Serious cooks do serious chopping — and they need a cutting board that’s up to the task. Luckily, making a seriously sturdy board just happens to be a pretty fun woodworking project. It not only gives some real pizzazz to the kitchen, but also teaches several great woodworking skills.
In this class, each student will make a round end-grain cutting board out of their choice of hard Maple or Cherry. At up to 18 inches in diameter, and a burly 3 inches thick, this cutting board will find a happy home on the kitchen counter.
By using the end grain as the cutting surface, you will not only create a beautiful “checkerboard” effect, but the board will naturally absorb cuts and scratches to keep looking good, and will preserve your knives, too.
We will start by selecting wood and gluing up strips into two sections for each board, then flattening them with the jointer. Next, we will glue the two halves together so that they are properly registered. Then we will smooth them on the planer, use a special jig to cut them round on the band saw, and run them through the drum sander before sanding them smooth by hand, and finishing them with food-safe oil.
As an extra touch, you will also have the option to personalize your board with your name, initials, or inscription of your choice.
You’ll leave with new confidence in your woodworking abilities — and a seriously impressive cutting board.
Prerequisites: None. Open to beginners.
You will learn:
- How to glue up wood in sections
- Safe use of power tools including jointer, planer, band saw, and drum sander
- How to flatten boards on a jointer
- How to use a planer to smooth a surface
- How to use a jig with a band saw
- Techniques for efficient sanding
- Techniques for customizing woodworking projects
Tuition: $159
Material: $70
Registration Fee: $35, one time registration fee, new students only
Please read and understand our Refund and Cancellation policies. By making payment you acknowledge that you have read and understood these policies.
Please note: If you are paying by cash or check, your registration is not complete until payment is received.
Safety
Eye, hearing and dust protection are required in the machine room or when operating machines in the bench room.
Long sleeves and loose-fitting clothing are not allowed around the power equipment. Long hair must be pulled back and secured.
Closed-toe shoes are required. Open-toed shoes or sandals are not allowed.
COVID Policy: Masks are optional, however, if you are exhibiting symptoms of any contagious illness or if you have had a positive test for COVID or influenza within the past 5 days, please notify the school and do not attend class.
Thank you for your understanding.

Meet your Instructor
Raúl has been a professional furniture maker since 1990. A member and former president of the Arizona Association of Fine Woodworkers, and a member of the Society of American Period Furniture Makers, Raúl specializes in custom furniture and antiques restoration, and is particularly interested in traditional hand-tool techniques. He began to teach himself woodworking during the 1970’s while working in the aerospace industry and eventually changed careers to devote himself to the craft. In 2008, with the help of other accomplished woodworkers, he founded the School in order to bring the highest level of woodcraft education to Arizona and to create opportunities for the next generation of woodworkers to learn from some of today’s most respected masters.