Batch
Chopping Board – 2015
Having worked with Konrad DeChant 6 years previously while working with Miele, we thought it was time to put our obsessive passion for cooking to the test again. This time, instead of designing gas hobs and fridges, we decided to focus our energy and problem solving skills towards creating the perfect chopping board.
In our research we drew inspiration from the butcher’s blocks which are heavily used everyday, last many lifetimes, use tension rather than a glued construction to reduce contaminating meats and are naturally antibacterial. Even the best chopping boards in the market today seemed to pale in comparison to quality of the humble old butcher’s block.
DEVELOPMENT
In order to avoid the use of glue, we needed to look at a variety of clamping options. We settled on the stainless steel sex bolt construction with angled washers and a tension rod cutting across the grain as it is laid lengthways. In tests, this gave the strongest tension and prevented warping and bending.
PROTOTYPING
The final model consisted of a flat top design which was prototyped with a milling machine and custom-made jigs. The sex bolts, tension rod and tapered washers were cut out on a metal lathe from 316 grade stainless steel to stop any kind of erosion that could occur from chemicals, salt or water. After the chopping board was assembled and sanded down, a serial number was stamped on the side along with a laser engraved Batch logo on the top, brush and oil tin. The packaging was laser cut from sheets of card and cardboard and sealed with zip ties for extra protection while being shipped.
FINAL DESIGN
The final designs, made out of maple, beech and walnut were chopping boards that are truly designed to last a lifetime while aesthetically pleasing on the surface of any countertop.
