Chipkin and MakerLabs Team Up For Some Fun
June 2018 – The Vancouver-based Chipkin team spent a full day at MakerLabs for a hands-on corporate team-building event. The focus of the day was to collaboratively design and build a practical product from start to finish: custom wooden cutting boards intended for use in cooking.
MakerLabs is a Vancouver makerspace that provides access to tools, workspace, and skills training to help people build physical projects. For our team, it was an opportunity to work outside our normal day-to-day environment, learn (or refine) workshop skills, and complete a shared build that required planning, coordination, and attention to detail at every step.
In attendance: Peter Chipkin, Amos Vivancos Leon, Jeff Kelly, Sarah Gordon, Steven Smethurst, Hitarth Joshipura, Brennan Cathcart, and Alex Fontaine. With guidance from MakerLabs staff, we went from initial design sketches to finished cutting boards—custom made by the team and ready for real kitchen use.
Design Planning and Wood Preparation
We started the day by discussing the cutting board designs as a group. This included deciding on general dimensions, thinking through how the boards would be used in cooking, and planning how individual wood pieces would be arranged before assembly. This early planning step helped reduce rework later and ensured we followed a sensible sequence once we moved into cutting and assembly.
After the designs were sketched out, we moved into the workshop and began cutting the wood to size. The goal at this stage was consistency and fit—each piece needed clean edges and accurate dimensions so it could be assembled into a solid board. MakerLabs provided the tools and a safe working environment, and their team assisted with setup and general guidance as we progressed.
Once the first cuts were complete, we reviewed the pieces against the original designs and prepared them for assembly. This included checking alignment, confirming the intended layout, and making sure the pieces were ready for glue-up.
Layout Decisions, Gluing, and Clamping
With all pieces prepared, we had to decide the final order and arrangement of the wood strips. This is where the custom aspect of each cutting board came into focus: participants evaluated how the grain and color variations would look once assembled, and finalized the layout before committing to glue.
After the order was set, we applied adhesive and assembled the boards. The next step was clamping—ensuring consistent pressure so the pieces bonded evenly across the full surface. Clamping is an important step for achieving a stable board, and it reinforced the broader theme of the day: good outcomes come from both careful planning and disciplined execution.
Once clamped, the boards were left long enough for the bond to set properly. While waiting, we reviewed what was next in the process and prepared for trimming and finishing work.
Trimming to Final Size, Sanding, and Personalization
After bonding, we cut the boards down to their final dimensions. This stage focused on straight edges and consistent sizing so the boards would feel balanced and comfortable to use in the kitchen. Once trimmed, we moved on to sanding and surface preparation. Sanding removed roughness, reduced sharp edges, and helped achieve a smooth finish suitable for regular handling and cleaning.
We also added personal touches using laser equipment. This step allowed participants to customize their boards with markings or designs, turning each cutting board into a distinct, finished product. Combining woodworking and laser detailing made the build more engaging and showcased the range of tools available at MakerLabs.
By this point, the cutting boards were structurally complete and visually unique—custom designed, built, and refined by the team as part of the corporate event.
Mineral Oil Finish and Completed Cutting Boards
The final stage involved applying mineral oil to protect the wood and make the cutting boards suitable for use in cooking. Mineral oil is commonly used on wooden kitchen tools to help seal the surface, reduce moisture absorption, and preserve the natural wood grain without adding strong odors or flavors.
Once oiled, the boards took on a richer appearance and a more finished feel. At the end of the day, the team had produced practical kitchen cutting boards that were custom designed and built during a corporate event—an end-to-end project that combined planning, fabrication, finishing, and personalization.
Special thanks to Kyle and Skyler of MakerLabs for helping the day run smoothly and guiding the group through the process.
