JaJo Woodworking
Joel in the shop, flattening a blue epoxy river board with a router

Boards made by a grandfather and his grandson

Hardwood and epoxy cutting and serving boards, made by hand in New Jersey. No two come out alike.

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Meet us at the Holiday Boutique on Sunday, November 15. Every board here will be on our table.

This season's boards

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JaJo is Jaden and Joel

A grandfather and his grandson, working side by side. Jaden gave the name its first two letters and Joel gave it the last two, and every board passes through both of their hands before it's done.

Joel and his grandson Jaden

Joel, the grandfather

After 30 years in the travel business and owning the Mason Jar restaurant, Joel retired with plans to relax, travel, cook and play golf. Then a few years ago he found Steve Ramsey's Weekend Woodworker course online. He built a workbench and a garden bench while learning to use shop tools safely and to join and finish wood, and he was hooked.

YouTube videos on cutting boards came next, along with toys for the younger grandkids. Today he has a full wood shop, with no room left for cars in the garage.

Jaden, the grandson

Jaden started out watching his grandfather at the bench. His first project was a pinewood derby car for the Boy Scouts, built with some of Joel's tools.

From there he moved on to charcuterie boards and chopping boards alongside Joel. Now he's hooked too.

How a river board gets made

A river board takes days, and most of that is waiting for the epoxy to cure.

  1. Pick the wood

    Two slabs are matched so their natural edges face each other across a gap. That gap becomes the river.

  2. Pour the river

    Tinted epoxy fills the gap, sometimes in more than one layer, and cures for several days.

  3. Flatten and sand

    The board is flattened, then sanded through finer and finer grits until wood and epoxy feel like one surface.

  4. Oil and finish

    A food-safe oil and wax finish brings out the grain and protects the wood.

Want one made for you?

Pick the wood, the size and the color of the river. Tell us what you have in mind and we'll reply with a price and how long it will take.

Email us about a custom board

Or write to hello@jajowoodworking.com, or ask us in person at the Holiday Boutique.