Cutting board knot hole filler

Nov 22, 2010 19 Replies

I have a maple cutting board that has some open knots I need to fill with a food-safe filler.



I was thinking of a heavy cut of shellac, but wanted to see if there were other opinions out there. Anyone had to fill some small cracks/ knot-holes in a cutting board? What did you use to do it?



Thanks, Otto


Epoxy will work, as long as you are not planning putting epoxy on the surface you are going to be cutting on.

Given the fact that knots are extremely porus, you might reconsider this project all together and use some wood without knots or open grain.

I would if it were me.

Deb

DanG wrote:

Cracks, holes, deep grooves, anything that can harbor bacteria will make a cutting board unsafe to use. All kinds of nasties can grow in a hole or crack, and they can't be easily cleaned out.

Better safe than sorry. Get/make a new cutting board. Unless you are looking for a project, they are so cheap these days at discount stores they aren't worth making, and easy enough to replace.

Robert

There is no filler which will move with the wood as it gets wet and dry. Only maple is a suitable material for repairing a maple board. Let in a piece of wood.

Tim w

----------------------- Quality epoxy and filler to make repairs will cost more than new maple to make a new board.

I'd use the existing board to make maple chips for smoking meats and get on with it.

Lew

Let in a

Bingo, he gets the prize.

Drill a hole and fill it with a maple dowel.

Well, what can I say?

A suprise, a great honour, I want to thank you all.

Tim W

How about drilling out the knots and replacing them with maple plugs?

Thank you all for the thoughts and insights.

Surprisingly, the wood has some 'sentimental' value. Comes from a tree in the back yard. So I don't want to trash it.

I'm going to do the rout-out and plug option.

Otto

Surprisingly, the wood has some 'sentimental' value. Comes from a tree in the back yard. So I don't want to trash it.

I'm going to do the rout-out and plug option.

----------------------------------- You didn't "splain" there was sentiment involved.

Why not retire it, hang it on the wall to admire and get a new one for everyday use?

Lew

Otto

I believe there was a thread about work-bench dog holes earlier.

Perhaps a multi-usage for it?

Surprisingly, the wood has some 'sentimental' value. Comes from a tree in the back yard. So I don't want to trash it.

I'm going to do the rout-out and plug option.

Otto

On Nov 22, 4:38 pm, "DGDevin" wrote: How about drilling out the knots and replacing them with maple plugs?

i think it's better not use glue in your cutting board .

He hand cuts really tight sliding dovetails on each board he uses?

Roy wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

How's he assemble them, then? It'd be really difficult to join tight sliding dovetails of any real length. Does he use oil?

Puckdropper

Don't ask me. I use glue.

I mentioned sliding dovetails:

A. Because I was being a smart ass.

B. Because that made slightly more sense than suggesting he used foxed wedged tennons for each piece. Hell, maybe he just drills holes all the way through and assembles them with some quarter inch all thread. What else would you expect from a guy who uses his website as his handle here?

C. All of the above

Roy wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

D. Me too. (Well, except for B.)

Puckdropper

replying to nailshooter41, dogwood wrote: Wood cutting boards do not harbor bacteria. Just the opposite, they are safer than plastic cutting boards. The tannins in the wood actually kill bacteria. U of Wisconsin did a test and the wood boards were more sanitary than one would think And if done correctly end grain cutting board cracks can be repaired easily. Been building them for many years.

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