A BUTCHER'S BLOCK FROM A MASTERCRAFT WORKBENCH

Monique Daviau
by Monique Daviau
5 Materials
$125
6 Weeks
Medium
Both my father and maternel grand-father were butchers and I henrited my father's butcher's knife. This summer I wanted to try and make a butcher's block in memory of my father ( I miss him so much even though he passed 38 years ago) I'm now 72 and I guess nostalgia is getty the better of me. I found a Mastercraft bench on sales for $10.00 on Facebook, so I was ready to make the best of it.
Not the best of shape, but I did'nt need the wood, though I kept some pieces for other projects.
Now it needed a very good sanding and I painted it with rustoleum to protect the metal, but luckely it was only surface rust. I was reckless and did not wear a mask, so with my COPD I ended in the hospital for 10 days. I was really glad to get home and since it was June I still had a lot of summer left to finish my project. DON'T BE RECKLESS LIKE ME WEAR PROTECTIVE APPAREL
I had this piece of maple wood since last year just waiting to be reborn as something great. It had to be worked on to make it thicker and straighter, but it did the job.
Since I don't have all the right tools, I must admit I did get some help from the friend that sold me the piece of wood, to make it thicker and to glue the two pieces together. It ended up being 3 3/4" thick. The surface mesurement is 22" x 20".
I had a reserve of maple wood at home already in order to make it thicker and to make the bottom shelf.
I attached my prized block to my painted base and constructed my other peices for the bottom shelf at home on my back porch. Now it was time for the sanding had to make it as smooth as a baby's bottom. ( I learned my lesson and wore a mask).
I needed to attache a stucture so that I could hang some knives, especially my father's butcher's knife in the picture. It was easy enough just 2 slabs of wood with 2 little blocks in between at each end. I screwed it on to the block.
On the other side Is just added some hooks fron IKEA.
This oil for butchers blocks can easely be found in any hardware store. I applied 3 coats as suggested on the bottle. It has to be used regularly when you clean your block in the future.
You can see the difference in color the oil makes. It is safe for food preperation.
I'm happy I made it through the summer working on it and other projects at the same time. It as been an enriching experience and a salut to my father and grand-father. Hope you enjoyed reading about it.
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 6 comments
  • Wendy Wendy on Oct 31, 2017

    Looks fantastic! Great work!

    • Louise Webb Louise Webb on Oct 31, 2017
      I'm making $80 an hour working from home. I was shocked when my neighbour told me she was averaging $120 but I see how it works now. I feel so much freedom now that I'm my own boss. This is what I do... http://ow.ly/AIN930gfStS
  • Clök Concept Clök Concept on Oct 31, 2017

    Wow! This is great!

    Great minds think alike! I am planning to make a table with barn wood for my son... And to use the same kind of base for it. I bought a used radial saw that was coming with that kind of base and I'm not using it.

    • See 2 previous
    • Lorraine Scott Lorraine Scott on Nov 08, 2017
      Beautiful piece Monique 🇫🇷 . Your father would be honoured to be remembered in such a fitting way! Hope you will be creating well into your 90’s. You are an inspiration to all us young ducks 🦆 (I’m 67 years young) Greetings from Australia 🇦🇺 💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐
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