[Sca-cooks] Need advice/suggestion for counter top

[Mark Hendershott]

At 09:32 PM 4/1/2006, you wrote:
> > Here goes: the counter is pretty standard (runs along 2 kitchen
> > walls then protrudes perpendicular, separating kitchen from dining
> > room). Where the counter divides the two rooms, there is a roughly
> > 30" side square hole. That's where the cooking plate used to be.
> >
> > For esthetic and practical reason, I want this hole filled in :-)
> >
> > Hence, I was considering fitting one (or possibly 2) cutting board
> > in this whole instead of replacing all the counter tops in the
> > kitchens, cause I'm not sure I'll be able to find the same design in
> > store.
> >
> > Bear suggested the cool drawer, which is actually a neat idea,
> > except that my girlfriend was reading that over my shoulder and said
> > no :-)
> >
> > Any ideas, or suggestions, are welcome.
> >
> > The problem with the cutting board are mostly which material to use and
> > which finish to select.
> >
> > Petru
>
>Do a cutting board. Make it out of good Canadian Rock Maple, and finish it
>with several coats of good quality mineral oil (or whatever you call it up
>there- Can't always tell, because you folks are so strongly influenced by the
>Brits).
>
>Rock maple will look good, and last wonderfully, and you shouldn't have much
>trouble getting a couple of 15 inch boards. Ideally, you'd want end grain,
>but finding a tree stump 50 inches or so in diameter might be a bit
>problematical. You might ask Arthur (Arture license plates- I think you know
>him) and he's likely to know where one is that he's planning on removing. If
>you fit it tightly, and leave it protruding above the counter top half an
>inch or so, but leave it so you can readily slip it in and out, serious clean
>up ought to be pretty easy. Serious clean up is an occasional thing, as
>differentiated from your quicky wipe down after every usage. Give it a wipe
>with the mineral oil occasionally, and leave it overnight, wiping up the
>excess, if any in the morning.
>
>At least, that's what I'd do....
>
>(30" X 30" wooden cutting board in my counter... YESSSSS!!!!!!  ;-)
>
>Phlip

Make it 1/2 inch oversize overall and rout a 1/2 inch rabbet all 
around.  Drops into the hole, easily removed for cleaning and maintenance.

Simon Sinneghe
Briaroak, Summits, An Tir