Bread board design
Ken Wulff
of hard maple and wondered about size and edge shapes?I'll biscuit all the
joints as I normally do for cutting boards. Considering the amount of flour
that seems to end up on the floor, I was thinking of a 1/2", 1" or 2" lip
all the way around the board and a small lip below the front. Most of my
recipes are in the 5-6 cup range of flour - making 2 big loaves. Anyone have
a board that they are really happy with? Are rubber feet a benefit or should
it sit flat on the counter.
thanks in advance
Ken Wulff - Toronto
Dick Margulis
Ken Wulff wrote:
Ken,
Wanna make me one, too? I can't find a commercial one I like.
Forget about the lip around the outside. It is guaranteed to get in the
way and is likely to cause major bruising to wrists and forearms--if not
broken bones. The drop lip to go over the counter edge wouldn't work in
my kitchen, because the tile edging rises a little before curving down.
But on a flat counter, I suppose it would be okay. I wouldn't go with
rubber feet; instead, it's better to put the board on a non-slip pad or
even on a towel. Feet would not stand up to use and one of them would
undoubtedly get lost, resulting in a wobble. For some types of
operations you really need to be able to slam stuff down on the surface
and not have it bounce--another reason not to use feet.
Biscuit joints are fine, and I understand that modern glues are stronger
than the wood. So if you think that's the best way to go, fine. However
the traditional construction of a two-inch-thick baker's bench uses
threaded rod (3/8-inch?) inserted in holes bored across the bench, with
washers and nuts in deep countersinks and maple plugs covering the ends.
The plugs are always flush to the edge of the bench; that is, they are
not designed to be removed for subsequent tightening. My interpretation
of this is that the rods provide structural reinforcement rather than a
way of compensating for shrinkage.
The MAIN DRAWBACK of all the boards I've looked at is that they aren't
big enough. I realize that weight goes up with size, and at some point
there's a practical limit. But I think 24 x 36 x 1.5 or 2 would be dandy.
As for the flour on the floor, don't let it get wet. Just sweep or
vacuum it up when you're done working.
graham
"Dick Margulis" <marg...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:11eb1rb...@news.supernews.com...
For cushioning, there is a rubber-underlay type of material that cabinet
makers use to keep a piece of wood from slipping around on the workbench
while sanding or even routing. Norm, on The New Yankee Workshop often uses
it. ISTM that it would be ideal in this instance.
Graham
Ken Wulff
Frid design cabinet makers bench in the basement is 2 inch thick maple with
the threaded rod system. It also weighs almost 400lbs. Seems like overkill
for dough work. The cabinets and the 300 lb stainless counter-top are
secured to the wall and the floor so they're not going anywhere. My hand
position while kneading is almost always within a one and a half foot
radius. The rubber underlay is a great idea. What if I rounded over the
raised edges?
thanks again
Ken Wulff
Dick Margulis
graham wrote:
Graham, is that the waffle-like stuff? That's the sort of non-slip pad I
was thinking of. You gotta figure, though, that it's going to get caked
with flour and lose its grip at some point, right? I wonder how easy it
is to wash and how well it stands up to repeated washings. On the other
hand, it's cheap enough to replace when it disintegrates.
Dick Margulis
Ken Wulff wrote:
Ken,
Two inches isn't a requirement. It's a request ;-) The first bench I
worked on was 6' x 12' x 4". That's overkill. The next bakery I worked
in had 2" benches, each of which was, IIRC, 8' x 2'6" or 3'. The legs
were 3" galvanized pipe with flanges.
What I built for myself at home started with a used maple block chef's
table, 2' x 4' x 2". It was kinda grungy and gounged from years of meat
cutting in one corner. So I flipped it over and cleaned it up, built a
base for it with 4" x 4" maple legs, 3/4" x 6" maple apron
(mortise-and-tenon joints), and an ankle-level drying rack-type shelf
made of maple slats fitted into maple rails. This was in an old
farmhouse with floors that were, um, not quite level. So here's what I
did at the bottom of the legs. I used fittings for 3" PVC pipe. I cut a
1" square mortise in the bottom of each leg to accommodate a drain
cleanout plug (didn't need to glue it in; gravity works). And I screwed
on the threaded end cap that the plug fits into. These became my
leveling screws, and they were sturdy enough that the bench stayed put
and withstood years of abuse (except for my ex-wife's habit of leaving
standing water on the block).
That 2' x 4' bench was the perfect size for any home batch of bread.
Nowadays, though, I've got a kitchen that has counters all around and no
place to put that large a standalone table. So I'm looking for a
portable board I can place on a counter when I need it.
The size, to my taste, has to accommodate more than just the spot where
I knead. It also has to have room to line up boules of rounded-up dough
or ropes for challah while they rest. I suppose I could just use floured
cloths on the counter, but I prefer a wooden surface because it's quick
and easy to clean up with a bench scraper. That's why I'm plumping for a
larger surface. But, weight being a factor, I could see going to 1.5"
thick instead of 2".
The thing is, there is a lot of force applied when you're working dough.
Over time, strength (thickness) matters.
Dick
Ken Wulff
Y'up, if space was not the issue I would do the same - build a monster. Good
work - usually requires good tools.
I think I'll try a couple of designs and report back. The last few cutting
boards I made were of left over strips of white oak, mahogany, and maple.
They have performed well- albeit with something like 5 biscuits per 1.5'
long strip and twenty 1.5"square strips = 100 biscuits.
But, I see your point about the "taxiing"dough waiting for forming. The
final decision will probably be dependent on the "where do I store this
beast when it's not on the counter-top " consideration.
Thanks for the input
Kennews:11ec64l...@news.supernews.com...
graham
>
>
> graham wrote:
>
>>>> Dick:
>> For cushioning, there is a rubber-underlay type of material that cabinet
>> makers use to keep a piece of wood from slipping around on the workbench
>> while sanding or even routing. Norm, on The New Yankee Workshop often
>> uses it. ISTM that it would be ideal in this instance.
>> Graham
>
> Graham, is that the waffle-like stuff? That's the sort of non-slip pad I
> was thinking of. You gotta figure, though, that it's going to get caked
> with flour and lose its grip at some point, right? I wonder how easy it is
> to wash and how well it stands up to repeated washings. On the other hand,
> it's cheap enough to replace when it disintegrates.
I'm not sure what the texture is like as I haven't used it myself (I lost my
good table saw a few years ago {divorce} and spend more time at the lathe,
when I have any that is). As for cleaning, flour should only affect the
edges and shouldn't be much worse than wood dust.
Graham
Dick Margulis
graham wrote:
> As for cleaning, flour should only affect the
> edges and shouldn't be much worse than wood dust.
Oh? Does wet wood dust form gluten? ;-)
graham
It must, judging by the breads from some "artisan" (read amateur)
bakeries:-)
Dick Margulis
graham wrote:
Too true!
Dee Randall
"Ken Wulff" <kenw...@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:BXqFe.1207$d02.3...@news20.bellglobal.com...
>snip> The final decision will probably be dependent on the "where do I
>store this
> beast when it's not on the counter-top " consideration.
I just bought two (cheap) bread boards (called cutting boards) - you may see
my original post 7-10-05 entitled "100% Mineral oil on bread boards" and I
can't recall the dimensions, but probably around 16x18. One of them has a
lip on one side only. The other has a lip on both sides. So, since I had
two and they are pretty heavy buggers, I had to put one of them away, but
the other one I left out on a wooden table that I use for my bread making
where I keep a marble bread board. I've used it once to lift the bread
onto, really using it in place of a wooden peel as in the past. This
particular time that I used the bread board I was wishing that I had TWO of
them out on the table, but when it came time to do the clean-up and decide
just where I was going to leave/store it, I was glad that I had only used
one of them, which won't be a problem for now on, because I don't think I'll
be making 4 loaves anytime soon again. (I only made the 4 loaves because I
wanted to give my recently repaired KitchenAid Mixer a running to see if it
was adequately repaired.)
Back to your consideration: where to store it when it's not on the
counter-top. This presents another problem for me, and perhaps for all
bakers, because I don't want flour floating around on anything left out for
critters to enjoy, no matter where I store it. The wooden kitchen table,
Amish-type, bought at Costco many years ago, you see them everywhere, that
has become my bread table now has the bread board 'permanently' sitting
alongside the permanently sitting marble. I have brushed off the flour as
much as possible (I decided not to put any mineral oil on this bread board -
maybe I will for the second one), and covered it with tea-towels to keep it
clean. I don't want to put any wet dough on it because it is cheap; perhaps
I will later on, just for experimentation.
I didn't put anything under the board that I used. It did not slip;
however, I was not kneading. If I were to put pressure kneading away from
me, the lip would keep it from moving that direction. If I were kneading
back toward me, then my body would keep it moving in that direction. It
didn't seem to me that this board would do much moving (as I was wondering
the same thing and giving it a push and a shove), but I was not doing any
heavy kneading.
My best,
Dee
Bock
I very much agree with Dick on all his submissions except construction
as I have no experince there.
My marble slab is 18 by 24 and breadboard is 22 X 16 which are okay for
single loaf or 5 to 7 inch pies but not the double loafs or big stuff.
It depends on the size of ones work area. One consideration is whether
the breadboard is placed on a counter against a wall prehaps under a
cupboard as opposed to my situation where it is an island and access
from all 4 sides.
Bock
> > makers use to keep a piece of wood from slipping around on the workbench
> > while sanding or even routing. Norm, on The New Yankee Workshop often uses
> > it. ISTM that it would be ideal in this instance.
> > Graham
>
> hand, it's cheap enough to replace when it disintegrates.
If it is the stuff my boss was talking about, I got a piece and rubbed
it between my fingers to show
how easy it sheds just like a pencil eraser. Not anything I would like.
barry
> For cushioning, there is a rubber-underlay type of material that cabinet
> makers use to keep a piece of wood from slipping around on the workbench
> while sanding or even routing. Norm, on The New Yankee Workshop often
> uses it. ISTM that it would be ideal in this instance.
> Graham
>
They sell this stuff in yoga supply outlets as "Sticky mat," or "exercise
mat." You can find it a lot cheaper by looking around. If you're
interested, I'll find out more.
Barry
Boron Elgar
<electronicm...@telus.net> wrote:
>
>My marble slab is 18 by 24 and breadboard is 22 X 16 which are okay for
>single loaf or 5 to 7 inch pies but not the double loafs or big stuff.
>
>It depends on the size of ones work area. One consideration is whether
>the breadboard is placed on a counter against a wall prehaps under a
>cupboard as opposed to my situation where it is an island and access
>from all 4 sides.
You can buy a "tavolini" that is 24" x 28" here:
http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=171870
I do not like my marble board for bread and use a large Matfer
kneading sheet (looks like Silpat), as I can put it anywhere and it
weighs only a few ounces. It stays where it is placed & is an easy
clean-up.
Boron
graham
"barry" <john...@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:s34Ge.1363$7Q1...@fe09.lga...
Cheers
Graham