Baby Board?

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John Loftis

KKF Vendor
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I've gotten a number of requests for smaller boards. Wondering if that's something that would have broader appeal for light duty tasks. I know scale is difficult in pictures, but this little cherry board is 10" X 14" X 1 1/4" thick. It probably weighs 3 lbs or so. I like the size and the proportions. Could go a little smaller, but not any thinner.

Do you think I should make a run of Baby Boards for light use? No feet; still end grain. Would like to be at or under $100 if I can swing it. Or maybe I do a deal where folks get a significant discount on a baby board if they buy a big board.

Opinions?
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Yes!

Edit: not necessarily saying that I will buy one, since I just bought a small hisoft to fill this role. But I would have bought one 2 months ago if they had been available.
 
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You mean of course, cocktail boards.... Everybody has a small piece of crap for cutting the lemons, limes, etc. I bought a nice small knife for this task. Would rather have a board that is also nice.
 
You mean of course, cocktail boards.... Everybody has a small piece of crap for cutting the lemons, limes, etc. I bought a nice small knife for this task. Would rather have a board that is also nice.

10" X 14" a good size? Too big?
 
It would be large but I don't think too large.

The difficulty with anything smaller is that it would not have much utility beyond the bar. (Maybe I have a one track mind.....)
 
Love it but even that may be too big! I need something small... I'll measure what my space will take when i get home. I'm stoked to see this..
 
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John,

I would buy one! Also, I noticed several manufacturers producing "isolation boards" for audio components, even racks made out of butcher block. I currently use one of my boardsmith boards, I have two, as a base for my amp, and it is perfect for that application. Might be a new segment to get into?
 
I have a 9" x 12" end grain walnut on feet....it's a useful size.
Easy to clean and to pick up to sweep product into a pan.
 
Another idea is to design the board to fit in a 13 5/8" x 11 x 7/8 x 3 3/8" USPS Medium Flat Rate Shipping Box so it ships for under $15.00...
 
I have a board that is 11" x 14" x 1 1/2" and I use it a LOT! Nice for light prep work when I don't need the big 18" x 24" Magnum.
 
I had a 12 x 18 board from a different side vendor that cracked into a 6 x 12 and a 12 square. I love that stupid 6 x 12 board. Not sure how popular it would be but I thought of asking you to cut an 18” board in half to 9x 12 pieces. It was, alas, only a fleeting thought

Parbaked, good idea
 
Another idea is to design the board to fit in a 13 5/8" x 11 x 7/8 x 3 3/8" USPS Medium Flat Rate Shipping Box so it ships for under $15.00...

That's brilliant. My packaging costs average around $7 per shipment, so if I can use a 'free' flat rate box and only need styrofoam or bubble wrap to line the box, then that represents savings I can pass on.

So... honing in on 9" X 12" as a target size, then.
 
John,

I would buy one! Also, I noticed several manufacturers producing "isolation boards" for audio components, even racks made out of butcher block. I currently use one of my boardsmith boards, I have two, as a base for my amp, and it is perfect for that application. Might be a new segment to get into?

I've gotten several requests for some version of that over the years. I don't understand the science behind it. I am good friends with some engineers who work for a company that produces anti-vibration products, so I'm sure I/we could come up with something if I had a better understanding of how end grain reduces sound vibration better than other materials.

There's so much magic in the audio world....

There's a local speaker designer here in Dallas of some note who I helped with fabrication for a few years. He just designed the speakers for my living room for an inexpensive home theater system that will largely be integrated into the cabinetry. I run power tools all day, so I won't be able to appreciate the sound like I would have in my younger days, but I'm excited about this project nonetheless.
 
I agree that something in the 10"x 14" range would have a lot of appeal. Lots of people do not have counter space to keep larger boards there all of the time, and larger boards can be hard to stow vertically in kitchen cabinets. I have several plastic boards (I know, shame, shame) that are 10"x 14" and before I started thinking about things like edge retention, I used them on basically every kitchen task except cutting larger pieces of meat.
 
I like the prototype its a useful size and a good price /value around $100...
 
What about finger grooves on the ends of the board? If these will not have feet, are the grooves important? Unimportant? Desirable? Not?

Just got a pre-order, so will make the first batch in whatever wood the customer chooses.
 
IMHO mobility is a selling point of this format, so I'd be inclined to say finger-grooves are useful
 
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I’ve been a small chopping advocate for years. 14 inch square by 2 inch end grain. No juice grooves, hand holds on all four sides. I wash my board between tasks in the sink w cold water. Fits in a standard kitchen draw when I’m done.
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Let's do enough to make it worthwhile...count me in... I'm w/ Dennis that grooves on the sides are most useful (but confused by the knife w no kanji/makers mark). Will there be wood options? I'd personally like cherry if available?
 
What about finger grooves on the ends of the board? If these will not have feet, are the grooves important? Unimportant? Desirable? Not?
If the board is only going to be 1 1/4" thick I don't see the need for a finger groove. It's just unnecessary labor and the board should still be easy to pick up being that small and thin.
 
There is definitely are market for boards such as this.
 
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Quick update: made a batch of a dozen 9" X 12" baby boards last week. They are curing over the weekend and hope to get pictures taken and a new category created on the website this week.
 
This is great idea!
 
This is a great idea! I love my 16x22, but it's just too much of a hassle to take out and wash when I'm doing small meal prep. I like the idea of being able to easily wash it in the sink and stash it in a drawer, which I can't do with the big board.

Could you include the average weight of these boards too?
 
This is a great idea! I love my 16x22, but it's just too much of a hassle to take out and wash when I'm doing small meal prep. I like the idea of being able to easily wash it in the sink and stash it in a drawer, which I can't do with the big board.

Could you include the average weight of these boards too?
Sure. Once I get the boards finished and oiled, I'll try to get some accurate weights. I'm guessing 3 lbs...
 
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