Better Homes and Gardens Australia — December 2017

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STEP 1

STEP 2 STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5 STEP 6

STEPS

Photography Phil Aynsley, Greg Fahey, Getty Images; styling Jo Greenwood; project Greg Sparke

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MAKE YOUR BOARD

Bring the beauty of recycled

Australian hardwood to your next

soiree with this simple project.

Gather your supplies

• 300 x 400 x 40mm (approx)
  recycled Australian hardwood

You’ll also need

Builder's crayon; jigsaw; drill;

hole saw; belt sander; router

fitted with 6mm rounding-over

bit; random orbital sander;

sandpaper; orange oil; cloths

For you to note

When using power tools,

wear all safety gear required.

See product instructions.

Here’s how

STEP 1 Draw the shape of

your cutting board on the

hardwood with a crayon.

Cut out using a jigsaw.

TIPS • There are different jigsaw

blades to suit different materials

and the whether it's a curved or

straight cut. Always use the right

blade for a quicker, cleaner finish.

• Grip the tool with both hands
  for more control and let the saw
  do the work. Don’t force a jigsaw,
  or you’ll bend the blade which
  means your cut won't be vertical.

STEP 2 Cut out the hole in the

handle of your board using

a hole saw in your drill.

TIPS • Raise and lower the hole

saw as you drill to clear the

sawdust, otherwise you’ll burn the

timber and blunt the hole saw.

• Place the timber you’re drilling
  through on a scrap piece to avoid
  blowing out the back of the timber
  when the saw breaks through.

STEP 3 Sand the cut edges of

the board using a belt sander.

TIPS • Avoid wearing loose,

long-sleeved clothing as it

can get caught in the belt.

• Always keep the sander
  moving. Holding it in one spot
  will quickly gouge the timber.

STEP 4

To round the edges of the

board, use a router fitted with

a 6mm rounding-over bit.

TIPS • When routing the outside

edge of a board, go in an anti-

clockwise direction to suit the

rotation of the router bit and make

cutting easier. Start your cut on a

side of the board with end grain.

• If removing a lot of material,
  do it in a number of passes,
  taking off a bit more each time.
  This will be easier and less
  stressful on the machine.

STEP 5 Use a random orbital

sander to remove cutting marks

and make the timber smooth. Hand

sand any hard-to-reach spots, like

the inside of the hole in the handle.

TIPS • Always sand with the grain

of the timber, not across it.

• Start with the coarsest sandpaper
  that will do the job, then switch to
  finer grades to remove any sanding
  scratches and smooth the timber.


• Don’t force the sander or
  you’ll create gouges and deep
  scratches in the timber.

STEP 6 Remove all dust then

coat with a food-safe product

such as orange oil. Apply

with a damp cloth and polish

using a soft dry cloth. ■

TOOL TIPS

158 BHG DECEMBER 2017