I have been toying around with an idea for a while now, it is to use my Carvewright CNC to create the bearing surface for a routered dish instead of using a template. The idea is that any shape could be made without the expense of buying templates. I decided to start off with a simple shape.
To create the shapes, I used the new 2d software (carvewright just released new software kits that are 2d/3d and act much more like coreldraw/inkscape and artcam than before... it is now much easier to use the CW software to create your own patterns. Here is a demo video in case anyone is curious
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=ETbkUXelq7I
at any rate, I took a chunk off a hunk of 10.5 inch wide 3.5 inch thick maple and threw it on the CW. The "training wheel" bearing surfaces are only 1/4 inch deep, but that's all you need to create a surface that the bearing can ride on.
I cut the outside shape out on my bandsaw, using the groove created by my cw to follow along. I then used a colt maxicut bit (I love these bits) to hog out most of the wood and then used a handheld router and bit/bearing to create the depth (an extension is used to go deep) I then used a belt sander on the outside and a roundover bit on all the surfaces...
Finish will be 10-12 very thin coats of an oil poly mix-- getting thinner on the oil and heavier on the poly as I go along. I have found this finish to hold up very well in the past to food use, and after it is cured completely (about a month or two) all smell is gone and I am confident that it is food safe. I did a test a couple of years ago with salsa in a similar dish, and this finish held up just fine.
At any rate, thanks for looking, and always, comments, suggestions, or constructive criticism are appreciated.
Lawrence
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