Walnut Serving Trays (2 sizes)

We just finished a new batch of amazing walnut trays!

Our three person shop has been making them since 1998!

Strong and attractive, the corner joints of our trays are glued, then reinforced with walnut/maple splines. They are finished with three coats of satin, clear lacquer, which enables easy clean up of those inevitable spills.

The outside dimensions of our trays are 14" X 20" or 16" X 24". Our solid wood sides are 9/16" thick. The handled ends are 2 1/4" tall and the height at the corner joints is 1 1/2".

"How do you do that?"
Customers (and other woodworkers) often ask us how we create the 1/32" maple "outline" around our walnut corner splines in our walnut serving trays. Well, it requires an intense amount of accuracy and patience. First, we cut the eight corner slots in the assembled serving tray at .250". Then we prepare the spline stock. We start with milling 2' long sticks to create "sandwiches" of .125" maple/.185" walnut/.125" maple, then glue .125" maple onto one edge of the sandwich. We then saw and sand the glued-up spline material to .250" thick and prepare the maple edge to .030" thick. We then glue the splines into the slots and sand them flush with the sides. It's a lot of work, but we feel that it's beauty is worth the effort.

Serving Tray Care Tips
Since 1998, we have been including "Care Cards" with our Classic Serving Trays that state, "Your serving tray has been finished with lacquer. Use a damp cloth to clean and then dry." This still holds true. However, allow me to share some helpful, practical advice from two people that have used our trays almost daily for over 10 years.

Steve Wright, the shop manager, and his wife have a very good tip. They put a placemat in their tray. The interior dimensions of our Classic Serving Trays are 13" X 19", which is the most common placemat size. This is no coincidence; we designed the tray to hold one entire place setting.
Also, my mother has been using one of our cherry trays for a long time. She regularly practices the "use a damp cloth to clean and then dry" routine and furthermore warns not to place the tray in a sink full of water. Also, she applies furniture polish, like Pledge, about once a month. Furniture polish protects against wear because it reduces friction, so objects tend to slide over the surface rather than digging into it. It also increases the sheen and makes the wood appear richer. If properly maintained, your serving tray will remain in service for a very long time.