I'm a woodworking newbie trying to make an end grain cutting board, and I've just glued two boards together along their faces. Initially, I had a 20" long piece, but I had to crosscut it because of a knot. Now, the pieces I created are too short to run through the planer individually for final thickness. I'm worried about the glue joint between the end grain—will it be okay to plane it like this, or is there a risk of the pieces exploding in the planer? Am I in trouble? Thanks for any help!
2 Answers
If I’m understanding correctly, you glued a single board back together after a cut. Planing it should be fine! Just keep an eye on the glue joint—there’s a slight chance it could break, but it's unlikely. You might want to double-check the grain direction when you plane it, but generally, you should be okay!
Definitely don't run an end grain cutting board through a planer! You could end up with serious tear out, or worse, damaging your planer. It's better to use a drum sander or hit it with a random orbit sander for a smoother finish. If you've already glued the pieces, you might find that putting them in the middle of the board could work, but honestly, I'd be cautious. Since you’re this far, go for it, and let us know how it holds up in a few years!