[Hand-Tool Woodworking]

Project: Breakthrough T1D Gala Cutting Board (18"x20"x2")

Breakthrough T1D gala cutting board project

Materials

  • Wild Cherry boards (12"x36"x2")
  • Maple board (12"x42"x2")

Tools

  • Stanley #5 Jack Plane
  • Japanese Ryoba Crosscut and Rip Saws
  • Sharpening stones + strop
  • Square
  • Measuring tape
  • Titebond III Wood Glue

A cutting board for the Breakthrough T1D Gala silent auction

My son, now 9 years old, has lived with Type 1 Diabetes since he was 14 months old. Breakthrough T1D is a nonprofit dedicated to funding research and moving toward a cure. I made this cutting board as a gala auction piece for the Northwest Arkansas Breakthrough T1D Gala in April 2026, in support of that mission.

The design of the board is intentionally simple: cherry for warmth, maple for contrast, and a symmetrical layout that gives the piece a calm, settled feel. Like my other woodworking projects, it was made entirely with hand tools, with attention to proportion, surface, and the small details that make an everyday object feel beautiful in the home.

Making the Board

Breakthrough T1D gala cutting board project photo 3

Rip cutting the cherry

Breakthrough T1D gala cutting board project photo 5

Cutting the board to length after glue up

Breakthrough T1D gala cutting board project photo 6

Planing the cutting board flat

Breakthrough T1D gala cutting board project photo 7

Finished board

Breakthrough T1D gala cutting board project photo 8

Finished board side view

Breakthrough T1D gala cutting board project photo 9

Finished board with 10" chef knife