Various methods may be used in cutting a blood groove or juice channel in a cutting board. Here is one way it can be done. This cutting board was created with some exotic woods about 6 years ago and found in an attic. At the time, there were no handles or blood grooves cut into the board. It found its way to my desk after handles were added with a request to add a juice channel for meat cutting. It was decided to add the channel on one side only, leaving the opposite side for vegetable cutting use.
Our exotic cutting board measures 17-1/2″ x 13-1/4″ x 1-1/2″ thick, and the handles were cut about 5/8″ in from the outer edge. So as not to leave a thin wall between the inside edge of the handle and the blood groove runner, yet leave a pleasing, even aesthetic look to the surface while maximizing the cutting area, I decided to measure in 1-3/8″ for the runner wall edge, leaving about the same 5/8″ wall between the handle and runner. I used a Whiteside 1406B B4 Bearing Round Nose Router Bit with Bearing Guide 3/8″ R x 3/4" D x 7/16" CL x 1/4", with a DeWalt Variable Speed Compact Router with LEDs and Plunge Base.
The question was, what was the easiest way to jig the pattern cut? The options considered were, create a jig to attach to the router, create a single board pattern and rout around it, or create a board with the center cut out. I chose the latter, but with more of a frame thought process. After cutting my 4-piece frame 1-3/8″ wide from a 2 x 4 on the tablesaw, I then cut the lengths to an appropriate size to allow the router to seamlessly flow around the cutting board.
I cut strips of double-stick tape and applied it to each of the four pieces until I completed the frame. Sitting the cutting board on each of its sides while placing one single-pieced frame jig to the board at a time, made sure that the single sticks ran parallel to the outside of the cutting board.
Not knowing if the cutting board had been previously oiled, due to its dry condition from the attic, I made sure to firmly press all 4 sides of the framework using the bench vise for solid tape adherence. I then added and taped 3 additional boards to the center, cut from the same 2 x 4 for router leverage while cutting around the interior of the frame pattern. Placing the entire assembly onto a rubber bench top mat made sure the board would not slide or slip around during the routing procedure. Woodcraft carries a silicone mat for such purposes.
Now the fun begins, let’s rout…
To recap, set your router bit depth of cut. In this case it was 1/8″ depth cut, followed by a secondary 1/16″ cleanup cut using the Whiteside 1406B B4 Bearing Round Nose Router Bit with Bearing Guide 3/8″ R x 3/4″ D x 7/16″ CL x 1/4, Woodcraft Item #24D86
Clean up the mess, remove the jig, sand with 220 grit paper on top surface and inside the juice groove, and oil it down!
Ready for use or display!
Easy peasy, and done in about an hour and a half, well, that’s with donuts and coffee included!
Thanks to Bill Sands for the 2×4, use of his tools, camera assistance, and, as always, his expert guidance & camaraderie are very much appreciated!
auf Wiedersehen!…Frank