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butcher blocks

Started by brdmkr, November 03, 2007, 10:56:41 PM

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brdmkr

I am thinking about making some butcher blocks for Christmas presents.  I have red oak, magnolia, pecan, and cherry.  I would like to laminate them so that I have contrasting colors in the blocks.  Are there any problems with using these woods for this purpose?  It seems like I heard there were some issues with cherry (arsenic or cyanide).  Does anyone know if there is any truth to that?

Any preferred food-safe finishes?
Lucas 618  Mahindra 4110, FEL and pallet forks, some cant hooks, and a dose of want-to

Kcwoodbutcher

The issue is with wilted cherry leaves and cyanide not the wood itself.
My job is to do everything nobody else felt like doing today

pappy

Quote from: brdmkr on November 03, 2007, 10:56:41 PM
Any preferred food-safe finishes?

Mineral Oil warmed up before spreading...
"And if we live, we shall go again, for the enchantment which falls upon those who have gone into the woodland is never broken."

"Down the Allagash."  by; Henry Withee

Mooseherder

Quote from: pappy on November 08, 2007, 03:04:52 PM
Quote from: brdmkr on November 03, 2007, 10:56:41 PM
Any preferred food-safe finishes?

Mineral Oil warmed up before spreading...

We also use Mineral oil on all our Meat Room equipment and parts for lubrication after cleaning and sanitizing. It is accepted practice for the Model Food Code. It also is used in the knife sharpening process. ;D ;)
It'll be good for Butcher Blocks.

stonebroke

I think the traditional butcher blocks were made out of hard maple. They found out that maple has anti bacterial properties. Unfortunately this was discovered after the usda banned them as being unsanitary.

Stonebroke

brdmkr

Mineral oil ought to be easy enough.  I hope to build a few within the next few weeks.
Lucas 618  Mahindra 4110, FEL and pallet forks, some cant hooks, and a dose of want-to

Left Coast Chris

The Craft Supplies Catalog (www.woodturnerscatalog.com)  lists several choices for food safe finishes depending on what kind of a finish you are looking for:

Salad Bowl Finish -- Used for craft show kitchen ware.  It finishes to a shine but is touched up with mineral oil.  Its food safe .... dosen't say what it is made from.

Lemon Oil Wax --  Combination of oil, wax and lemon oil.  Dosen't say what type of oil it has in it but it is food safe and is made for kitchen ware.

Butcher Block Oil -- a food safe mineral oil specifically for butcher blocks & wooden utensils.

Orange Wax -- for finishing salad bowls and cutting boards.  Made from beeswax, carnauba wax and citrus oils that makes a hard durable food safe finish with a satin sheen.

Mahoney's Utility Finish -- made from a walnut oil blend that penetrates and hardens making it durable and won't evaporate like mineral oil finishes.

Prices may be a controling factor....... suggest going the cataloge.  The last one "Mahoney's Utility Finish" sounds tempting.  It should be more durable and less upkeep.  Mike Mahoney is known for his utility bowl turning.... he should have a good product.   16 oz. is $10.99.    Not cheap but a pretty common finish price.

Home built cantilever head, 24 HP honda mill, Case 580D, MF 135 and one Squirel Dog Jack Russel Mix -- Crickett

davemartin88

For cutting boards, I use mineral oil with a small amount of wax. About a 5:1 ratio of oil to wax, heated to make sure it all mixes together and to apply more easily.

Engineer

Quote from: brdmkr on November 03, 2007, 10:56:41 PM
I am thinking about making some butcher blocks for Christmas presents.  I have red oak, magnolia, pecan, and cherry.  I would like to laminate them so that I have contrasting colors in the blocks.  Are there any problems with using these woods for this purpose?  It seems like I heard there were some issues with cherry (arsenic or cyanide).  Does anyone know if there is any truth to that?

Any preferred food-safe finishes?

I would definitely avoid red oak for a butcher block.  Especially end-grain.  Red oak is very porous.  Pecan I'd also be hesitant, although not to the level of the oak, it is closely related to hickory and is also an open-grained wood.  Cherry is fine, but soft.  Magnolia I have no experience with and can't comment.

I have made several cutting boards and blocks over the years and my preferred woods are hard maple or beech.  I have also used black walnut and cherry, as neither are "poisonous" in a cutting board form.   I'm making a big one, 30 x 25 x 2-1/2" thick, as a section of countertop for my kitchen, and it will be all of those woods - mostly beech, with curly maple, cherry and walnut accent strips.

As for finishes.  Plain food-grade mineral oil is the best. 

brdmkr

Thanks for the info on sealers and on the wood species I have available.  I wish I had some hard maple, but I don't.  I figured that there was a reason that I had never seen red oak in a cutting board.  Still, I want to use what I have.  I suppose I'll keep cherry in the mix and perhaps magnolia.  In reality, those two in combo may be really pretty.
Lucas 618  Mahindra 4110, FEL and pallet forks, some cant hooks, and a dose of want-to

solodan

I have also been told to avoid oak for cutting boards.  :-\

submarinesailor

You guys talk about not using Red Oak, but what about White Oak?  The pores are filled on it?

Bruce

Engineer

There are plenty of food-contact items made with white oak, most notably barrels, but I have never seen a butcher block or cutting board made from it.  I don't know why.  I imagine that I wouldn't use it because it has a tendency to splinter somewhat, and the tannins in the wood will certainly react with kitchen knives or even iron-containing foods.  After a while you'd wind up with a black block.  But if it's used as a countertop or other sealed surface, I don't see why not.

Part_Timer

we seal ours in almond oil.  makes a pretty finish and food safe
Peterson 8" ATS.
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.

tcsmpsi

Quote from: brdmkr on November 13, 2007, 09:23:57 PM
Thanks for the info on sealers and on the wood species I have available.  I wish I had some hard maple, but I don't.  I figured that there was a reason that I had never seen red oak in a cutting board.  Still, I want to use what I have.  I suppose I'll keep cherry in the mix and perhaps magnolia.  In reality, those two in combo may be really pretty.

Mike, you can go ahead and use any of the wood you want in mine.

P.S.  I can use any/all sizes, too.     ;)    ;D
\\\"In the end, it is a moral question as to whether man applies what he has learned or not.\\\" - C. Jung

brdmkr

Quote from: tcsmpsi on November 14, 2007, 06:04:45 PM
Quote from: brdmkr on November 13, 2007, 09:23:57 PM
Thanks for the info on sealers and on the wood species I have available.  I wish I had some hard maple, but I don't.  I figured that there was a reason that I had never seen red oak in a cutting board.  Still, I want to use what I have.  I suppose I'll keep cherry in the mix and perhaps magnolia.  In reality, those two in combo may be really pretty.

Mike, you can go ahead and use any of the wood you want in mine.

P.S.  I can use any/all sizes, too.     ;)    ;D

I gots pine and cedar too! ;D
Lucas 618  Mahindra 4110, FEL and pallet forks, some cant hooks, and a dose of want-to

tcsmpsi

Ok.  That'll be fine, too.  Old semi-retired garbage scroungers ain't worried 'bout a few bochilisms and such.  Heck, if it weren't for those, sometimes wouldn't have gotten no nutrition at all.     ;D
\\\"In the end, it is a moral question as to whether man applies what he has learned or not.\\\" - C. Jung

TexasTimbers

You do realize that our increased dependence on anti-biotics over the last few generations has caused our immune systems to weaken. There is a growing scool of thought that we need more bacteria in our food. I think brdmkr is simply trying to make you healthier tcs. ;D
The oil is all in Texas, but the dipsticks are in D.C.

IL Bull

Quote from: Engineer on November 14, 2007, 07:35:10 AM
There are plenty of food-contact items made with white oak, most notably barrels, but I have never seen a butcher block or cutting board made from it. 
I made some from white oak that we use every day.  Just throw them in the dishwasher.  Man does that make the dishwasher smell good! 8)
Case Skid Steer,  Ford Backhoe,  Allis WD45 and Burg Manual Sawmill

woodmills1

I made the counter tops in my other house from red oak, in a cutting board style.(glued boards on edge)  Used mineral oil with no staining or problems over the 4 years we used them till we moved.
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

woodsteach

No you've done and got me concerned.  Don't use red oak in butcher boards.   :-\ For about the last 12 years in the wood classes I teach I've had the begining students make their mom's cutting boards out of the short length box and we usually use a mix of red oak and walnut or red oak and cherry.  No you guys are telling me I'd better get ready for law suits because the kids poisn'd their folks!!! ;)

Oh! well ya can't get blood out of a turnip!!

As far as the finish we usually use the mineral oil.  Or even seal-a-cell tung oil.

When gluing up be sure to use water proof glue, we usually use the titebond brand. 


woodsteach

Brand X Swing Mill, JD 317 Skidloader, MS460 & 290, the best family a guy could ever dream of...all provided by God up above.  (with help from our banker ; ) )

solodan

Your probably ok, cause I believe the Tung oil sold in the stores has polyurethane in it. I imagine it would seal the grain. ??? :)

woodsteach

A few trips through the dishwasher and not too much of any type of finish is left on.

Just a couple of weeks ago I put soybean oil on the cutting boards and that is holding up nicely.

woodsteach
Brand X Swing Mill, JD 317 Skidloader, MS460 & 290, the best family a guy could ever dream of...all provided by God up above.  (with help from our banker ; ) )

brdmkr

So teach, am I to understand that the red oak is holding up for you? 

If so,  8) 8) 8)

I would like to get original with my blocks!
Lucas 618  Mahindra 4110, FEL and pallet forks, some cant hooks, and a dose of want-to


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