It's easiest to get started on this project if the flooring pieces are first cut into sections about 2 feet long, as long as the width of the rough cut is wider than the desired width of the finished cutting board. Rip the pieces off the ground. Each piece of soil must be ripped twice.
If it's a tongue and groove floor, remove the "tongue" and "groove" from each piece with a flush cut on the table saw. Start by running the side of the flat slot along the fence, cutting to remove the tongue.
It is quicker and easier to rip the tongue side off all of the wood material before resetting the fence and moving on to the groove sides. After all the tongues have been removed, you can reset the fence to rip out the old grooves on the opposite side of the cylinder head.
Each piece of flooring should be laid flat on all four sides. Position the tabletop trowel at the proper height and feed the material through the trowel. Again, it's best to batch only one side on the entire material at once before resetting and moving on to another side. Plan the top, bottom, left and right parts of each piece.
Using food-safe glue and wood nails, glue and nail each piece together, making sure the joints are tight. It is best to do this on a flat, sturdy surface. It is important to allow the wood glue to cure completely before moving on to the next step.
Once the glue has fully dried, use a circular saw to rip one side of the butcher block straight across (Image 1), then run it through the table saw to square off the other edge (Image 2). For the edges, trim the butcher block with similar material or other hardwood (Image 3).
Sand the top and edges with a belt sander and then an orbital sander. In each case start with a coarser grain moving towards the fine. Once you've sanded to a smooth surface, dust off and apply multiple coats of butcher oil or mineral oil to bring out the grain of the wood and provide a rich, finished look.
