Knife Block Instructions

By Gary E. Fox

 

May 15, 2007

 

 

 

Materials needed:  1 – 8’ X 7 1/4” X 4 qtr Red Oak or equivalent

                              Titebond III glue

 

Disclaimer:  The fence settings are approximate and assume your boards are exact sized and the fence gauge is correct.  DO NOT follow these instructions explicitly without first checking the settings and the outcome of the dados on your boards.

 

  1. Cut board so you have 4 – 24” pieces.
  2. Plane all pieces to ¾” thick.
  3. Plane 1 piece to ½” thick.
  4. Join one edge of all pieces.
  5. Rip 1 – ¾” X 8” X 24” into 3 –  ¾”  X 2 1/16” X 24” pieces. Discard scrap.
  6. Cut 8” off 1 - ¾” X 2 1/16” X 24”.  Label the 8” piece “G” and set it aside.
  7. Rip 2 – ¾” X 8” X 24” into 2 – ¾” X 6 13/16” X 24”.  Discard waste.
  8. Cut 1 – ½” X 8” X 24” into 2 – ½” X 8” X 12”.  Discard one piece.
  9. Rip 1 - ½” X 8” X 12” into 1 – ½” X 6 13/16” X 12”.  Label as “E” and set aside.
  10. Cut 1 – ¾” X 6 13/16” X 24” into 2 – ¾” X 6 13/16” X 12”.  Label one as “A” and the other as “D”.
  11. Set up dado cutter to ½” + 1 click.  Install Dado head on table saw setting depth to ½”.  Set fence to approx. 3 ½”.  ( to make right side of scissors hole in “A”)
  12. Dado 1 – ¾” X 6 13/16” X 12”.
  13. Move fence to approx. 4”.
  14. Dado “A”.
  15. Move fence to approx. 4 ½”.
  16. Dado “A”.
  17. Move fence to approx. 5 ¾”.  ( to make sharpener hole )
  18. Dado “A”.
  19. Change dado blade depth to 3/16”.
  20. Set fence to approx. 3 ¾”.  ( to make left side of chef knife hole )
  21. Dado “A”.
  22. Move fence adding ½” to existing setting and dado “A”.  Repeat 4 more times.

CONGRADULATIONS!!  “A” is complete.

  1. Set fence to approx. 1”.  ( to make one side of steak knife hole in “F”)
  2. Dado 1 – ¾” X 2 1/16” X 24”.
  3. Reverse this piece end for end and dado again. 
  4. Repeat this process on the other ¾” X 2 1/16” pieces.
  5. Cut all the dadoed 2 1/16” pieces into 8” lengths.  Label the 8 pieces “F”.
  6. Assemble the 8 – “F” and the set aside “G” with Titebond III and clamp flat.
  7. Set fence to approx. 5 5/8”.
  8. Dado 1 – ¾” X 6 13/16” X 24”.  Reverse piece end for end and repeat.
  9. Move fence to approx. 5 1/8”.  Dado same piece again, reverse and repeat.
  10. Move fence to approx. 4 5/8”.  Dado same piece again, reverse and repeat.
  11. Move fence to approx. 4 1/8”.  Dado same piece again.  NO REVERSE.
  12. Move fence to approx. 3 5/8”.  Dado same piece again.  NO REVERSE.
  13. Move fence to approx. 3 1/8”.  Dado same piece again.  NO REVERSE.
  14. Cut this piece in half, making 2 – ¾” X 6 13/16” X 12”.  Label one “B” and one “C”.
  15. Set fence to approx. 5 5/8”.  Dado “D”.  Reverse and repeat.
  16. Move fence to approx. 5 1/8”.  Dado “D”.  Reverse and repeat.
  17. Move fence to approx. 4 1/8”.  Dado “D”.  Reverse and repeat.
  18. Move fence to approx. 3 5/8”.  Dado “D”.  Reverse and repeat.
  19. Assemble and glue A, B, C, D, and E.
  20. Run steak knife block through planer to surface both edges.  ( just enough to even it up )
  21. Square up both ends of the steak knife block and the big block at the chop saw.
  22. Tilt the chop saw to 30 degrees and cut the big block to 10” long on the sharpener hole side.
  23. Cut the steak knife block to 5” measured on the shortest side at 30 degrees..
  24. Glue and clamp the two pieces together with the angled sides aligned.
  25. Use the chop saw to cut an equilateral triangle shaped piece with a 2” base from the waste end of the steak knife block.  (Seek assistance to clamp this piece to the saw).
  26. Glue and clamp the triangle shaped piece to the knife block assembly.
  27. When glue has dried, run the assembly through the planer to square up the sides and then through the wide belt sander.
  28. Hand route all edges with a ¼” round over bit in the trim router.
  29. Finish sand the block with 120 and 220. 
  30. Apply stick on rubber feet to the bottom.
  31. Apply mineral oil a couple of times and wipe off the excess.

 

Nothing to it!!