Use Don’t Save
Working with rough sawn boards is often worth while for the surprises. Occasionally you’ll stumble across a board that gives you no other option but to set it aside for a special project.
I found this board when I was milling lumber for a table base. This particular board was supposed to be a stretcher, meaning it needed to be strong, but this board came from the crotch of a tree and wasn’t suited for the part I needed.
Besides being a waste of the beautiful figure it would also be a weak point.
Crotch wood is darker than the surrounding areas because there are compressed fibers and exposed end grain from the wood swirling and mixing between two branches. But that swirling grain also means its weak as wood is strong along it’s length, not the width, meaning it could split under pressure.
While I could have let it sit in my shop for years, I decided to stray from my tendencies to save nice boards and instead, find a project to use it.
My Work - Cutting Boards
In my woodworking I have made a fair share of cutting boards and serving boards. They are simple projects and make great gifts, but the problem with them is they are always “too pretty” to use.
Not this time. This time I am taking a board I want to look at and turning it into a charcuterie board with the intention to use it.
Therefore I’m throwing a few extras at it to make the board extra functional.
Firstly, I have to address the structure. I couldn’t leave this board flat and expect it to stay that way, especially after repeated exposure to moisture. One way to keep a board flat is to use sliding dovetails.
They work by crossing the grain and reinforcing the board mechanically by physically holding the board flat and preventing cupping.
But these dovetails served a second purpose. They are feet, standing the board off the counter so it’s easier to pick up because I hate boards that lie flat on a table and, when fully loaded, are impossible to move.
The last feature is the boards length. When it comes to charcuterie there always seems to be a shortage of space requiring crackers to be on a separate plate or dip bowls to be floating around the table. I wanted one single board to house it all, so extra long it is.
More than a serving board, this is a reminder to use boards I might set aside, to get them out into the world rather than taking up shelf space gathering dust. What’s the point in saving something that could be enjoyed today, especially when saving it for tomorrow might mean it never gets enjoyed.