Ahhh, memories of being a kid. We had a butchers block in our basement. 36" × 36" × 8" thick maple, weighed about 300 lbs. with the legs.
As to your original post, cutting boards aren't hard to make. Blocks, however, are a bit more difficult. Most woods are soaked in mineral oil and become a safe cutting surface.
I made mine by starting with a board the size of the finished cutting board.
Here's the process involved in making mine:
1. Cut it into 5/8" strips (keep the strips in order, it will look nicer)
2. Rotate every other strip 180°.
3. Roll all the strips 90° so the end-grain is facing up.
4. Glue and clamp together.
5. Use your flat platen to grind it flat. I only went through 36 and 80 grit.
6. Blow off the dust and scrub with a 3M pad with very little water.
7. Wipe on mineral oil, not enough to drip. 3-4 coats soaking 15 minutes between
Yes, mineral oil as found in the Wal-Mart pharmacy as a laxative. There is special cutting board oil, but the guys at the Woodsmith Store say it is the same as mineral oil.
