Cutting Board Re-Finish

[Dwight]

On Facebook Marketplace . . . you can pick up a decent 12 inch wide planer for 100 bucks . . . or at least I did.

Then cut your HDPE about 11 1/2 inches wide . . . run it thru the planer.  If you do it right . . . all the pieces will be THE EXACT same thickness . . . and can be either screwed down or double sticky back tape . . .  put to the table.  Take a thin file . . . just BARELY take the length wise edge off the sides . . . your leather will never notice it if you just cut enough off so it is not sharp.  The two pieces should slide together really super flat.

One thing about it though . . . after about 15 years . . . it has a tendency to become brittle on the edges . . . I have a 3 by 5 piece to prove it.  I could probably cut out a piece that would be 2 1/2 by 4 1/2 . . . but  I can snap off pieces of the edges in about 3 inches or so.

But I gave up on it . . . went to Joann Fabric . . . bought their 3 ft by 5 ft sewing table piece . . . it is the second one now in a little over 10 years . . . cost 75 apiece.  To me . . . that is worth twice the price.  Hold it down 

I bought a 4 x 8 sheet of it last spring for a little less than 300 bucks for a different project . . . shop around . . . you may find it . . . I had to go to Columbus Ohio . . . population one million . . . to get it.

May God bless

Dwight

[Dave9111]

Sams Club sells commercial cutting boards.  I cut them up with a table saw to get smaller pieces.  Great for backer board while using a hole punch and relatively cheap.   I think they are about 20x24 inches or so.  

[nylonRigging]

On 7/14/2025 at 2:04 AM, WMages said:

I'm on the second side now. I actually haven't seen the cut scars transfer to the grain side of the leather yet but then again, I don't often have it on there when wet. Perhaps and easier option might be to buy new when I think it's necessary. But a 4'x8' sheet of this stuff is near $700.   I hope one day when room permits, to have a 4x8 work bench surfaced with it. This stuff is great BTW.

 

Thank you to each of you who took the time to respond and share your thoughts and experiences. This forum is invaluable to a rookie at all this like me. There is truly an encyclopedia of knowledge here.

it is pretty cost effective, and common easy finding retail store, and I like the softer HDPE for punch, been using it for many years . HDPE is great and cheap for abusing for a backing when punching . But.. 'cutting' on HDPE surface, it takes a BAD beating . I was just at the supply warehouse yesterday picking up some more 4x8 sheets of ABS and HDPE, and while I was there was looking and pricing the Actalcopolymer sheets ( For Cutting ) not punching .
If you ever are going to 'UpGrade' to a 100 x superior material for a 'cutting surface' board . Buy Acetal Copolymer ( Polyoxymethylene ) .  Very Similar structure to Derlin, but it not Derlin and is a little cheaper in cost over Derlin.
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OK, quick search . . here a simple vid. of what I am saying . the Vid. got A Lot of OP Jibber-Jabber knife talk . so I started into the Vid. 4: 17 minute .

Cut Surface
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