Alan's boards are great examples of what's possible (nice work Alan!) Nothing beats end grain in terms of creativity, patterns, complexity, etc.Small boards are excellent for getting rid of scrap.When I'm cutting bulk for dinner, I use the big cutting board, but for a tomato, I want small board that's easy to handle and quick to wash. Don't underestimate the value of simpler, smaller boards.Many people are hesitant to cut on such a beautiful board, which means the advantages of end grain are moot.
Most people do not know, understand, or appreciate the difference between a long grain and end grain board.This can be a tricky operation, and flame wars have erupted over whether this is safe/ smart Some people use a planer to flatten an end grain board.Even a drum sander takes forever with end grain, the only thing that REALLY speeds things up is a wide belt sander.For every 10 minutes you spent aligning your saw (fence, sled, etc.) you'll save 2 hours of sanding end grain.Part of that work is fun (designing, ripping, gluing), most of it is not fun (sanding) End grain boards are 5x the work of a long grain board.
