Another lockdown project. A cheeseboard of ripple sycamore with a 255mm marble tile insert (Oliver's) and pyro decoration by my daughter. This has been posted from us to my daughter (a student in Leeds), from her back to us post-pyro and on to the final gift recipient (this example for a near-seaside house called 'Prawners'). The tiles came by post, too. The finish is 3 coats of 'food safe' oil.
The original sycamore plank is 85mm (presumably nominally 3 inch) thick which makes two boards, separation done on the lathe mostly with a parting tool with the piece held on a large faceplate. Each board (we have so far made 4 each with individual decoration for various occasions but otherwise the same) is then faceplate mounted for forming the board base. This includes a large recessed chucking point enabling the board to be reversed and finished with a dovetailed hole for the marble tile, which is held initially with glue and the groove then filled with clear silicone. Obviously this leaves the residual screw holes from the faceplate under the tile.
The food safe oil finish seems practical for this application and still leaves the ripple grain looking pretty good. Possibly the ripple suggests sand? With enough imagination anyway!
