Here’s an end grain cutting board made from a few left-over pieces of wood in the shop. I got the idea from Wood magazine (I think) a few months ago so I made it for my wife for Christmas.
A mistake here was cutting an even number of slices which makes the pattern unsymmetrical. I don’t know if they warned against this in the article (I loaned it out before I read it), but it’s something to keep it in mind if you build one.
Starting with the dimensions of the scrap pieces, I used a spreadsheet to calculate the best compromises among thickness, number of cuts, and dimensions (it’s nearly a golden rectangle) so that I had as little waste as possible. I finished it with mineral oil, which happens to be in the laxative aisle at my local drug store. Fortunately we don’t experience any negative effects when eating foods prepared on the board. 😉