Happy New Year, everyone! I'm positive that it is going to be a FANTASTIC year.

This month, at WoodworkingWeb, we will be seeing a LOT of cutting boards (see our Quarterly Awards, below) and I can't wait to see the creativity and woodworking skills that are showcased in the creations. 

I'm sure that we will also be seeing a variety of tutorial series, this year, as our members share the progress of items that they are building. I love following the builds, learning new techniques, work arounds, and what to do about "the unexpected". 

Yes, it is going to be a fantastic year!! 

~ Debbie

Quarterly Awards

It's that time again: WoodworkingWeb's Quarterly Awards.

Theme: Making the Cut

• We all can make the cut, for this Quarterly Awards, by creating the treasured, handmade cutting board. Whether large or small, simple or elegant in design, the cutting board is a must-have in every kitchen and a must-do by every woodworker.

About A Cutting Board

I thought I'd pop over to Wikipedia to see if I could find something about the cutting board. To be honest, I was surprised to find anything, but there is quite a lot of information. Amongst the information is this: "A good cutting board material must be soft, easy to clean, and non-abrasive, but not fragile to the point of being destroyed. Hard cutting boards can, however, be used for food preparation tasks that do not require a sharp knife, like cutting cheese or making sandwiches." 

Over the past several years, I have seen many handcrafted cutting boards, from basic to extraordinarily complex, and I have followed several tutorial blogs, learning (but never tackling) the "how-to". Some of the tips that I've picked up are:

• end-grain cutting boards (the wood flipped to put the end-grain on the top of the board) are easier on the knives
• wood choice should consider allergies and other reactions to wood - remember that you will be eating the food that come into contact with the wood
• wood, as opposed to plastic, has antiseptic qualities to it
• sealants, oils, etc: again, remember that you will be eating the food that comes in contact with it!

And what are your tips?  

Inspirations

More Amazing WoodworkingWeb Creations

From You, Our Members

• Interview With A Woodworker: This month Whitacrebespoke shared his story with us
• Sharpening Your Tools: "this morning I find myself procrastinating about heading out to the shop. I have to join 6 boards together to make a panel. I don’t have a jointer, mostly because I couldn’t jam another machine into my tiny shop if I wanted to. So, I’m going to get out my jack plane and joint the edges by hand. That means..." 
• When It's Time To Step Away: "Well I’m certainly being tested on this build" .... I'll let you read the rest of the ladder-build story and its challenges

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