This is a cutting board I made over the course of four hours for the Hackathon that occured on Sept 23, 2022. It was designed to fulfill three requirements, of which I believe I met well:
- be designed in the sharp, geometric style I have become known for here at HackBerry Lab.
- be thick enough so that I wouldn't break it, unlike several previous store-bought cutting boards.
- contain slots for storing knives of varying blade lengths horizontally.
First step was the wood, which was sourced from Home Depot. It was a plank of sturdy oak, measuring 2.5 feet by 10.5 inches by 1 inch. The wood shown above is the remainder I had from this project, so its possible I may use it in a future one.
This is the model I made in Fusion 360 in order to guide my design process. Other than the direction of the angles and the more pronounced drop in the cutting area, the difference between the concept and the finished product are remarkably similar.
First, I cut my length of wood to the appropriate size of 16 X 10.5 X 1 inch. Two sections of wood with these dimensions would be selected to make the cutting board. The edges of both boards were cut at a 30° angle using the rotary saw. One of the boards was given further refinement by cutting the three visible slots into it using a drill press and a jigsaw. A noticable depression was also carved into it using a belt sander so that it would signify the designated cutting area. The two pieces were then stuck together using wood glue and a nail gun.
After allowing the glue to set for 20 minutes, it was then given two coats of Gunstock Walnut varnish. The varnish serves to both protect the wood from rot as well as increase its aesthetic value.
These are the last three photos showcasing the finished cutting board. Note the graphical signature laser-etched into the underside.
Interactive 3D model of cutting board concept.
