Read Time: 7 mins

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Making cutting boards has got to be one of the most popular woodworking tasks. I can't imagine how many cutting board videos have been uploaded to YouTube and others all of the information that abounds ... 

This article and video are based on my 20 years of reading articles and publications from researchers who test cutting boards to evaluate their safety and report on their findings. 

Read Time: 4 mins

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Lazy Susan's have got to be the handiest things for serving devices whether stand-alone or on a dining room table, a picnic table or on a snack table. The only real problem is that some of them can take up so much room ... but there is a way to economize on the size without giving up on the amount of serving space and that is my making another level to them. 

I wasn't sure what kind of center I wanted for the upper level so decided to make a prototype before making a final version. My first version had a round center column which I did not keep on so wanted to try this style of having simple square wood, but with an arc cut into them to accommodate later bowls and serving dishes ... 

Read Time: 3 mins

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My inspiration for this pair of wooden utensils is that for many parts of the world, spring and summer are the time of year that is popular for couples to join together in marriage and similar civil ceremonies. These events are joyful time for families and friends to come together to celebrate the event and share conversations and food. In many cultures the cutting and sharing of a desert, like a wedding cake is the representation of the joining together of family and friends.

I have watched many brides and grooms cutting cakes with family heirloom swords and knives, but not every family have items like this ... so why not make something that could become future family heirloom ... a knive and matching cake lifter. But these are far from limited to weddings, they could be used for birthdays, anniversaries or any special event where family and friends might gather together.

I have never made these before but looked forward to the experience. I wanted these items be more that just cutting up some nice wood and to make them appear different, I elected to glue together different colored strips to form something of a pattern.