How To: Create A Customized 3D Carved Slicing Board

Who would not desire a customized reducing board?  And with the vacations proper across the nook, it is time to begin considering of issues that earn you severe brownie factors together with your family members – enter your Inventables Carvey and the custom-made reducing board undertaking. 

MatterHackers is situated in California, and as a surfer, I’ve an amazing quantity of California pleasure, so for this undertaking, I’m going to create a California inlay on a 12-inch walnut reducing board. Right here is how i make the reducing board:

Step 1 – Select Your Supplies 

I really like walnut. It is simply my favourite wooden to work with and appears superb, particularly after some sanding and an oil end. For the inlay, I’m going to make use of exhausting maple, each for power and shade distinction. Additionally to finish this undertaking you’ll wish to have some wooden glue, mineral oil, 100 grit sandpaper, and a clear rag. Here’s what I used: 

• Walnut wooden 
• Maple wooden
• 100 grit sandpaper
• Sort II wooden glue
• Mineral oil
• Clear rag

There are quite a lot of choices for wooden on the market – choose one you want! 

Step 2 – Create the Slicing Board Design

I cheated – the Carvey’s program, Easel, created by Inventables has just a few ‘inventory’ reducing board shapes to make use of, which I took benefit of. Right here is a hyperlink to the one I used for this demo [12” x 6” rounded cutting board]. Once you click on the blue ‘Open undertaking in Easel’ you are able to go.

Step 3 – Design the Inlay

I most likely sound like a damaged report, however that is tremendous straightforward additionally. Easel lets you import any image and it turns it into an inlay by utilizing the ‘Inlay App’ (from the Apps tab). I selected a California and used a tolerance of 0.004”. The inlay wooden I used was a Arduous Maple that’s 0.125” thick, so I made the inlay on the reducing board that deep. The outside of the reducing board goes via my complete 0.75” walnut wooden clean.

Step 4 – Structure the Workpieces

For this reducing board I used 2 workpieces: one for the reducing board which lower out the outside of the cuttingboard in addition to the California pocket, and one for the inlay itself.

You should definitely set:

• Materials Dimensions
  • Walnut reducing board base: 0.75″ x 6″ x 12″
  • Arduous Maple inlay: 0.125″ x 6″ x 8″
• Depth of lower for every characteristic 
  • Exterior: 0.75 inches (full thickness of reducing board)
  • Califonia Pocket: 0.125 inches (thickness of inlay wooden)
  • California Inlay: 0.125 inches (Full thickness of inlay wooden)
• Bit used for every lower (Store Carving Bits)
• Examine the ‘Use Tabs” for the inlay lower – they make sure the inlay doesn’t break away earlier than the carving is full

I used a ⅛” up-cutting bit, which created some tear-out (tough edges that kind when carving in opposition to the grain of the wooden) that wanted to be sanded – subsequent time I am going to use a straight lower bit to cut back the cleanup wanted.

Step 5 – Begin Slicing with the Carvey

You’ll wish to seize a cup of espresso for this step as a result of your involvement may be very passive. Upon getting the board clamped within the machine and the Carvey plugged into your laptop (should be linked to speak with Easel) – hit the large inexperienced button and sit down. When the 3D Carving for the reducing board is completed, unload the walnut and throw within the exhausting Maple. Clamp, begin, and repeat.

Cleansing up after reducing on the Carvey

Step 6 – Assemble Your Slicing Board

The inlay might have a little bit of sanding to suit simply proper. Use 100 grit sandpaper – that ought to do the trick. Be sure you sand down the tabs used for the inlay nicely. Clear the within of the pocket and use just a few dabs of wooden glue to bond the inlay into the pocket. If there are any gaps, use a mix of wooden glue and among the leftover sanding mud to fill them.

Gluing and setting the inlay into the board. 

Step 7 – Sanding the Customized Slicing Board

You’ll wish to ensure you sand the highest flush (the inlay with the reducing board base prime floor) and customarily contact the whole exterior floor with 100 grit sandpaper. Ease the sides so they don’t seem to be sharp. For this step, I used a random orbital sander with 100 grit sane paper, however among the ultimate touches I did by hand. 

Sanding the sides of the reducing board

Step 8: Coat the Slicing Board with Mineral Oil

Use Mineral Oil (it’s meals protected and doesn’t spoil, so is ideal for reducing boards) and apply a beneficiant coating, wipe off the surplus. You could wish to do that twice, wooden likes to drink up that oil.

Coating the reducing board in mineral oil

Step 9 – Take pleasure in Your New Customized Slicing Board

Now you will have a rad, custom-made reducing board to make use of for your self or give as a present. This can impress family members and mates, particularly after they discover out you made it your self. 

In case you are eager about studying extra about 3D Carving, be happy to e mail [email protected] – we would love that can assist you get began!