the lumber in the rafters of his shop . “ They laid right up there for two or three years and dried out ,” he said pointing above his head , “ and one day I came down here , and I said I am going to build that cutting board .”
Over the years , Whitlock had watched online tutorials and videos on how to make wooden cutting boards and it had piqued his interest .
“ They caught my attention watching You Tube videos . I kept seeing those 3D ones and I would look at them … and I thought , ‘ I think I could do that ,’” he recalled . “ But I never thought I could make money off of them .”
Not pleased with his first attempt , though his daughter was proud to claim it as hers , he tried another . Happy with his second attempt , he crafted another and another board as he learned the different techniques in crafting edge grain boards versus end grain boards , the results from changing the angles of his cuts or the thickness of his wood , and the different patterns created as he incorporated different colored woods into his designs .
“ I like the challenge of it ,” Whitlock said of his new hobby . For instance , “ sometimes putting that ( juice ) groove around it , you can mess it up pretty easily , and I have messed it up .”
But through trial and error , he has learned how to turn
A wooden Christmas tree Whitlock made for a holiday bazaar in downtown Meridian .
Whitlock runs a piece of wood through a benchtop planer to make both sides smooth . his mistakes into a new element in the design . “ Every time I do it , I think I can do a little bit better ,” he said , which keeps up his interest in the craft .
Whitlock numbers every piece that he makes on the back and writes down a description in his notebook so he can keep up with his work .
“ Each one I have made is numbered , and I have written down what wood ’ s in it , how big it is , and how thick it is ,” he said .
He also has branched out from the serving boards and has made coasters and wooden Christmas decor , including holiday trees and nativity scenes . He participated in a crafts show in downtown Meridian in December , his first one , and received kudos from shoppers stopping by his table . Some of his cutting boards are also available downtown at The Crooked Letter .
Whitlock said most people do not realize how much time and work , as well as the cost of the wood , that goes into hand crafting each board , which is why they are more expensive than a cutting board made in a factory .
“ You don ’ t just walk down here ( to the shop ) and say okay and put them together ,” he said . “ It takes a good bit of thinking to do it . Picking the colors , which is something I learned a hard lesson from , and that is , ‘ Don ’ t make them dark and dreary .’ You ’ ve got to keep them bright and perky if you want to sell them .”
To keep up with more of Whitlock ’ s handcrafted woodworking projects , follow him on Facebook at DPW Designs . M
18 • MERIDIAN LIFE