# Mountain scene cutting board, laser engraved



## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

I had a request for a mountain scene cutting board, laser engraved with names and wedding date. I've done a few of these and they come out looking nice but I doubt one ever gets used for anything exception kitchen art! :wink:

I drew the original design in CorelDraw where I exported it as an svg to bring into Fusion 360. From there I did the CAD/CAM work to cut the Maple, Walnut, and Cherry. These pieces are about 3/8" thick and the backer board is about 7/8" thick. Everything is glued with TB III and the feet are silicone with SS screws and washers, so everything is FDA approved.

After cutting the mountain scene and gluing it to the backer board it goes to the table saw for trimming to size and then to the router table for rounding the edge. I do the names and date in CorelDraw and take that file to the laser shop for engraving. That way they don't have to do anything except load the file and start the laser machine.

It's finished in mineral oil with Beeswax (our own mix), even though it'll probably just be eye candy for the kitchen.

Sky, mountain, foreground blanks; I picked Walnut with some sapwood to look like snowcapped and some in the foreground - 








Blanks glued - 








Blanks glued to backer board - 








Engraving in the laser - 








Finished cutting board - 
















Enjoy!
David


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Wow, did that turn out good, David,I love the color mix forming clouds, prairie,and ocean with surf. The walnut grain gives the illusion of valleys and ridges.
Just spectacular. Thanks for showing the steps of the build.
Herb


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Nice fit on the different woods!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

impressive..


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Very well done. It should remain as eye candy on the wall. Cutting on that would be sinful at best.


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## marecat3 (Nov 30, 2010)

very well done. I love the different woods. I have done a lot of laser engraving on cutting boards but they are all one kind of wood. Some never cut on them but most use the back for cutting and the engraved side as display.


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## Grumpy333sod (Jun 28, 2020)

that look's great, love the way you have arranged the grain


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## Potowner1 (Feb 17, 2011)

Another unbelievable project, you continue to blow us out of the water.

Thanks for sharing.

Rick


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## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

Excellent work David. I love the different woods.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Great project, really beautiful scene! A good set of pictures showing the process. I foresee people copying this idea.

Most of the inlaid cutting boards will never be used as cutting boards and this one is no exception. It almost makes you want to put a keyhole slot on the back for hanging on the wall instead of feet so it can be set on the counter.


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

Very cool! Love the look of the various woods, and the way it's all constructed.


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

MEBCWD said:


> Great project, really beautiful scene! A good set of pictures showing the process. I foresee people copying this idea.
> 
> Most of the inlaid cutting boards will never be used as cutting boards and this one is no exception. It almost makes you want to put a keyhole slot on the back for hanging on the wall instead of feet so it can be set on the counter.


Thanks, Mike! When I began typing that it probably won't be used I thought about the keyhole slot. That's something I may add on future boards to give folks an option. Good idea!

David


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## MikeBee (Jun 6, 2020)

Board looks great. Like how you use the different woods to create the scene.


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

Very interesting, David.


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## Bstrom (Jan 2, 2020)

Living near the Smokies, I'd love to make this style cutting board with a true profile of Mt. LeConte and other scenes but don't have a CNC - any suggestions on how to go about that?

PS: I'll be making my own beeswax/mineral oil mix as well when my wax order arrives - am looking forward to spending a lot less than what Odie's and others want for theirs...


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Bstrom said:


> Living near the Smokies, I'd love to make this style cutting board with a true profile of Mt. LeConte and other scenes but don't have a CNC - any suggestions on how to go about that?
> 
> PS: I'll be making my own beeswax/mineral oil mix as well when my wax order arrives - am looking forward to spending a lot less than what Odie's and others want for theirs...


Just load your photo into any program where you can trace the outline of the mountain, print that out, cut it with your bandsaw and sand to fit. Or have someone do it for you on their CNC.

Is this a good profile?








David


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

WOW...I can't come up with anything that hasn't already been said...It actually looks like a photograph. The grain in the upper board gives the impression that the sun is in that corner...

BEAUTIFUL, SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL...! ! !

(...gives me an idea for a scroll saw project...)


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## Wildwood (Aug 14, 2010)

That reminds me of a sign I made and posted in 2013. Made in layers, largely on a scroll-saw - 900 mm wide (3 feet)








Commissioned house name sign


I was commissioned to make a large house name sign, replicating the view of the local mountain and forest, and consisting of layers of different woods. The wany edge background is Yellowwood, a coniferous species indigenous to South Africa, (Podocarpus, not related to the American Yellowwood)...




www.routerforums.com


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Wildwood said:


> That reminds me of a sign I made and posted in 2013.


Very nice work, indeed!! I like it.

David


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## Bob Bengal (Jul 24, 2020)

Bstrom said:


> Living near the Smokies, I'd love to make this style cutting board with a true profile of Mt. LeConte and other scenes but don't have a CNC - any suggestions on how to go about that?


It can be done with a router and guide bushings the same way inlays can be done. (It is ok to link to sibling forum Woodworking Talk isn't it?) This thread is about flooring with curvy joins, different scale but same idea. In this post I talked about how do to it without tongue and groove and with T&G.


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Bob Bengal said:


> It is ok to link to sibling forum Woodworking Talk isn't it?


Absolutely! I do it often, although it's usually someone at WWT who is asking questions about CNC and I send them here.

David


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