Two recent lettercutting projects; an elm breadboard and an oak memorial

I was contacted by a client who wanted a breadboard with a carved inscription, made from seasoned oak. Oak is actually not a great wood to use for chopping boards, as it can split easily and contains a lot of tannins that could taint food. I suggested elm instead and am very happy with how the board now looks:

It has been finished with olive oil that has been slightly warmed, so that it penetrates the wood more deeply and doesn't sit on the surface going sticky. The surface was then buffed to a satiny sheen.

Another recent commission involved carving and constructing an oak memorial. It is to be sited in a natural cemetery and so it was important that no metal or stone was used in the construction (eg. metal screws). The sign is joined using glue and dowels instead and the board is finished with durable tung oil. A separate stake was provided, at the client's request, to make a pilot hole into which this stake could be pushed without damaging it.