Chestnut Bread Board

[addo]

Managed to get some large diameter Sweet Chestnut recently, so decided to make a new board for simple food preparation and baking bannock.
I wanted the minimum of waste so I used the woods natural splitting ability as best as possible carefully using a hatchet and baton from both ends of the log. Hardly any thinning was needed so hopefully I can make several more from the same log, where the grain strength allows.

Its nothing fancy just an attempt at splitting well, and obtaining a good surface finish just with axe and knife. The axe used as a plane was very effective. I'm trying to think of a nice pattern to decorate to top section with inner birch bark dust.
Now what sort of bannock to bake ? : )

 

[craeg]

Nice and simple, functionally perfect design. Like it.

Splitting a log is so satisfying, isn't it

 

[Peat]

Nice job. I would worry about its natural splitting ability working against you with repeated wetting and drying. I used elm for my last board for this reason. Although I guess a breadbord doesn't need to be soaked, just sponged off occasionally.

 

[Toddy]

Very tidy looks really useful too

Chestnut has a reputation of shaking, but I have a spinning wheel and a plank backed spinning chair made of chestnut, and in all the nearly thirty years I've had, and used them, I have never had a bit of bother with either of them.

Oak too can be split (used for basketry like that) but oak furniture lasts for hundreds of years.

I think it's more how it's worked that's the splitting/not splitting potential tbh. Hit it end on to the grain and apply a little leverage and it'll cleave neatly, don't do that and it's sound

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Steve13]

Now that is so nice and simple

Will have a go at doing something similar myself one day

 

[woodspirits]

nice one paul, very functional.

 

[Barn Owl]

That's really nice.

 

[addo]

Thanks guys. Hopefully there will be no problems with it as the grain runs through the board.
S chestnut is a great tree, plenty of them in my local woods and I love the twisty stems, nuts and autumn colour.