Replies

1. 
   MBerger | Jan 20, 2009 03:55pm | #1

   Hi Big Bear:

   I've don't have experience making a butcher block countertop, just cutting boards, but I would imagine the difficulty is not in milling the lumber (although it has to be precisely square or the error will compound) but in the assembly and glue up. It will require lots of clamps and multiple stages of glue up, depending on the size.

   I don't recommend steel rods, that's overkill if you do a good job with glue up. Biscuits could be helpful for keeping the pieces aligned during assembly, but again, not required.

   The closest article I could find on our Web site that might offer some advice is Lon Schleining's workbench, which has a laminated benchtop. http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/ProjectsAndDesign/ProjectsAndDesignPDF.aspx?id=2882

   I did a google search and these two Web links might be helpful:
   woodweb: http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/Walnut_Butcher_Block_Countertops.html

   Extreme How To:
   http://www.extremehowto.com/xh/article.asp?article_id=60470

   P.S. If the client wants maple, you might find it more cost effective to buy a prefab countertop?

1. 
   Bigbear333 | Jan 21, 2009 05:39am | #2

   I have looked into prefab and they are costly being that it has to be shipped to Canada plus the exshange a top of this size is around  $900.

   So thaks for the advice and tip

   Bigbear333

2. 
   user-7681261 | Jan 23, 2009 05:54am | #3

   I built a rock maple cutting board that is 2 ft x 3 ft x 2 in, and introduced into the countertop. My wife insisted that the surface should be end grain. I found an excellent video on FineWoodworking that explained how to do this. The contractor wanted $3000 to make this, so I did it myself. Maple was cut to length, then the pieces glued together. Yes, you need a lot of strong bar clamps. These glued pieces were passed carefully through the thickness planer to obtain flat surfaces. Then, these pieces were cut orthogonally on the table saw. The individual pieces were each rotated 90 degrees so that the end grain was facing up, and these pieces were glued together. The piece came out quite well. The major challenge was flattening the top with a plane by hand since I allowed approximately 1/8" above and below for misalignment during glueup. A combination of planing and sanding got the top surface flat. The counter top was finished with mineral oil.