Step by step DIY tutorial on how to make a Doctor Who themed end grain cutting board. Make this Tardis cutting board and gift it to your favorite foodie Doctor Who fan.
How to make a Tardis end grain cutting board
Hello everyone! Today I am excited to share the details on my latest project: a Tardis end grain cutting board. This is my first end grain cutting board, and despite a few flaws, I’m happy with how it turned out.
Tardis End Grain Cutting Board
Let’s get started!
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Tools and Supplies
The following items are some of the tools and supplies that I gathered to create the Tardis end grain cutting board.
Tools
- Table saw
- Bandsaw
- Jointer
- Planer
- Orbital sander
- Clamps
Supplies
- Walnut
- Maple
- Cherry
- Wood Glue
- Mineral oil or Butcher block oil
How-To Video
Watch the video below for a visual tutorial:
How to make a Tardis end grain cutting board
This is the template I used for the Tardis end grain cutting board:
Pixel Tardis template
Step 1: Mill the boards
Hardwood boards
Typically when you purchase hardwood it comes rough sawn and will need to be milled before it is ready to use. The objective here is to get the board flat on all four sides. I flatten the boards with my jointer and planer. For more details on the process hop over to my blog post How to Make a Wooden Cutting Board.
Using my Dewalt planer
Plane all the boards down to the same thickness. (I planed my boards down to 3/4″ thick.)
Step 2: Rip boards to size
On the table saw, rip the boards to the same thickness as the board. (In my case this was 3/4″ wide strips.)
Boards ripped into 3/4″ wide strips
Step 3: Cut pixels
Cut the strips of wood into 2″ long pieces.
I did this on my bandsaw. I went with 2″ tall pixels to account for future material loss. (Final thickness of the Tardis cutting board was a little more than 1″.)
Step 4: Glue up the pixels
Use a straight edge to help with alignment, and glue up the pixels. I recommend gluing a few sections at a time and then gluing the cutting board as a whole.
Step 5: Clean up the cutting board
At this point, ensure the board surface is level and the dried glue is cleaned up. On a long grain cutting board such as the one I made here, I would run the cutting board through the planer on both sides. Unfortunately, using a planer with an end grain cutting board is dangerous and not recommend.
There are a few things you can do to clean up the surface of the board:
- Build a router flattening sled
- Sand aggressively
- Use a drum sander
Flatten cutting board with a router flattening sled
I built a quick router flattening sled from scraps, and I used my trim router to level the surface. I lost a lot of material at this step.
Step 6: Route a profile to the edge (optional)
To jazz up the edges, use a router to add to round over the edges or add a chamfer. I added a 45 degree chamfer. At first I regretted decision, but the profile has since grown on me.
Step 7: Sand and prep for finish
Sand the entire surface of the cutting board. Cycle through 80, 100, 150, 220 grits of sand paper. Grab a damp cloth and wipe the board to raise the grain. Finish sanding with 220 grit sand paper again.
Sanding the cutting board
Step 8: Apply a food safe finish
Seal the cutting board with your favorite food safe finish (I used mineral oil) and enjoy!
A Tardis End Grain Cutting Board
If you make a Tardis end grain cutting board, leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @handmadewithashley or Twitter @handmadewithash. I’d love to see your pictures!
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DIY Tardis End Grain Cutting Board
Software engineer by day. Woodworker by night. Geek. Gamer ( video and tabletop). Beginner woodturner. Bringing you new tutorials each month! 
