I have found a form I really like for the bottom of platters / plates / patens. The tenon in the center is on an even plane with the outside inch or more. The only different between this and any other tenon mount is that the tenon AND the outer edges all rest on the table.
I follow Reed Grey's instructions for mounting, using a forstner bit on drill press to make a hole on the side of the blank that will become the open top of the plate. The hole is barely larger than the Nova 50mm jaws. I mount it on the recess.
I round off the sides and flatten the bottom. Then mark with a caliper just larger than the inside of the 100mm jaws. I form a shallow tenon, only cutting the minimum needed to make the angled cut. I leave all of the wood in the middle and on the outside of the groove. I shape and sand so that there is a smooth and comfortable slope towards the base of the tenon.
Before turning the platter around, I make the center and edges of the bottom on the same plane. I sand all the way to finish sanding, add a coat of de-waxed shellac, and fine sand. At least the first coat of the wipe-on poly goes on now.
When dry, I turn it around and tenon-mount mount on a chuck with 100mm jaws, and finish the form. I can use thickness calipers because the thinnest part of the bottom is accessible outside of the jaws.
These will be held while serving communion, so the bottom needs to be easy to grip and hopefully feel nice too. The top will be seen. the bottom will be felt.
There is no need to remove a tenon, and it can be re-mounted at any time.
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