Project Information
LJ, Don Broussard put out a request for auction items for the Water for People conference in Tulsa this month. This is what I came up with. I had seen this style of pizza cutter and peel on line and thought I'd give it a try. The wood is a glued up panel of pecan that I received from William at the Crawfish Boil this past May. I have heard dried pecan wood referred to as 'pecrete', so I figured it would do nicely for this project. I cut the cutter out of 3/4" panel, drilled a hole with a forstner bit and made the 'cutting edge' by running it over the belt sander at an angle. While doing this I started thinking about a micro bevel and a back bevel. Can you tell I hang out in the hand plane forums?
For the peel, I ran the 3/4" x 11" wide board through the planer down to 1/2" thick. Even taking very light cuts, the planer complained, LOUDLY! Biscuits were employed to join the two sides together and the shape was cut out on the band saw. Then, more sanding. The flats were smoothed with the random orbital sander and the leading edge on the belt sander. Everything received multiple coats of mineral oil and buffed.
During the mineral oil stage I began to have doubts as to weather or not the cutter would actually cut. I went back to the online pictures and it seemed they were thinner than I had made. So, I had to make a proto-type. Yes, I know, you're supposed to do that first. I rarely do what I'm supposed to. Second cutter was made. One coat of mineral oil applied and then it was put to the test as seen in the last picture. It WORKED!! Whew!
The peel is 16 7/8" x 16 7/8" x 1/2" with an 8" handle and weighs a hefty 3lbs 10 oz. The cutting edge on the cutter is 17"
The next one will be resawn and planed to 3/8" thick for both pieces and the cutter will be beveled on one side which will make it easier to be used as a slice server as in the inspiration piece. And I need to get some bee's wax to add to the finishing regime.
I hope these pieces will help out the Water for People cause. I had fun making them. Questions, comments, suggestions are appreciated.
For the peel, I ran the 3/4" x 11" wide board through the planer down to 1/2" thick. Even taking very light cuts, the planer complained, LOUDLY! Biscuits were employed to join the two sides together and the shape was cut out on the band saw. Then, more sanding. The flats were smoothed with the random orbital sander and the leading edge on the belt sander. Everything received multiple coats of mineral oil and buffed.
During the mineral oil stage I began to have doubts as to weather or not the cutter would actually cut. I went back to the online pictures and it seemed they were thinner than I had made. So, I had to make a proto-type. Yes, I know, you're supposed to do that first. I rarely do what I'm supposed to. Second cutter was made. One coat of mineral oil applied and then it was put to the test as seen in the last picture. It WORKED!! Whew!
The peel is 16 7/8" x 16 7/8" x 1/2" with an 8" handle and weighs a hefty 3lbs 10 oz. The cutting edge on the cutter is 17"
The next one will be resawn and planed to 3/8" thick for both pieces and the cutter will be beveled on one side which will make it easier to be used as a slice server as in the inspiration piece. And I need to get some bee's wax to add to the finishing regime.
I hope these pieces will help out the Water for People cause. I had fun making them. Questions, comments, suggestions are appreciated.
