Board Essentials

Black walnut cutting board with a juice groove before engraving

Cherry vs Maple vs Walnut Cutting Boards: An Ho...

A customer emailed me last spring asking which wood would still look good in ten years. The honest answer is boring. All three of these will, if the board gets...

Cherry vs Maple vs Walnut Cutting Boards: An Ho...

A customer emailed me last spring asking which wood would still look good in ten years. The honest answer is boring. All three of these will, if the board gets...

Hard maple cutting board blank showing the light even grain that photo engraving needs

What Wood Is Best for Laser Engraving a Photo?

Hard maple is the best wood for laser engraving a photograph. It is nearly cream colored with a quiet, even grain, so the burned areas read as dark marks on...

What Wood Is Best for Laser Engraving a Photo?

Hard maple is the best wood for laser engraving a photograph. It is nearly cream colored with a quiet, even grain, so the burned areas read as dark marks on...

Cutting board engraved with flowing script lettering

How to Photograph a Handwritten Recipe for Engr...

The photo you send me is the ceiling on how good the board can be. I can clean up an image. I cannot add information that was never in it....

How to Photograph a Handwritten Recipe for Engr...

The photo you send me is the ceiling on how good the board can be. I can clean up an image. I cannot add information that was never in it....

Wood cutting board custom engraved with a dog portrait from a customer photo

Can You Laser Engrave a Photo on a Cutting Board?

Yes. You can laser engrave a photo onto a hardwood cutting board, and on the right board it will still be there in thirty years. Whether it looks like your...

Can You Laser Engrave a Photo on a Cutting Board?

Yes. You can laser engrave a photo onto a hardwood cutting board, and on the right board it will still be there in thirty years. Whether it looks like your...

Three engraved slate coasters side by side showing the script, serif and ornate monogram styles

Slate vs Wood Coasters: Which Engraves Better, ...

Slate engraves light on dark and wood engraves dark on light. At four inches that single difference decides which one you should buy. A one-man Oregon shop explains the contrast,...

Slate vs Wood Coasters: Which Engraves Better, ...

Slate engraves light on dark and wood engraves dark on light. At four inches that single difference decides which one you should buy. A one-man Oregon shop explains the contrast,...

Hard maple cutting board, ready for engraving

Is Maple Good for Cutting Boards? An Honest Ans...

Yes, hard maple is one of the best cutting board woods there is, and it is the standard in professional kitchens for reasons worth understanding. Here is the honest case,...

Is Maple Good for Cutting Boards? An Honest Ans...

Yes, hard maple is one of the best cutting board woods there is, and it is the standard in professional kitchens for reasons worth understanding. Here is the honest case,...