Key steps to making a Fisher Wood Block
  1. Source your rough lumber
  2. Mill rough cut lumber into workable boards
  3. Square up your boards for flat, parallel, & perpendicular faces
  4. Cut boards to size, glue, and clamp
  5. Flatten and cut block to size
  6. Add optional features (drip channel, finger grips, etc.)
  7. Finish trim edges
Source Your Rough Lumber
Create a network of contacts to ensure quality & availability to meet your needs. Most of our wood is sourced from local woodworkers and small businesses.
Mill rough cut lumber into workable boards
Rough cut boards are just that, ROUGH. There is no straight edge, flat surface, or single plane. There is warping, twisting, bowing, curling, and cracking from the drying process.

Use and Safety Tips:
  • Work safe & work smart - eye & ear protection
  • Cut down lumber to workable sizes in a large open area
  • Remove debris from the lumber. The debris could elevate the board, impact the stability.
Square up your boards for flat, parallel, & perpendicular faces
Processing rough lumber to dimensional lumber, like what you buy (and pay a premium for) at the big box stores.

Use and Safety Tips:
  • Jointer knives are extremely sharp. Keep your fingers above the guard.
  • Push the board through with the grain; not against the grain if possible.
  • Remove debris from the jointer bed after each pass. The debris could elevate the board, impact the cut and create an edge that is not square.
Cut boards to size, glue, and clamp

Design time! Take the cut pieces and begin designing, but do not glue anything yet.

Use and Safety Tips:
  • Always use your push stick with the table saw
  • Keep your thumb on the lower left corner of the board and always keep your hands behind the blade.
  • Shorter boards allow for greater control than cutting the longer boards.
  • Always know where the on/off  switch is
Flatten and cut block to size
24 hours later, begin by unclamping the cutting board. Use a scraper to delicately remove the excess without gouging the wood. Just remove the big chunks of glue that pooled under the clamps. Once that is accomplished, place your block on a perfectly flat surface, pressing on the corners to check for flatness. If a rocking motion exists, use the hand plane to remove high areas until the block sits perfectly flat.

Once a flat reference surface has been achieved, move to the planer. The planer will make the top and bottom smooth by removing material that is raised. Run the block through the planer and continue this process until the cutting block surface is smooth and even.

The next step is back to the table saw (or miter saw) to trim up the edges and end grain.
Add optional features and finish trim edges