I was asked to make a pasta rolling board for a customer to a specific size – 30” wide x 24” deep. She had a few pictures and etsy links. The traditional wood used in Italy is lime wood (also known as linden or basswood). The wood is fairly stable, but can be cut or dented if dropped
The project gave me the opportunity to work with a new type of wood, and to design something to a specific size to meet a customer. You would not want to use a single slab 24” wide, as it would tend to bow or warp too easily. I chose to use a series of five boards cut to 5” widths, and alternating the grain in order to stabilize the board (I made a sixth one to be cut up for the breadboard ends)
Once the boards were milled up and glued, I used my drum sander to level out the board to its final thickness.
One issue with just glued up boards is that they have a tendency over time to warp in different directions, what is often referred to as “potato chipping.” In order to prevent this on large slabs or tabletops, you will often see a “breadboard end” placed on the two ends of the board, to lock the boards in. A groove is cut in the ends and a tongue in the ends of the main boards, and the two pieces lock together.
The issue here is that the five main boards will “move” or expand/contract over time, based on taking in and releasing water vapor. While locking in these boards, the breadboard ends need to allow for this movement. To do this, you typically secure the ends with dowels, but you only glue up the center part of the board, and have the holes in the tongue be “loose” so the boards can expand and contract. This way, the board does not split over time.
Once the board was completed, I sanded it up, and then applied three coats of cutting board oil to seal it up.
Based on materials and hours of work, I charged the customer $130 for the work. I enjoyed the opportunity to try something new here and look forward to the next commission.
Kevin