Nick2cd Posted October 9, 2011 Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 Every time i make an end grain cutting board i sand it down until it's butter smooth. i religiously start at 50 grit and then work up through 80, 120, 220. at the completion of sanding, i can't feel any of the glue lines and it's smooth as silk. once i wipe on my General Finishes salad bowl finish (diluted to 50% w/ mineral spirits) with a cotton rag, i notice i often get raised glue lines that i can slightly feel once it is dry. i then have to lightly sand it down with 220 until the raised lines are flat then apply another coat of finish. i repeat the process until an adequate finish is built and it remains smooth. is this common or am i making an error somewhere? btw, the wood is dry and acclimated to my shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdale51@yahoo.com Posted October 9, 2011 Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 Nick, How long are you letting the cutting boards set after glue up? The wood fibers soak up moisture for a considerable time from the glue. This causes the wood fibers to swell until they release that moisture,thus causing raised joints. I'm not certain this applies to end grain so much as long grain but I would let the project set for a few days between glue up and sanding, maybe that'll help. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick2cd Posted October 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 the problem doesn't present itself until i apply finish. i have sanded on a monday and then finished a week later with the same result.....smooth until finish is applied Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted October 9, 2011 Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 What type of glue are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick2cd Posted October 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 I use titebond III. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted October 9, 2011 Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 Any chance the finish dilited with mineral spirits is softening the glue? Typically if the glue wasn't completely cured before finishing you would get die-back(a recess), not raised glue lines. Since the wood fibers are absorbing the finish, I don't suspect any wood shrinkage. I'd test the finish on some dried glue & see if it softens it any. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick2cd Posted October 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 i'll give it a try and see if it softens the glue. this is the same finishing technique and dilution Marc recommended for these boards. maybe he'll chime in and confirm or deny similar results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blkdiamond Posted October 9, 2011 Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 That is odd. I have used the same process and finish (GF Salad Bowl and Mineral Spirits) as you on the cutting boards I have made and I haven't experienced the same problem. The only difference is that I am using Titebond II. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick2cd Posted October 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 hmmmm, wonder if it has anything to do with the titebond III specifically? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcustoms Posted October 9, 2011 Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 I had the same problem with titebond II no idea why it does it I just sanded them down and applied finish until they went away. My guess however is that the glue was raising up because the glue joints were wider than normal, ie. there was a slight gap that filled by glue. But as I said i am not really sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewoodwhisperer Posted October 9, 2011 Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 I can indeed confirm that this happens quite often. Bottom line is we have to remember that an end grain board is nothing more than a series of glue joints. And like any glue joint, it rarely stays perfectly smooth. Whether it is wood movement, swelling from absorbed finish, glue line creep.....doesn't really matter. Its just something that happens. This will also happen after the board gets used in the kitchen. If this board is for your own use, you can actually do something that will help the board to stay smoother over its lifetime. Finish the board as recommended in the video and sand between coats to knock down the joint lines. You should end up with a fairly smooth board by the last coat. Once fully cured, take it into the kitchen and start using it. Let it do what its going to do and don't stress about the joint lines. After a few months and many uses, you will probably notice the top is not only a little scratched up, but the joint lines are always noticeable when you run your fingers over the surface. At this point, let the board dry completely and then take it back in the shop. Sand the top thoroughly with 320 grit paper. Apply a very light diluted coat of your varnish and wipe off all the excess. Let dry and bring it back into the kitchen. From my experience, I have found that this second treatment after a "break-in" period results in a surface that stays smoother and looks better than one that is fresh out of the shop. Keep in mind that every time I use my board, the surface gets rough and I can feel all the joints. But after it dries again, everything flattens out and the board is pretty darn smooth. Some joints can still be felt but its not bad at all. Considering what it is and how it is used, I would never expect this surface to be perfect anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick2cd Posted October 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2011 (sweet sigh of relief) Thanks for clearing that up, Marc. I'm not concerned with the glue lines themselves....as you said, it's going to get used and abused. my biggest concern was whether or not i had a flaw in my technique that was causing them to become proud. now that i know that it isn't just happening to me, i can rest easy. I just finished one up for a charity event. it will be auctioned off this week. The coordinator of the event loved it and valued it at $300......he gave me a tax write off receipt in that amount!!! i told him it was not worth that much but he insisted so i obliged. Thanks again, Marc! you're even helping me chip away at my taxes this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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