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Thank you! Thank you! And Thank You! Seen sooo many beautiful projects involving epoxy resin on surfaces that are prone to or designed to come in contact with food and my first thoughts are generally a) beautiful when made but how well does it hold up under regular heavy use and b) while it receives this regular heavy use, what is it leaving behind in the food. The biggest differentiation for me is serving vs cutting. I would serve on epoxy all day with relatively no issues. Cutting on an epoxy surface is, in my humble opinion, an absolute no. Not only would I be marring a surface that is designed to be flawlessly flat, I would be slowly removing that surface and eating it. Taking the time to suss out the details and presenting them in a digestible manner (you see what I did there) is a talent most don’t have. Again, thank you for sharing your time and knowledge.
Love the digestible pun! And thanks, I know this is pretty dense and boring stuff. But if you want answers, it's not entirely clear.. but it is understandable if you have a head for how regulations and industry works.
Not a glamorous topic, but one I was happy to find answers about. Thank you for doing your research and for sharing it with us. I just started doing resin and wondered why everyone was making cheese boards instead of cutting boards, now I know why! I also have a better understanding on how to make safe cutting boards. Thank you for your in depth and dual sided remarks. Flashy camera tricks are great, but information is key. A great teacher 👍
Thanks for the great feedback! It's a strange topic because it's simultaneously as clear as glass and mud. Glad I was able to provide some clarity and guidance for you
This was exactly what I have been looking for trying to find out. Thank you so much. Let me make sure I got the summary correct. Poly and Epoxy (no pigments) are "ok" as a food additives (contact only) because all of the under lying ingredients are on an approved list. So epoxy/poly on a serving board would be "ok" since you shouldn't be cutting on it and it would otherwise ruin the finish. Thanks again.
Correct. I’d just want to clarify terminology that they’re *indirect food additives. And I can’t verify that all ingredients are on the safe list since I don’t have access to that.. but someone in the industry has said so. I will say I’ve spoken to my epoxy sponsor, TotalBoat, and they confirmed that their ingredients are on the good list so when cured they are food safe.
Thanks for the interesting video. I had a clay mortar made by a local potter, for use in making pounded papaya salad which I used to eat about three times a week when I lived in Thailand. The pot cracked a little inside at the bottom when it was fired at high temperature, and now I'm thinking of coating the inside with two part clear epoxy resin from The Home Depot here in Mexico. The package doesn't say whether it's food safe or not. The pestle is rounded and the pounding takes about 3 minutes. If there's a health risk in this, the alternative would be to chuck the clay and have a new one made from wood (like one I had in Thailand) or from ceramic. Any thoughts?
Honestly excellent video, very straight to the point with tons of information. Props for your hard work man and even the products to represent what you're talking about. Awesome video.
Lots of information and to the point. Clarifies the difference between variety or various products for finishing wood products that come in contact with food. Great assemblage.
I am a 100% newbie and I got roped into doing a resin pouring project, where I chose to make a cutting board. I did a test before I poured my board, and decided to cut into it after it had cured for a week, just to be sure it wouldn't scratch. And of course, it did. So are you saying there really is nothing you can do to make an epoxy cutting board scratch resistant? If not, then what is the sense of making an epoxy cutting board, if the first time your blade comes in contact with it, it scratches? I already have a lot of money tied up in this project, so if I can't make the epoxy portion of the cutting board scratch resistant, I might just abandon it altogether. I appreciate you making this video, I think it's taught me that I should never make or purchase an epoxy cutting board, if it's just going to get ruined!
Hey Thank you so much for this information. I been digging myself and was about to read through the food safe section and this covered everything. I have been doing mostly engraved in wood art and people have asked me to do cutting boards and coasters. I know with coasters using the epoxy doesnt matter cause it isnt directly with food. However this has helped me to know what kind of cutting boards people would want. And because of this would go more serving trays after seeing what you cutting on a full coated example. Though I have a few question after watching this; I see that you have made cutting boards with epoxy (it not the whole board) do you state to your customers that its safe to use like any other board? Do you think its best to use a poly based finish over the cutting boad that has the epoxy or other food safe finishes? And lastly would you recomend to cover the cutting board fully in epoxy with no extra finishes? I would love to hear what you have to say to help me with the dilema I currently have when it comes to cutting board making. Thank you again
as geeky as this was, it thought this was great. I used to use mineral oil for my boards with beeswax and recently switched to hemp oil and beeswax. i built a large fish cleaning board and the owner didn't want to maintain the board and wanted a poly coat on it. Thanks for digging into this!
That has to be the best explanation on this subject that has been on my mind a lot, "my customer safety " due to lawsuits. Thank you for all the time and research you put in for this video. Until next time. *Chris*
I don't know about the newer epoxy stuff. But I do know that all wood finishes in the United States are food safe once they become inert. I've got a pdf. somewhere about it 10 years ago (on some drive). They all are just not expedient to use. Walnut Oil and Mineral Oil just make it easy to touch up and use for wood products if food is going to be used. Thanks for your research... Newbies may not have all that info. First thing I do is take the wooden item and rub in Mineral Oil or Walnut Oil. After allowing that to soak in and dry, then I use this formula: 12 oz of Mineral Oil 2 oz of bee’s wax 1/2 oz of Carnuba wax I melt all of that over a medium heat in a metal bowl that is sitting on boiling/hot water. (double boiler?) I then poor that into a Wide mouth Mason Jar. Now, this is a mix that gives me a medium dense paste. Some may prefer softer and some may prefer a harder wax. All you need to do is to soften is to add more mineral Oil…. to harden… don’t use as much mineral oil. Re-coat about every 3 months or so.
Caleb Harris is the GOAT. There isn’t a question I had about epoxy that he didn’t answer. Thanks a bunch man, I wish you all the success and genuine happiness
Excellent video! Not boring to those who care about their product and customers. I have heard so many different things and no clarity. Thank you ever so much for giving me the confidence to move forward. One question though... Do you personally soak your cutting boards in mineral oil and finish with butcher block conditioner? Your fantastic video of the cutting boards ended with soaking in mineral oil, while here you said you prefer butcher blocks. Perhaps I missed something you said in one of the videos.
SO.. I've since moved on from that. Mineral oil NEVER cures or dries and washes out quickly. It's totally safe and makes for satisfying videos, but it's a subpar finish. I use Odie's Oil, Mahoney's Walnut Oil, or Totalboat Wood Honey for any cutting/serving boards now.
Thank you for this informative video! Everything seems to relate to wood cutting boards but what do you use to coat EPOXY cutting boards to keep them both food safe and to keep them from getting scratched like you demoed in your video?
I love the video. When I first started making cutting boards I found the information to be cloudy at best. I like how you lined out the products, how the regulations work, and what really happens with the over fancy epoxy cutting boards(Spoiler alert if you have not watched the video: they are truly decorative. No surprise I know. LOL) Needless to say, thank you for putting this video out, great info on it, and even gave me a few ideas of other products to use that I had not considered. The Howards is good, but I still find the old fashion mineral dip first is a good way to get it started then finish with Howards. :)
Thanks! Glad it was helpful. And that's a good idea about mineral oil dip followed by wax mix (Howards) that'll help seal the mineral oil into the wood and minimize that oily feeling just dipped boards have for a while. I've used the Mahoney's walnut oil/wax blend on a few boards recently and like it a lot better so far. The walnut oil is polymerized so it cures. After a few hours it keeps more luster than the Howards and isn't greasy feeling.
Great video! I was just yesterday at a wood working store asking for a good replacement for Arm-r-seal since they were out. He asked me what I was using it for and I said a charcuterie board, he said I shouldn't be using that anyways. I said never mind I am making a box... LOL, he wasn't much help after that.
Question about stains on cutting boards/charcuterie boards. I’ve never been on this side of woodworking, I’ve stuck to make decor and wall “art” and have just recently been wanting to get involved in kitchen items. I’m wanting to start making lazy Susan’s, charcuterie boards and cutting boards and I was wondering what I could do to make them look good? Is it safe to use a normal oil or water based wood stain on them? Do you do that with your projects? What finishes do you recommend to put over a wood stain?
It's best to follow with the same type of product and keep in the same brand if possible. If you use an oil stain, use an oil finish. Water stain, use a water finish (and just use water anyone, better for you, the environment, and easier clean up). ua-cam.com/video/3_ElpZAsmhM/v-deo.html
Thank you for this. Really helpful for our drinking horns. We used Art Resin before, which claim to be safe once it's dry, not only when cured. But it's expensive to import here in Indonesia. We'll be coating our horns with the safest local resin option and letting letting them fully cure in 30 days or more.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo Glad I saw this one. One of my main concerns is whether or not I can make coffee mugs using resin. However, seeing your response to the first guy, and looking up how hot coffee is typically served (and taking into consideration its acidity), I can safely conclude that resin coffee mugs are probably *not* a good idea.
I just started wood turning coffee cups and bowls. Which food grade finish would be best for these items. Because of the continuous temperature being applied to the product?
What a fantastic video. I'm starting out on an Otur Laser Printer and had all sorts of questions about food and wood. Thanks for walking us through, I have a better understanding and feel more confident now.
Great video - thanks! I feel very vindicated that I decided to use the butcher block oil/wax (mineral oil and carnuba/bee’s wax) that you mentioned on a small island counter top. It took a while to really harden, but I’ve been pretty happy with it. Now I want to stain it (it’s pine), and re-do the wax on it. Probably won’t do it though - I’m not patient enough to wait for it to cure fully.
I don't blame you on the time thing.. not to mention now that it's been waxed it'll be crazy hard to get the stain penetrate evenly. You'd basically have to sand through everything the the wax has penetrated. That's one downside to ever using wax.. only real option is to just keep waxing.
Great video Caleb :) Also, it's "et cetera". I personally use Walrus Oil for all cutting boards, and Rubio Monocoat for serving boards. Also, your focus is hunting a lot. You often go blurry. I would turn off the autofocus for each shot once u get it dialed in. Love your videos dude!
Thanks! You're the second person to make the "et cetera" comment and when I listen back.. that's what I hear, but maybe that's my Tennessee ears? What do you hear?
Thanks so much for this great information. You may have answered this before, so I'm sorry if I missed the answer. Watching you cut on the resin makes me wonder, is there something you do differently for the epoxy resin cutting boards you make? I sure wouldn't want to scratch a cutting board that pretty!
Thanks. Great information. I learned most of that along the way, but it was great to have it brought together. And the perspective from the law an added bonus. Thanks again.
Any suggestions on getting rid of rustoleum clear matte overspray on the inside of my metal water bottle? Wanted to spray the outside but didn’t think to cover the inside. Any suggestions?
I've got a rubber bullet casing that I've had since like 2016, and I want to turn it into a shot glass, but I can't seem to get a clear cut answer about what products would be foodsafe for use with alcohol! Got any ideas?
@@YouCanMakeThisToo LOL. That was my first thought was "pineapple"? He must not like pineapple. I think it is pretty good myself. Thanks for the video.
I have become very allergic to resin and I don’t want to stop my artwork. Can you suggest something I could seal my boards or stainless tumblers after I use acrylic paint on them. I’m still confused
So pure tung oil is safe to call food safe as a natural product. Lots of tung oil has chemical driers added though... that’s where you get into my long explanation about safe when cured, testing requirements, and trade secrets..
Great info!! Any thoughts on Rubio Monocoat or Odies for epoxy river serving boards? Odies markets big time to the food safe crowd...they love to mention how you don't even need gloves when applying!! THanks in advance!
If they're marketing to the food safe crowd then it's probably fine for food contact surfaces. As for the hard wax stuff like Rubio or Oslo.. I don't have any experience with them but I"m betting it's the same story. Once fully cured, shouldn't be any worries for typical use.
If I am trying to coat a coffee-stained bamboo lid, that will be occasionally exposed to hot drinks (tea, coffee), what would you recommend I coat it with? Seems that everything out there is not heat-resistant while also being food-safe unfortunately..
Oof. Yeah, if you're trying to heat resistant and something labeled food safe, that's going to be tough. But if you're just talking typical coffee/tea mugs, that shouldn't be more heat than most finishes can handle. Or, use a coaster
So for an epoxy board, which of the finishes do you recommend? Like the board butter or wax that you referenced? Probably some that builds up a film on the surface, right?
Do you buff/polish with the butcher block conditioner when using? And if so, do you do it by hand? I am having a hard time getting my resin to be clear all the way even after 1500 grit. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
So have a charcuterie board made of cedar. Should I just epoxy over the board or finish it with mineral oil / wax finish or teak oil it then epoxy over it?
Always research before doing stuff so I am glad I been hunting because your video is the best I’ve seen! I am new to resin and wanted to do a cutting board but instantly thought about if it would be safe or not. Guess I gotta figure something else out
Loved the video. I’m making a cutting board with an image on the back side. Can you recommend a sealer that I can put over the photo to protect image if wet but that wouldn’t affect the other side of the actual cutting board so it can be a use able board? I hope this makes sense.
Hi - Can you use the general finishes Gel stain first then seal with salad bowl and still be food safe? I wanted to use these on a charcuterie board? If the Gel stain is not good what is an option as the natural pine color is boring ;)
Hello I know this is quite to do with this video ( by the way is great and very informative) but when I'm sanding I finish on a 1500 grit wet sand on the epoxy boards im doing them when the water drys after wiping clean they keep clouding up whatever I seem to do it won't go clear any tips would be great ?
Sure thing. So I'm assuming that you're going through the grits properly and aren't leaving any lower grit scratches behind. The cloudiness just means you aren't going high enough. For a clear polish 1500 is about 70% of the work. From there you need to go through the micro mesh pads up to 12000 grit, or switch to a polishing compound and buff it. Alternatively, if you put a curing finish over the top, like clear halcyon or wood bowl finish.. it'll fill the tiny cracks left and give you a good shine.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo @YouCanMakeThisToo thank you much appreciated on the advice I'm still rather new to this, i thought i had gone through grits properly msybe not haha ill get my self some higher grits and micro mess and start on it again. Ill also try some polishing compound on my other practice boards. Thank you again for the advice
Im looking to repair a glass pitcher. It got a stress crack in it and I was looking to repair it with an epoxy. Any recommendations on what to use? Doesn't have to be epoxy.
That might work.. I don't know how well epoxy bonds to glass. But I do know that Loctite makes something called like "super glue glass" which is a CA glue formulated for glass, that might be your best bet.
Quick questions for you, if you were to finish a cutting board that had epoxy in it with the Butcher's block oil or conditioner, would that have any effect on leaving marks on the epoxy? Would using these products make the epoxy "food safe" Or should boards with epoxy just remain for serving?
So top coating the epoxy won't protect it from knives at all. My take on it is most epoxies once fully cured are probably fine for food contact.. but if pigment has been added there's no telling if the pigment is safe. Can either topcoat with a flood coat of epoxy. Or if you've added some type of topcoat that will build a little (polymerized oil or wax, or blend) then you've added a barrier between food items and the pigment.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo , thank you for your expertise on this matter. I've made a few boards and got inspired by your video when you did the green, blue, a purple epoxy with the wood. So I figured I'd try it and give it a go.
My question is beer mugs and wine goblets? Not cutting on these , but drinking out of. Would epoxy be useful after 30 day cure? I know this video came out 3 years ago, but curios to know
Epoxy doesn’t typically react with alcohol, but I’d be hesitant since it is a solvent. For neutral PH and non-alcoholic beverages I doubt it’d be a problem. I’d try to stick to a food grade finish though
A lawyer who is risk adverse? No way! Thanks for all the information. I will continue to use mineral oil and bees wax on my cutting boards, just makes me feel more safe :)
Sanding Sealer is normally just shellac. But ultimately it's only the top coat that's going to have food contact.. so my thinking is so long as it isn't radioactive.. the only thing that matters is if the topcoat is safe.
lol lol lol lol - So I'm so glad he made this video because I've been watching all of the others where he doesn't put any kind of finish on the boards at all and thinking to myself "how in the #**#% is that an actually useful 'cutting board'l at all?? or is it just art? Nobody I know wants to buy a cutting board they can't actually use"....please tell me what finish we can use for a wood/epoxy cutting board. I see the list of 'safe' items at the end but take shellac - okay - it's a nice finish and it's safe but you can't get shellac wet for any substantial amount of time and if I make a cutting board and coat it in shellac, whoever gets it will lose the finish after the first five hand washes.....and okay - we've got the mineral oil based stuff that I've seen you bathe the cutting boards in but that obviously doesn't protect the epoxy resin and we saw at the beginning of the video what happens when you start making cuts on the epoxy......so is it even possible to make a useable epoxy/wood cutting board like the cool ones we've seen in earlier videos? This is exactly the issue that's been on my mind that keeps me from doing any of the cutting board projects. Yah it looks super cool but if it's not useful what's the point?
Epoxy boards are serving/charcuterie boards, there’s no finish that’s going to be stronger than a knife and stop from scratching the epoxy. Doesn’t mean they’re not useful, just not cutting. I titled it cutting boards because everyone searches for “epoxy cutting boards”
I see a lot of people advertise boards made with epoxy as cutting boards. But these should only be used as food trays correct? The ones I’ve seen have pigment added to the epoxy. They are beautiful and my husband and I are interested in making but we worry about chemicals.
YouCanMakeThisToo good to know, I’ll inform my resin artist friends who make trays and other things to put food on. What other food safe products can you put over top of the epoxy?
Just use food grade finishes and you won't have to worry about it. Also, you'd have enough assets to be worth suing, and they'd have to satisfy "but for" causation which is a crazy high burden. That your item, and your item alone - with no other reasonable possibility, is the cause of the illness. My point isn't that you can get away with any finish. Be smart. It's just don't let that fear stop you - it's so unlikely it'd ever happen. Also, people are actually less litigious than they used to be. The idea that everyone is sue happy was actually part of a PR campaign that McDonalds paid for when they got in that legal battle with the lady they put in the hospital and then refused to pay for her treatment. The actual stats show suits have been going down.. but there's this fun psychological phenomenon in play too where folks love to find out and talk about the occassional frivolous suit because it makes them feel superior "I'd never sue over something so stupid, in fact - I'd never sue someone!" And then big corps get to rest cozy in the social pressure they created that most people have shamed themself out of the only remedy they have if they're done wrong. Sorry for the law school rant, just some info I found incredibly interesting while there.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo I love it, that does give me more confidence! It isn't easy living in a world of CYA 😂. My day job is as a realtor, and the saying goes "it's easy to become a real estate agent, it's even easier to get kicked out". There's an endless list of ways I could be breaking the law while seemingly just trying to be helpful. Then even if I don't get sued I'll likely be facing fines. Luckily wood working isn't that way! But I think listening to all these case studies of people getting sued has me in an analysis paralysis! Thanks for all the info and detailed response!
Those aren’t mutually exclusive. Any good business owner is concerned about both. Just cause you’re doing the right thing doesn’t mean there aren’t people who won’t sue you anyway. And in the American system, even if you win you still almost always “lose” the cost of defending yourself. Just because you’ve rigorously ensured you can always get a 12b6 ruling in your favor, doesn’t mean you’re doing the right thing.
If you wish to mix your own shellac from flakes for a food safe application, go to your liquor store and buy EVER CLEAR GRAIN ALCOHOL. Use this instead of DNA for your mix. The ever clear alcohol is a high proof liquor 151 or 190 proof which makes it a very intoxicating if consumed, but works fine for your shellac mixtures.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo BTW, loved your legal input and a fantastic summary of the finishes. Born, raised and worked in the hospitality industry most of my life I cringed on the epoxy demo... thinking of the knife getting beat up & dulled big time. Lol. Thanks for your great videos.
Hi. At last, somebody has an informative post on what we can and (more importantly), shouldn't use on a cutting board. I had a long running argument with a guy selling cutting boards when I asked if the epoxy inlay, he used, was food safe. I never did fully find out. So I never did make an epoxy inlay board (it didn't occur to me that it would scratch so easily).
When you put the knife to the epoxy and started rocking it I was laughing so hard. I’ve always wanted to see that just for giggles. Also, I may be slightly evil.
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i know I'm kinda randomly asking but does anyone know a good place to stream newly released movies online ?
Thank you! Thank you! And Thank You! Seen sooo many beautiful projects involving epoxy resin on surfaces that are prone to or designed to come in contact with food and my first thoughts are generally a) beautiful when made but how well does it hold up under regular heavy use and b) while it receives this regular heavy use, what is it leaving behind in the food.
The biggest differentiation for me is serving vs cutting. I would serve on epoxy all day with relatively no issues. Cutting on an epoxy surface is, in my humble opinion, an absolute no. Not only would I be marring a surface that is designed to be flawlessly flat, I would be slowly removing that surface and eating it.
Taking the time to suss out the details and presenting them in a digestible manner (you see what I did there) is a talent most don’t have. Again, thank you for sharing your time and knowledge.
Love the digestible pun! And thanks, I know this is pretty dense and boring stuff. But if you want answers, it's not entirely clear.. but it is understandable if you have a head for how regulations and industry works.
Not a glamorous topic, but one I was happy to find answers about. Thank you for doing your research and for sharing it with us. I just started doing resin and wondered why everyone was making cheese boards instead of cutting boards, now I know why! I also have a better understanding on how to make safe cutting boards. Thank you for your in depth and dual sided remarks. Flashy camera tricks are great, but information is key. A great teacher 👍
Thanks for the great feedback! It's a strange topic because it's simultaneously as clear as glass and mud. Glad I was able to provide some clarity and guidance for you
This was exactly what I have been looking for trying to find out. Thank you so much.
Let me make sure I got the summary correct. Poly and Epoxy (no pigments) are "ok" as a food additives (contact only) because all of the under lying ingredients are on an approved list. So epoxy/poly on a serving board would be "ok" since you shouldn't be cutting on it and it would otherwise ruin the finish. Thanks again.
Correct. I’d just want to clarify terminology that they’re *indirect food additives. And I can’t verify that all ingredients are on the safe list since I don’t have access to that.. but someone in the industry has said so. I will say I’ve spoken to my epoxy sponsor, TotalBoat, and they confirmed that their ingredients are on the good list so when cured they are food safe.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo Thank you and love the clarification. Once a lawyer always a lawyer right?
Thanks for doing the research and presenting it in a clear manner. Important stuff for those of us who are selling serving and cutting boards.
Thanks! I know it's kind of dull.. but it's important.
Thanks for the interesting video. I had a clay mortar made by a local potter, for use in making pounded papaya salad which I used to eat about three times a week when I lived in Thailand. The pot cracked a little inside at the bottom when it was fired at high temperature, and now I'm thinking of coating the inside with two part clear epoxy resin from The Home Depot here in Mexico. The package doesn't say whether it's food safe or not. The pestle is rounded and the pounding takes about 3 minutes. If there's a health risk in this, the alternative would be to chuck the clay and have a new one made from wood (like one I had in Thailand) or from ceramic. Any thoughts?
Ha. I'm going to get boring now. I instantly want this guy over for dinner. Maybe on non food safe prep surfaces.
That's an instant sub from me, bro.
This is definitely an immediately love it or hate it kind of video 🤣🤣
Honestly excellent video, very straight to the point with tons of information. Props for your hard work man and even the products to represent what you're talking about. Awesome video.
Lots of information and to the point. Clarifies the difference between variety or various products for finishing wood products that come in contact with food. Great assemblage.
Thank you!
I am a 100% newbie and I got roped into doing a resin pouring project, where I chose to make a cutting board. I did a test before I poured my board, and decided to cut into it after it had cured for a week, just to be sure it wouldn't scratch. And of course, it did. So are you saying there really is nothing you can do to make an epoxy cutting board scratch resistant? If not, then what is the sense of making an epoxy cutting board, if the first time your blade comes in contact with it, it scratches? I already have a lot of money tied up in this project, so if I can't make the epoxy portion of the cutting board scratch resistant, I might just abandon it altogether. I appreciate you making this video, I think it's taught me that I should never make or purchase an epoxy cutting board, if it's just going to get ruined!
They’re for serving, charcuterie board is the more popular name now
The video and sound quality of your channel is amazing. Truly striking. Happy Holidays 2021.
Thanks so much for your kind words!
Hey Thank you so much for this information. I been digging myself and was about to read through the food safe section and this covered everything. I have been doing mostly engraved in wood art and people have asked me to do cutting boards and coasters. I know with coasters using the epoxy doesnt matter cause it isnt directly with food. However this has helped me to know what kind of cutting boards people would want. And because of this would go more serving trays after seeing what you cutting on a full coated example. Though I have a few question after watching this; I see that you have made cutting boards with epoxy (it not the whole board) do you state to your customers that its safe to use like any other board? Do you think its best to use a poly based finish over the cutting boad that has the epoxy or other food safe finishes? And lastly would you recomend to cover the cutting board fully in epoxy with no extra finishes? I would love to hear what you have to say to help me with the dilema I currently have when it comes to cutting board making. Thank you again
i cant tell you how thankful i am that you made this video
Glad it was helpful!
as geeky as this was, it thought this was great. I used to use mineral oil for my boards with beeswax and recently switched to hemp oil and beeswax. i built a large fish cleaning board and the owner didn't want to maintain the board and wanted a poly coat on it.
Thanks for digging into this!
Thanks! Glad you thought it was great!
He's also right that working with pure wax is messy. While melted, it makes a huge mess then dries, making clean up a nightmare.
That has to be the best explanation on this subject that has been on my mind a lot, "my customer safety " due to lawsuits. Thank you for all the time and research you put in for this video. Until next time. *Chris*
Glad it was helpful!
I don't know about the newer epoxy stuff. But I do know that all wood finishes in the United States are food safe once they become inert. I've got a pdf. somewhere about it 10 years ago (on some drive). They all are just not expedient to use. Walnut Oil and Mineral Oil just make it easy to touch up and use for wood products if food is going to be used. Thanks for your research... Newbies may not have all that info.
First thing I do is take the wooden item and rub in Mineral Oil or Walnut Oil. After allowing that to soak in and dry, then I use this formula:
12 oz of Mineral Oil
2 oz of bee’s wax
1/2 oz of Carnuba wax
I melt all of that over a medium heat in a metal bowl that is sitting on boiling/hot water. (double boiler?) I then poor that into a Wide mouth Mason Jar. Now, this is a mix that gives me a medium dense paste. Some may prefer softer and some may prefer a harder wax. All you need to do is to soften is to add more mineral Oil…. to harden… don’t use as much mineral oil. Re-coat about every 3 months or so.
Caleb Harris is the GOAT. There isn’t a question I had about epoxy that he didn’t answer. Thanks a bunch man, I wish you all the success and genuine happiness
Excellent video! Not boring to those who care about their product and customers. I have heard so many different things and no clarity. Thank you ever so much for giving me the confidence to move forward.
One question though... Do you personally soak your cutting boards in mineral oil and finish with butcher block conditioner? Your fantastic video of the cutting boards ended with soaking in mineral oil, while here you said you prefer butcher blocks. Perhaps I missed something you said in one of the videos.
SO.. I've since moved on from that. Mineral oil NEVER cures or dries and washes out quickly. It's totally safe and makes for satisfying videos, but it's a subpar finish. I use Odie's Oil, Mahoney's Walnut Oil, or Totalboat Wood Honey for any cutting/serving boards now.
Thank you for this informative video! Everything seems to relate to wood cutting boards but what do you use to coat EPOXY cutting boards to keep them both food safe and to keep them from getting scratched like you demoed in your video?
I wanna know too lol
Thanks for the Insight. I am an timber craft and epoxy resin crafts enthusiasts and this information has been very helpful to me.
Awesome, glad to hear it!
Three years later, this content is still good information. Thank you!
Thanks! Glad it lives on
I love the video. When I first started making cutting boards I found the information to be cloudy at best. I like how you lined out the products, how the regulations work, and what really happens with the over fancy epoxy cutting boards(Spoiler alert if you have not watched the video: they are truly decorative. No surprise I know. LOL) Needless to say, thank you for putting this video out, great info on it, and even gave me a few ideas of other products to use that I had not considered. The Howards is good, but I still find the old fashion mineral dip first is a good way to get it started then finish with Howards. :)
Thanks! Glad it was helpful. And that's a good idea about mineral oil dip followed by wax mix (Howards) that'll help seal the mineral oil into the wood and minimize that oily feeling just dipped boards have for a while. I've used the Mahoney's walnut oil/wax blend on a few boards recently and like it a lot better so far. The walnut oil is polymerized so it cures. After a few hours it keeps more luster than the Howards and isn't greasy feeling.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo Oh sweet! I like that idea! I have not tried the walnut oil on top of the dip. I will try that on my next set! Thank you! :)
Great video! I was just yesterday at a wood working store asking for a good replacement for Arm-r-seal since they were out. He asked me what I was using it for and I said a charcuterie board, he said I shouldn't be using that anyways. I said never mind I am making a box... LOL, he wasn't much help after that.
Question about stains on cutting boards/charcuterie boards. I’ve never been on this side of woodworking, I’ve stuck to make decor and wall “art” and have just recently been wanting to get involved in kitchen items. I’m wanting to start making lazy Susan’s, charcuterie boards and cutting boards and I was wondering what I could do to make them look good? Is it safe to use a normal oil or water based wood stain on them? Do you do that with your projects? What finishes do you recommend to put over a wood stain?
It's best to follow with the same type of product and keep in the same brand if possible. If you use an oil stain, use an oil finish. Water stain, use a water finish (and just use water anyone, better for you, the environment, and easier clean up).
ua-cam.com/video/3_ElpZAsmhM/v-deo.html
@@YouCanMakeThisToo Awesome! Thank you
Thank you for this. Really helpful for our drinking horns. We used Art Resin before, which claim to be safe once it's dry, not only when cured. But it's expensive to import here in Indonesia. We'll be coating our horns with the safest local resin option and letting letting them fully cure in 30 days or more.
Glad it helped! Just be ware of heat. Most epoxies don’t do well with over about 120f.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo Glad I saw this one. One of my main concerns is whether or not I can make coffee mugs using resin. However, seeing your response to the first guy, and looking up how hot coffee is typically served (and taking into consideration its acidity), I can safely conclude that resin coffee mugs are probably *not* a good idea.
I just started wood turning coffee cups and bowls. Which food grade finish would be best for these items. Because of the continuous temperature being applied to the product?
I'm not aware of anything that safely holds up to heat for food contact. I think a few companies sell stainless steel sleeves for turned mugs.
What a fantastic video. I'm starting out on an Otur Laser Printer and had all sorts of questions about food and wood. Thanks for walking us through, I have a better understanding and feel more confident now.
Great to hear!
So the expoxy can be sealed just the same as the wood ?
Great video - thanks! I feel very vindicated that I decided to use the butcher block oil/wax (mineral oil and carnuba/bee’s wax) that you mentioned on a small island counter top. It took a while to really harden, but I’ve been pretty happy with it. Now I want to stain it (it’s pine), and re-do the wax on it. Probably won’t do it though - I’m not patient enough to wait for it to cure fully.
I don't blame you on the time thing.. not to mention now that it's been waxed it'll be crazy hard to get the stain penetrate evenly. You'd basically have to sand through everything the the wax has penetrated. That's one downside to ever using wax.. only real option is to just keep waxing.
I spit out my coffee when you said "pineapples." lol
🤣🤣🤣
Can I use the butchers block finish or shellac on an epoxy charcuterie board
Yep
See? I didn’t find this info boring at all. And I’m not even making a cutting board, I’m trying to buy a safe one. Thanks 🙏
Glad it was helpful!
Great video Caleb :) Also, it's "et cetera". I personally use Walrus Oil for all cutting boards, and Rubio Monocoat for serving boards. Also, your focus is hunting a lot. You often go blurry. I would turn off the autofocus for each shot once u get it dialed in. Love your videos dude!
Thanks! You're the second person to make the "et cetera" comment and when I listen back.. that's what I hear, but maybe that's my Tennessee ears? What do you hear?
@@YouCanMakeThisToo I hear you say 'ex cetera'.
@@StevenDavisPhoto Ah, I kinda hear it now, a vestigial from my south mouth, haha.
Thanks so much for this great information. You may have answered this before, so I'm sorry if I missed the answer. Watching you cut on the resin makes me wonder, is there something you do differently for the epoxy resin cutting boards you make? I sure wouldn't want to scratch a cutting board that pretty!
Nah, that's why I recommend them just for serving
Thanks. Great information. I learned most of that along the way, but it was great to have it brought together. And the perspective from the law an added bonus. Thanks again.
Great to hear! Unfortunately it really just comes down to personal risk assessment.. but it doesn't seem near as dangerous as many make it out to be.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo Yep I agree.
Thanks for the best coverage I've ever seen of this complicated and contentious topic.
Any suggestions on getting rid of rustoleum clear matte overspray on the inside of my metal water bottle? Wanted to spray the outside but didn’t think to cover the inside. Any suggestions?
A stiff brush? I'm not sure what solvent they use.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo appreciate it!!
I've got a rubber bullet casing that I've had since like 2016, and I want to turn it into a shot glass, but I can't seem to get a clear cut answer about what products would be foodsafe for use with alcohol! Got any ideas?
"Pineapples"" LOL!
I've waited so long for someone to comment on that 🤣 thank you!
@@YouCanMakeThisToo LOL. That was my first thought was "pineapple"? He must not like pineapple. I think it is pretty good myself. Thanks for the video.
I have become very allergic to resin and I don’t want to stop my artwork. Can you suggest something I could seal my boards or stainless tumblers after I use acrylic paint on them. I’m still confused
I'd try shellac. Haven't heard of any allergies to it and it's easier to get a hold of, affordable, and sticks to about anything.
Great info. What are your thoughts on Tung Oil for epoxy and wood boards, like the ones you made?
So pure tung oil is safe to call food safe as a natural product. Lots of tung oil has chemical driers added though... that’s where you get into my long explanation about safe when cured, testing requirements, and trade secrets..
Great info!! Any thoughts on Rubio Monocoat or Odies for epoxy river serving boards? Odies markets big time to the food safe crowd...they love to mention how you don't even need gloves when applying!! THanks in advance!
If they're marketing to the food safe crowd then it's probably fine for food contact surfaces. As for the hard wax stuff like Rubio or Oslo.. I don't have any experience with them but I"m betting it's the same story. Once fully cured, shouldn't be any worries for typical use.
If I am trying to coat a coffee-stained bamboo lid, that will be occasionally exposed to hot drinks (tea, coffee), what would you recommend I coat it with? Seems that everything out there is not heat-resistant while also being food-safe unfortunately..
Oof. Yeah, if you're trying to heat resistant and something labeled food safe, that's going to be tough. But if you're just talking typical coffee/tea mugs, that shouldn't be more heat than most finishes can handle. Or, use a coaster
If I use just shellac on a wood shot glass, would the alcohol put in it strip the shellac back out?
Oh yeah. Alcohol is the solvent for shellac, so it’ll eat it right up.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo would putting poly over it do the trick?
Another good video sir I appreciate the time in effort you put into them
Much appreciated, Gavin!
Man, that's a deep dive into finishes if I've ever seen one. Good technical breakdown!
I like to go deep.
Very good! Thanks for putting you law hat and talking from that perspective! I looking for this exactly as I was venturing into epoxy on a counter....
Glad it was helpful!
So for an epoxy board, which of the finishes do you recommend? Like the board butter or wax that you referenced? Probably some that builds up a film on the surface, right?
Walnut oil is what I've been using
@@YouCanMakeThisToo Sweet, thanks
Do you buff/polish with the butcher block conditioner when using? And if so, do you do it by hand? I am having a hard time getting my resin to be clear all the way even after 1500 grit. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
If you want to get epoxy by sanding you need to go up to about 12000 with micro mesh and then use a polishing compound. Otherwise.. clear coat it.
Thank you so much. I really appreciated all the fine print details explained
Happy to help
Whats your opinion of walrus oil being used for cutting boards
I haven’t used it but from the website it sounds pretty similars to Howard’s conditioner. It’s an oil wax blend.
If it's just a tabletop [Farm Table ] and not a cutting board is polyurethane safe?
For sure
So have a charcuterie board made of cedar. Should I just epoxy over the board or finish it with mineral oil / wax finish or teak oil it then epoxy over it?
Great video! Info heavy and basically confirmed which finishing products I will be using on my boards. Thanks for the info! you have a new subscriber
Awesome! Thank you!
Thanks bro! Great info! I get this same question on my channel all the time!! I came to a very similar conclusion.
Glad it was helpful! Feel free to link folks over if you want to :D
Finally getting around to this one...while working and also doing masters class stuff...excellent content! Far more interesting than supply chain...
Enjoy!
Massively helpful and informative! Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
Not boring at all!! Love this info. Thanks
very informative and thank you for taking the time to explain this. Makes a lot more sense as to what to use on cutting boards and serving trays.
Glad it was helpful!
Always research before doing stuff so I am glad I been hunting because your video is the best I’ve seen! I am new to resin and wanted to do a cutting board but instantly thought about if it would be safe or not. Guess I gotta figure something else out
Yeah... not for cutting, but fine for charcuterie or serving!
wow! I appreciate all the info. Thank you and best of luck to your channel
Thank you! You too!
Wow! That’s a lot of information! You did your homework. A+ 🙌Thank you🤩
Thanks! I did my best
Loved the video. I’m making a cutting board with an image on the back side. Can you recommend a sealer that I can put over the photo to protect image if wet but that wouldn’t affect the other side of the actual cutting board so it can be a use able board? I hope this makes sense.
Hi - Can you use the general finishes Gel stain first then seal with salad bowl and still be food safe? I wanted to use these on a charcuterie board? If the Gel stain is not good what is an option as the natural pine color is boring ;)
Yep, what counts most is the topcoat.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo Thank you so much for the reply :)
Hello I know this is quite to do with this video ( by the way is great and very informative) but when I'm sanding I finish on a 1500 grit wet sand on the epoxy boards im doing them when the water drys after wiping clean they keep clouding up whatever I seem to do it won't go clear any tips would be great ?
Sure thing. So I'm assuming that you're going through the grits properly and aren't leaving any lower grit scratches behind. The cloudiness just means you aren't going high enough. For a clear polish 1500 is about 70% of the work. From there you need to go through the micro mesh pads up to 12000 grit, or switch to a polishing compound and buff it. Alternatively, if you put a curing finish over the top, like clear halcyon or wood bowl finish.. it'll fill the tiny cracks left and give you a good shine.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo @YouCanMakeThisToo thank you much appreciated on the advice I'm still rather new to this, i thought i had gone through grits properly msybe not haha ill get my self some higher grits and micro mess and start on it again. Ill also try some polishing compound on my other practice boards. Thank you again for the advice
What about different color tones of shellac? Does that fall into the pigment category?
Nah, it’s still all natural. That just has to do with sorting.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo thank you for the feedback!
Im looking to repair a glass pitcher. It got a stress crack in it and I was looking to repair it with an epoxy. Any recommendations on what to use? Doesn't have to be epoxy.
That might work.. I don't know how well epoxy bonds to glass. But I do know that Loctite makes something called like "super glue glass" which is a CA glue formulated for glass, that might be your best bet.
Quick questions for you, if you were to finish a cutting board that had epoxy in it with the Butcher's block oil or conditioner, would that have any effect on leaving marks on the epoxy? Would using these products make the epoxy "food safe" Or should boards with epoxy just remain for serving?
So top coating the epoxy won't protect it from knives at all. My take on it is most epoxies once fully cured are probably fine for food contact.. but if pigment has been added there's no telling if the pigment is safe. Can either topcoat with a flood coat of epoxy. Or if you've added some type of topcoat that will build a little (polymerized oil or wax, or blend) then you've added a barrier between food items and the pigment.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo , thank you for your expertise on this matter. I've made a few boards and got inspired by your video when you did the green, blue, a purple epoxy with the wood. So I figured I'd try it and give it a go.
Great video, man! Thanks for sharing this knowledge
Glad it was helpful!
Loads of Great info Bro !!!! Thanks for sharing...👍👍👍
Any time!
This video was very informative. Thank you for providing it.
Glad it was helpful!
My question is beer mugs and wine goblets? Not cutting on these , but drinking out of. Would epoxy be useful after 30 day cure? I know this video came out 3 years ago, but curios to know
Epoxy doesn’t typically react with alcohol, but I’d be hesitant since it is a solvent. For neutral PH and non-alcoholic beverages I doubt it’d be a problem. I’d try to stick to a food grade finish though
Very good Informative Video Caleb thanks for all the information Brother @YouCanMakeThisToo
Thanks for watching!
How about unprocessed Tung Oil or the commercial Tung oils that are processed as far as finishes whether for cutting board or table top?
Super helpful video! Thanks!
So glad!
A lawyer who is risk adverse? No way! Thanks for all the information. I will continue to use mineral oil and bees wax on my cutting boards, just makes me feel more safe :)
Whatever works best for you man, all about being comfortable 😊
@@YouCanMakeThisToo agreed!
Thx for taking tge time with this subject
After initial sanding of my bowls I like using sanding sealer before the final grades. How does that affect the food safety question?
Sanding Sealer is normally just shellac. But ultimately it's only the top coat that's going to have food contact.. so my thinking is so long as it isn't radioactive.. the only thing that matters is if the topcoat is safe.
Thanks for this video--its the exact information I was looking for
Glad it helped
So very in depth.... thank you for all if the info
Glad it was helpful!
Super informative. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
lol lol lol lol - So I'm so glad he made this video because I've been watching all of the others where he doesn't put any kind of finish on the boards at all and thinking to myself "how in the #**#% is that an actually useful 'cutting board'l at all?? or is it just art? Nobody I know wants to buy a cutting board they can't actually use"....please tell me what finish we can use for a wood/epoxy cutting board. I see the list of 'safe' items at the end but take shellac - okay - it's a nice finish and it's safe but you can't get shellac wet for any substantial amount of time and if I make a cutting board and coat it in shellac, whoever gets it will lose the finish after the first five hand washes.....and okay - we've got the mineral oil based stuff that I've seen you bathe the cutting boards in but that obviously doesn't protect the epoxy resin and we saw at the beginning of the video what happens when you start making cuts on the epoxy......so is it even possible to make a useable epoxy/wood cutting board like the cool ones we've seen in earlier videos? This is exactly the issue that's been on my mind that keeps me from doing any of the cutting board projects. Yah it looks super cool but if it's not useful what's the point?
Epoxy boards are serving/charcuterie boards, there’s no finish that’s going to be stronger than a knife and stop from scratching the epoxy. Doesn’t mean they’re not useful, just not cutting. I titled it cutting boards because everyone searches for “epoxy cutting boards”
Very helpful information. Thank you!!
Thanks!
I see a lot of people advertise boards made with epoxy as cutting boards. But these should only be used as food trays correct? The ones I’ve seen have pigment added to the epoxy. They are beautiful and my husband and I are interested in making but we worry about chemicals.
Correct, best just used for serving! Which is fine so long as it has a clear epoxy coat or other food safe finish over the top of the epoxy.
YouCanMakeThisToo good to know, I’ll inform my resin artist friends who make trays and other things to put food on. What other food safe products can you put over top of the epoxy?
@@josephinemiller4780 ua-cam.com/video/3_ElpZAsmhM/v-deo.html I go as deep as I can into the topic in this video and talk about some specific products
My biggest fear is making someone sick and getting sued.
Just use food grade finishes and you won't have to worry about it. Also, you'd have enough assets to be worth suing, and they'd have to satisfy "but for" causation which is a crazy high burden. That your item, and your item alone - with no other reasonable possibility, is the cause of the illness.
My point isn't that you can get away with any finish. Be smart. It's just don't let that fear stop you - it's so unlikely it'd ever happen. Also, people are actually less litigious than they used to be. The idea that everyone is sue happy was actually part of a PR campaign that McDonalds paid for when they got in that legal battle with the lady they put in the hospital and then refused to pay for her treatment. The actual stats show suits have been going down.. but there's this fun psychological phenomenon in play too where folks love to find out and talk about the occassional frivolous suit because it makes them feel superior "I'd never sue over something so stupid, in fact - I'd never sue someone!" And then big corps get to rest cozy in the social pressure they created that most people have shamed themself out of the only remedy they have if they're done wrong.
Sorry for the law school rant, just some info I found incredibly interesting while there.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo I love it, that does give me more confidence! It isn't easy living in a world of CYA 😂.
My day job is as a realtor, and the saying goes "it's easy to become a real estate agent, it's even easier to get kicked out". There's an endless list of ways I could be breaking the law while seemingly just trying to be helpful. Then even if I don't get sued I'll likely be facing fines. Luckily wood working isn't that way! But I think listening to all these case studies of people getting sued has me in an analysis paralysis!
Thanks for all the info and detailed response!
Is your ethics or your wallet you are concerned about
Those aren’t mutually exclusive. Any good business owner is concerned about both.
Just cause you’re doing the right thing doesn’t mean there aren’t people who won’t sue you anyway. And in the American system, even if you win you still almost always “lose” the cost of defending yourself.
Just because you’ve rigorously ensured you can always get a 12b6 ruling in your favor, doesn’t mean you’re doing the right thing.
What about Raw Linseed oil, is "Food Grade" too? Thanks.
Raw linseed oil is, not boiled.
Pineapples!! LOL! If I didn’t have a sense of humor I wouldn’t have clicked subscribe. I love ‘em and don’t hate you for hating
If I've painted a design on my board and used a food grade finish, will my board still be food safe?
That’s my understanding
@@YouCanMakeThisToo Thank you. I wondered if maybe the paints and stains would contaminate the finish
I would like to know of a product to use on wooden bowls that is food safe, water proof , and long lasting
Pretty much everything is food safe once it’s fully cured.
No finish is totally water proof. Nor is any gonna hold up to heat.
@@YouCanMakeThisToo Can you recommend something water resistant then?
Such a thoughtful, fact based assessment. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you. Great Information.
Glad it was helpful!
If you wish to mix your own shellac from flakes for a food safe application, go to your liquor store and buy EVER CLEAR GRAIN ALCOHOL. Use this instead of DNA for your mix. The ever clear alcohol is a high proof liquor 151 or 190 proof which makes it a very intoxicating if consumed, but works fine for your shellac mixtures.
Oohh, good idea!
@@YouCanMakeThisToo BTW, loved your legal input and a fantastic summary of the finishes. Born, raised and worked in the hospitality industry most of my life I cringed on the epoxy demo... thinking of the knife getting beat up & dulled big time. Lol. Thanks for your great videos.
Haha oh I waited till it was ready for a good sharpening anyway. Fortunately getting a good edge is something I’ve worked at quite a bit
Great info! Thanks
You bet!
Hi. At last, somebody has an informative post on what we can and (more importantly), shouldn't use on a cutting board. I had a long running argument with a guy selling cutting boards when I asked if the epoxy inlay, he used, was food safe. I never did fully find out. So I never did make an epoxy inlay board (it didn't occur to me that it would scratch so easily).
Glad it was helpful! It's such a difficult topic.. hope I was able to add some clarity to it!
It did. Liked and subscribed.
When you put the knife to the epoxy and started rocking it I was laughing so hard. I’ve always wanted to see that just for giggles. Also, I may be slightly evil.
Haha okay.. that's super random. Glad it gave you some quality entertainment though :).
Is it safe to eat food of any kind from a bowl which is covered in resin? PLEASE ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
Sure, so long as it’s dry food. So you could put fruit it in, salad (no acidic dressings to be safe), dry cereal, crackers, chips..
VERY helpful - thnx heaps.
Glad it helped!
Very informative!!
Glad you think so!
Uranium isn't food safe? Well, there goes a whole batch of cutting boards.
Sorry dude.. just coat it in lead, that'll contain the radiation. :D
@@YouCanMakeThisToo, LMAO! Off to buy some lead, I guess.
Very informative. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!