce the size of the holes.

[Norminn]

Soaking a cutting board would likely warp it or separate the boards before it would uncompact the holes pounded into it.

[Thomas]

That's one tough broad....

[philoÂÂ]

It might work...but since the OP did not like the suggestion to do the logical thing and sand it down, this would be the only /sanitary/ way to so it.

If he ruins the board in the process, then for $50 or so he can get a darn good new one.