How to Make a Cutting Board With Compartments/Trays

The whole premise of cooking is to be able to allow one's self to create their ideal masterpiece. In the kitchen, utilizing your surroundings, one should be able to explore your abilities and skills in creating a "perfect" dish. However, ironically, your surrounding can also be your biggest obstacle. Whilst helping out my parents in the kitchen with dinner, I've noticed that it can get pretty crowded in your average kitchen. This is especially apparent when I use the cutting board which can take up a lot of space on it's own. When you throw in all the other items you use whilst using a cutting board sometimes, it can get clustered and nearly impossible to navigate sometimes.

Step 1: Materials Required

- 3 Wooden Boards (32 cm x 24 cm x 1 cm)

- 5 Wooden Trays (22 cm x 9 cm x 5 cm)

- Minimum of 12 Magnets (1/4 in. Diameter)

- 3 Wooden Plugs (1/2 in. Diameter)

Step 2: Tools Required

- Drill with interchangeable drill bits

- Power Saw

- Sand Paper

- Wood Glue

- Super Glue

- Screwdriver with PH1 Phillips Head

- 3/4 in. pin/nail

- 5/64 Drill Bit

- Clamp

- Hammer (Not Pictured)

Step 3: Measurements: Positioning Inner Trays

To Find Best placement of Inner Trays:

- Place 3 inner trays on center of one 32 cm x 24 cm board

- After centering, push all three to make them flush with the length edge. (This is where you will pull the trays in/out)

- Draw outline of all 3 trays on the 32 cm x 24 cm board.

Step 4: Measurements: Positioning Back Panel + Side Panels

To Properly Position Back Panel + Side Panels:

- For the back panel, extend the line drawn to represent the back of the three trays across the entire 32 cm x 24 cm board (opposite to the side flushed w/ bottom board)

- From this line, draw another line directly 1 cm above.

- For each side panel, just simply draw another line 1 cm to the left or right, depending on which side panel you are positioning. (Make sure to be careful in not crossing the side panels over the back panel)

Step 5: Measurements: Drawing Out the Panels

- To find out the height of the side panels, measure the height of the trays and go up a couple to a few millimeters to ensure that not only will be the top cutting board be flush with the trays, but the trays will be able to slide easily.

- Transfer all the measurements taken from the previous bottom board on to the second spare wood board.

- *Note* Don't forget to clearly make marks on excess wood, just incase you mess up cutting and need a spare new panel.

Step 6: Constructing: Producing the Side Panels

- Using the Power Saw, carefully cut out each panel.

- *Note* For better results, push the saw slowly along the lines to maintain stability and ensure the cleaned cut edges.

- Afterwards, compare heights of the side panels to trays and sand down the panels until they are equal and flush.

Step 7: Constructing: Gluing + Nailing Side Panels to Bottom Board

To begin combining the panels to the bottom board:

- Place wood glue within the shaded in area on the bottom board, this will be where you place each side panel respectively.

- Following the gluing, line up each panel and place them on the bottom board. (Don't forget to adjust accordingly based on the fit of the inner trays in the center)

- *Note* Allow around 15 minutes to dry.

- After waiting for the glue to dry momentarily, flip the entire bottom board over, and nail in from the bottom through the bottom board and into the bottom of the side panel. This ensures that the side panel will be strongly secured onto the bottom board

Step 8: Constructing: Marking Indentations for the Magnets

- To make sure that the magnet that will be placed on each side tray and side panel line up, make careful measurements and marking.

- The placement can be positioned in numerous areas with varying amounts of magnets, all depending on amount of magnets purchased.

- *Note* Around 5 magnets for each panel and side tray is the recommended amount after experimenting.

Step 9: Constructing: Drilling Indentations + Placing Magnets

- Begin drilling into the marked indentation with the 1/16 drill bit on the power drill

- *Note* Perform this slowly to make sure that you don't drill in too far.

- After drilling in each marking, super glue in the magnet to the indentations.

- *Note* Remember to ensure that the polarity of the magnets when faced out attract the side tray to the side panel, not repel)

Step 10: Constructing: Finally Gluing on the Cutting Board

To perform this in the simplest way possible:

- Apply a reasonable amount of wood glue to the top of the side panels.

- Line up the cutting board and place onto the side panels

- *Note* Allow to dry for at least a few to ensure it will be completely dry

Step 11: Constructing: Placing Wooden Plug Onto Inner Tray

- Locate center of the outward facing side of the tray, and mark it with a dot.

- Place a couple to a few drops of wood glue to bind the wooden plug to the tray

- *Note* Allow up to 3 to 5 hours to dry in order to make sure that the plug stays on when being tugged on.

- Repeat this process for each of the other inner trays.

Step 12: Touch Ups

- After everything is said and done, sand down any edges that aren't smooth.

- Erase any pencil marks you haven't done.

- Wipe down the trays and cutting board with a sanitary wipe.

Step 13: Finished!

Congrats! You've just successfully constructed a "Cutting Box". With this much more compact, user friendly, and eco-friendly device, you can do much more and take up less space in the kitchen.