just a quick sketch of my wineglass cutting board design.

Again a good cutting board will be something that can be around for ever so it’s a good investment in time and effort to make it right once. Your kids and grand kids will appreciate it for a long time.

My plan for the wine and cheese chopping block calls for Hard Maple, Black Walnut, and Purple Heart woods for contrast and visual interest. Again it will be an end-grain cutting board because it’s better for your knives if you use it a lot.. and I use the things I make as much as possible.

Black Walnut wood

Hard Maple Wood

PurpleHeart Wood

Size for the chopping block will be 12″ x 16″ x 1.5″. Yea, it’s going to be amazing as always..

See the Valentine’s day gift cutting board design.
And the simple Pig shaped cutting board.

The problem, what to get/make for someones birthday or for Christmas that is useful, thoughtful, and won’t cost me way too much money..  and might even be fun to make. (and it ended up being retardedly expensive for a step stool anyway, not to mention the huge strain on time…   I mention this only because I was happy to push other things aside to make time.)

One solution presented itself. I know someone that happens to be short, 5′ 2″ – or so, and she has mentioned/complained that she can’t reach certain things on shelves in her apartment. So I told her to get a milk crate or something like that because the wheels were already turning in my head and I didn’t want her to go and buy a step stool before I could finish making one for her for Christmas!

So I started with image searches online trying to find a really cool step stool to emulate. As it turns out, I didn’t really find the right one so I combined some elements from different step stools and my own ideas and made a completely unique one! Here are some of the step stools I found that are really cool!

Pro Step Stool - Nice woodworking technique!

Solid Block Step Stool

Two Step - Step Stool

Ultra Modern Step Stool, I really Like this style, but it wasn't personalized enough.

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Deciding on a design.

For me this went really well. I sketched out a logo like design for personalization what matched her personality and dreams.

Riss Logo Inlay Sketch

The design of the actual step stool was more of a work in process until it was actually done. I sketched out several ideas but none seemed to fit what I was trying to achieve. Finally I just drew directly on the red oak boards and started cutting and everything came together nicely.      Inspiration is an amazing feeling and I think I have my muse to thank. Love, hate, desire, jealousy, pain, happiness..  all a part of life, all beautiful, all inspire and drive me, and the rest of humanity to create, endure and evolve.

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Materials, tools, etc.

4 board feet of red oak, 2×2x12 poplar, .5x.5×10 poplar (3), wood glue, epoxy, wood stain.

Step Stool Materials

Also used: Table saw, Chisels, Hammer.

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Construction!

Step Stool Construction

As you can see I made the top of two boards laminated together to give it more visual bulk and a solid look even though one peice would have been more than sufficient for strength. I simply kept it clamped together while cutting the unique dovetail like coner connections I designed.

Between the two top pieces I cut out three channels in each, then filled with un-stained poplar to better tie the two peices together and create a visual intrest on the sides with texture and color contrast. See image below.

Sides of the top, design for visual interest & strength.

Before I get too far ahead I should mention the step stool dry-fit when all the pieces were cut apart and ready.

Step stool Dry-fit.

No glue, nothing holding it together except how tight the physical connections between the pieces of wood are. Note that the three center pieces for the top and the cross brace for the legs are not inserted at this point. It was strong enough for me to jump around on as is.  

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Once satisfied that all the parts would fit together properly with a little encouragement from a hammer I moved on to carving out the top to hold the inlay design of travertine stone.

My sketch transferred to the top of the step stool and chiseled out.

Unfortunately, the stone was too brittle cut properly into the design I wanted without cracking and breaking in many places. So, I came up with a plan to grind up the travertine and mix it with a clear drying epoxy resin that could simply be smushed into the carved out area and then sanded smooth.

Travertine and epoxy inlay - drying. Kinda looks like oatmeal?

Step Stool Top inlay after sanding. Pre-stain and post-stain.

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Then everything just needed to be glued together!  …as is in process in the previous picture.

Unfortunately, I do not have a finished picture after it was all glued and finish coated with 3 coats of satin finish polyurithane. I had to pack it up and get on a plane to deliver it and forgot all about taking the last picture. Maybe I’ll get a picture one of these days. Untill then, I hope you can visualize it finished from all the other in-construction pictures.

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Hopefully it will be a lasting memory and much used gift for years to come. 

Here is a design I came up with for a butcher block like cutting board. Designed as an expression of love for someone for a Valentines day gift, but also created to be strong enough for every day use and durable enough to last for generations.

Drawing of my cutting board concept with hearts.

I wanted to make it apparent as a Valentines day present, but not so overtly that it would be cheesy and she would not want to leave it out or use it for everyday cooking. After all, the most loved gifts are the ones we actually use.

The size ended up being 12″ x 16″ x 1.5″. Large enough to cut any steak or all your stir fry veggies at once. Also the hard wood construction at 1.5 inches thick gives the cutting board a quality of permanence and enough weight to stay in place when cutting anything.

Hard Maple Wood

Purpleheart Wood

Black Walnut Wood

2″x2″ squares of alternating hard maple and black walnut create a great contrasting chess board like pattern for the bulk of the butcher block. These two are woods domestic to the United States and are readily available at most good lumber yards for a reasonable price. This light and dark field of wood tones creates the perfect ‘background’ for the heart shapes cut from a naturally deep purple wood to stand out and make the cutting board unique and cherished. Purple heart is considered an exotic wood and can be found at specialty wood suppliers at a premium price.

Digital mock-up of the cutting board.

Now, obviously, no matter how amazing it is, you can’t just give a woman a cutting board for Valentines day and get away with it.     She’s going to think you just want her in the kitchen cooking all the time, which may be somewhat true if she cooks really well or enjoys cooking.

Which reminds me, most women I have known bake much better than they cook and can use the cutting board to roll out dough or cut out cookies.

You can also use it as a serving tray.

But my point is that you can’t just give a cutting board! Plan to use it to prepare a special meal, or at least serve the Champagne on it while she’s taking a bubble bath.

I have prepared a list of extras that will hopefully complete an amazing Valentines day of happiness for all who partake in the holiday.

• Hand-made Cutting Board
• Pink Champagne
• Bubble bath
• Massage oil
• Flowers: orchids, irises, or more traditional roses(white and red roses make a striking combination for something just a bit different).
• Ingredients for a great meal..  something you need to cut or chop, even if it’s just bread.
• Candles, candle holders(perhaps some candle holders that match the cutting board).
• Coffee Heath bar crunch …  or your valentines favorite ice cream.