Walnut End Grain Cutting Board

What I built

I ended up making a chopping block for my fiance's friend's impending nuptials. This is how it turned out. More after the jump...

Not what I built

That is a picture of the pattern that I was given. It's an end grain cutting board made of acacia wood sold by Crate and Barrel (it was on the registry). Fun fact, acacia wood is damn hard to come by in Milwaukee. So I looked for a reasonable analogue and hit upon walnut. Admittedly, walnut is much darker and has less variability in the coloration, i.e. it doesn't have the light streaks to offset the dark spots as acacia does.

I guess there's a little light coloration

To build I glued up a wide panel of four walnut strips, cross cut it into 2 inch long slices, tipped them face-to-face, and glued 'em together. Once it was together in a cutting board, then I planed the faces flush, and routed a round over on one edge, thus crowning one face as the top forever more.

The routed edge 

The finish is the cutting board stalwart, mineral oil. End grain is porous so it soaks up a lot of material. Instantly, the color goes from a pale brown to a rich chocolate brown.

Unfinished walnut

Finished walnut

The end result I think turned out fairly well. I'd be thrilled to make one for anyone else, should I be asked.

Congratulations Caroline and Kevin. Can't wait for the wedding.