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Koru Cutting Board
Koru is Māori for "loop" or coil. It is based on an unfurling fern, a common motive for traditional wooden carvings and tattoos. Said to represent growth, the inward spiral characterizing a return to a central point.
I made this cutting board as a late birthday gift for my Mom.
![KoruPt.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cc0773_acba31dd0bbe4d4195a034f42205bb2d~mv2_d_3264_4912_s_4_2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_508,w_2261,h_3013/fill/w_199,h_265,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/KoruPt.jpg)
A koru in the Azores.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cc0773_dd0ced20fac4463cbcfc42f5b7c33d5f~mv2_d_2000_1999_s_2.png/v1/fill/w_481,h_480,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/cc0773_dd0ced20fac4463cbcfc42f5b7c33d5f~mv2_d_2000_1999_s_2.png)
Specifications
Dimensions: 297 x 232 x 50 mm
(W x D x H)
Material: End grain walnut, Brass
Weight: 3 kg
Finish: Mineral oil / beeswax
How I made it
How I made it
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cc0773_66ce1cee6a3b48c79af875a9a98935cbf002.jpg/v1/fill/w_118,h_67,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cc0773_66ce1cee6a3b48c79af875a9a98935cbf002.jpg)
I started off by chopping 37 x 37 mm walnut into 40 mm long pieces.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cc0773_f66c3e23f4934ba1b30b4486eb3eead5f000.jpg/v1/fill/w_118,h_67,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cc0773_f66c3e23f4934ba1b30b4486eb3eead5f000.jpg)
Then I had to figure out how the pattern should be.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cc0773_8d6dc34f2aa74d53acbd17c27c51ca2ff002.jpg/v1/fill/w_118,h_66,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cc0773_8d6dc34f2aa74d53acbd17c27c51ca2ff002.jpg)
This is the final pattern I decided on.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cc0773_edf97291ccb548d1a33fa0a82f1a4961f002.jpg/v1/fill/w_118,h_66,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cc0773_edf97291ccb548d1a33fa0a82f1a4961f002.jpg)
I glued the pieces together.
Then took it over to the CNC.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cc0773_abcb946b793f4c9e9f84d5abce278c38f001.jpg/v1/fill/w_117,h_66,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cc0773_abcb946b793f4c9e9f84d5abce278c38f001.jpg)
First I faced both sides flat.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cc0773_b1f3cefa0b9c480fb79e07faec41a9ddf000.jpg/v1/fill/w_117,h_66,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cc0773_b1f3cefa0b9c480fb79e07faec41a9ddf000.jpg)
Then I roughed out the pattern.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cc0773_09cb0e0f6eb64af7a9347b7016ffa917~mv2_d_4912_3264_s_4_2.jpg/v1/crop/x_0,y_154,w_4912,h_2880/fill/w_116,h_68,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cc0773_09cb0e0f6eb64af7a9347b7016ffa917~mv2_d_4912_3264_s_4_2.jpg)
This is how the cutting board looks after roughing.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cc0773_99f7665809d3493aa9f5084a7105cb02f000.jpg/v1/fill/w_117,h_66,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cc0773_99f7665809d3493aa9f5084a7105cb02f000.jpg)
Then I did a final finishing pass.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cc0773_9c5dacc99be44fd6b3da6d9490815ad3f000.jpg/v1/fill/w_116,h_65,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cc0773_9c5dacc99be44fd6b3da6d9490815ad3f000.jpg)
The best part — oiling the board.
I use a mix of food-grade mineral oil and beeswax
The final result
The final result
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cc0773_ab04e09ed37f473393438fadbba0f082f002.jpg/v1/fill/w_155,h_87,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cc0773_ab04e09ed37f473393438fadbba0f082f002.jpg)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cc0773_917273ec99914b7fa729e9c529389225f001.jpg/v1/fill/w_155,h_87,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/cc0773_917273ec99914b7fa729e9c529389225f001.jpg)
CAD model
CAD model
You can find a model of the cutting board below. You should also be able to see the cam operations.
Tools I used
Tools I used
01/
Woodworking
Not that much to say. The board is a simple wood working project.
02/
CNC milling
While it would be possible to make the board with only hand tools it would have been much harder.
Things I learnt
01/
CAD / ART
The board combines traditional solid modeling with aesthetic elements.
02/
End grain cutting boards
This is the first end grain cutting board I made.
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