any woodworking experts?

[tasunkawitko]

guys - how hard would it be to reproduce this?

i don't know the exact dimensions, but the knife can maybe be used as a comparison. according to the product description, it is "made of selected hardwoods, set to the perfect depths of 1/4th and 3/8th inches....Includes an insert for delicate cuts of meat and vegetables."

i assume that the insert is what converts it from 3/8-inch to 1/4-inch.

cost is around 40$, which souds ridiculous - i think it could be made for much less but would appreciate some advice on procedures, maybe some dimensions etc. also any ideas on how much it sould cost to actually make interms of materials, time etc.

 

[alx]

No expert,but like to play.Looks rather simple.Do you have any hobby stores nearby.They carry alot of the dimensions you listed for the sheet wood-- train makers who build city scenes etc....Be surprised if it cost 15 bucks in material-if that.....

Maybe bribe a woodworker with some q....

 

[tasunkawitko]

alex - a member at my place came up with a very interesting idea after i posted this. check it out:

http://www.baitshopboyz.com/forum/fo....asp?TID=18241

 

[alx]

That was smart as heck to make the slots the different heights and use same piece of flat wood.Very COOL!!!!

I will check out your site.....

 

[reents]

You might buy some dowell rods of diffrent sizes and a sharp kinfe and try this

 

[white cloud]

It really is a simple procedure to slice meat , using nothing more than a cutting board and a good sharp knife. You will be amazed at the unifority and accuracy you can achieve with alittle practice. Keeps the clutter out of the cupboards. You may want to partially freeze you meat first, sure does make things easier.

 

[DanMcG]

Your buddy Rockydog thinks like I do, make it so one side is 1/4" the other 3/8"s.
I thought about making some last year but still haven't got around to it.
and the idea of throwing shim plates in it for a thinner cut might work even better.
2 bucks in material and some labor...no where near $40

 

[tasunkawitko]

white cloud - i know exactly what you're saying, since i've been butchering deer since i was 12 (a long time ago), and when it comes to cutting steaks, i can do a very uniform job; however, my jerky is always wildy inconsistent, so i thought something like this might be a good way to go. as for clutter, it wouldn't be too bad. i've got a dedicated bin for meat-cutting with all of my butchering stuff - would slip right in!

 

[eaglewing]

TasunkaWitko, something just like this can also be made by using brass flat stock on edge that the knife rides along inserted into a groove cut into the oak.

If you are looking for maybe a FIXED slice thickness, then I can show you plans for what I'm trying to describe.
brass would cause NO HARM to a good knife but provide a perfect surface to ride on top of while slicing.

This would be the best way to go barring you getting a meat slicer...

 

[hounds51]

A lot of you have electric slicers. Did any one consider freezing the meat, and cutting it to 1/4" with your electric slicer? That's how Iam gonna do mine!

 

[pops6927]

That's oak for the frame. You could buy it at Home Depot already dimensioned. I made a combination spice rack/hanging rack for measuring cups and teaspoons from some, it was only a few $ for a 6' piece.
You could also take a 1" or thicker piece and rout out a well on each side, one at ¼" and on the other side at 3/8" depth with a straight bit. Do it on a router table for the initial perimeter cuts then freehand the inside to clean it out, wouldn't take more than 5 min each side. You'd have a solid piece of wood that way, no frame or rabbets or grooves to make or cut.

 

[zopi]

Thank you..I gave $2.50 cents for an ancient slicer at an estate auction the other day.couple hours work and it was useable, few more hours and it will be a museum piece..there are deals out there...

IF you have room and do enough work with meat to justify..I recently made my first canadian bacon, and a corned beef..which my wife, family and friends swooned over..so i am going to be making alot of product..justified like that...will likely be making all our bacon as well, because you just can't buy bacon that doesn't suck.

besides, I am a fan of Alton brown, and that board is definitely a unitasker..of course..you could rip some square 1/4 and 1/2 inch sticks,
lay them on the cutting board and use them as guides...

 

[justsmoke2]

I bought a nice piece of Maple for making a jerky slicer a few years back. Kids needed a school project for wood class. So at a parent teacher conference I asked the teacher if my son could do a special project. He agreed. gave my son the plans on what I wanted done and the teacher kept a close eye on him. Had him make cutting board with a handle on it. Then set the table saw with a dado blade and set depth of cut 1/8 and 1/4 inch depths. Set the fence so I had a 3/8 edge run thru turn around run thru again so sides are even, move fence and repeat the steps. using the dado blade left a just a little finish sanding.

 

[tasunkawitko]

a lot of great comments and ideas out there, guys - i apprecate them all!

 

[justpassingthru]

Ron, isn't 1/4 inch too thick for making jerky, I don't know, I've never made any, how thick would you cut jerky? Also, isn't it a little narrow to be slicing steaks or roasts, looks to be about 4 inches, wouldn't 6 or 8 inches be better?

Gene

 

[coffee_junkie]

ShopCO has slicers on sale right now for $29, it would save you from having to make this thing, I would worry about bacteria growth in the wood pores, at the least a very heavy coat of lacquer would help that.

 

[eaglewing]

That's a good point as it would have to be treated like a cutting board for that.

 

[nate_46]

No lacquer!! The best sealer to use on the cutting board is mineral oil. A few coats and a little elbow grease and it will be safe and the mineral oil is food safe. Made a few cutting boards in my time.

 

[tasunkawitko]

coffee_junkie - i was thinking of olive or mineral oil as well, rather than laquer, but i gotta admit that 29$ for a slicer is dang good - wish i was headed to GF or helena because i would pick one up!

jpt - 1/4-3/8 inch is fine for jerky, especially cured jerky, as it shrinks as it dries. if i were going to make jerky with no cure, i would do only 1/4 inch, but that's probably just me being paranoid. i see what you mean about the board being narrow, but i figured i would trim a roast to fit if necessary. this would be used primarily for deer and antelope, and their roasts tend to be smaller ~ unless a hunter is REALLy lucky ~ just kidding ~

most of the venison jerky i make is between 1/4-3/8 inch thick and about the width of two rows of letters on a keyboard, after slicing - i had some cubes once (averaging about 3/4-inch per side) and tried making a jerky-type product out of those. the ousides of the cubes dried fairly hard and left the insides chewy and basically raw, but because of the impenetrable surface they were as safe as a parma ham or south african biltong. tasted pretty good too with an interesting texture.

 

[pops6927]

After exhaustive studies comparing wood boards to plastisan boards in meatcutting rooms, wood boards sanitize better than the plastisan boards when used equally the same. Wood will hold sanitizing solution and continue to sanitize during use, but not affecting the meat cut on it (low dose sanitizer, 4ppm) whereas plastisan won't, bacteria building from the moment of contamination (usage).