Lattice style trivet

Dave Paine

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In my area this object is called a trivet. I expect other areas have other names such as hot pot holder. Please comment if you have another name.

I saw this design many years ago. I was reminded at a visit to the local Woodcraft store where they had variations on this design made on a CNC machine so they had circular slots instead of straight. I do not have a CNC machine, but decided to try the straight slot lattice style I had seen so many years ago on my milling machine. I am happy with how this turned out.

A piece of red oak, about 8.5in square. The finish is just mineral oil.

A series of slots milled to half depth on one side parallel to the grain.

Trivet_lattice_red-oak_oiled_front_7844.jpg

On the other side at right angles to the grain.

Trivet_lattice_red-oak_oiled_back_7845.jpg

My steps below for anyone interested.

It is so easy to forget to add or subtract the cutter width when calculating co-ordinates for the DRO so I decided to make a spreadsheet since I have a few requests to make these for friends.

Trivet_dimensions_calculations.jpg

In my first attempt I cut the piece square on the tablesaw. I have a good mitre gauge - by woodworking standards, but the edges were slightly off 90 deg. Hence the ends of the slots did not align. For my second attempt I trimmed the edges on the milling machine as well as one face which was not flat.

I tried clamping the wood in the mill vise, but it flexed so I had to remove the vise and clamp directly to the table.

My Grizzly G1008 mill does not have the Y axis travel to be able to mill all 6 slots so I mill 3 slots then turn the piece 180 deg to mill the other 3. I am using a small square clamped to the table to register the back left corner of the work. I used an edge finder to find the edges then moved the X axis to the centre and set DRO X axis to 0. On the Y axis I used edge finder then set the rear edge to 0 on the DRO.

The spreadsheet reflects this convention. X axis co-ordinates are from centre, and Y axis from the rear edge.

Trivet_lattice_red-oak_first_half_milled_7950.jpg

After milling the first side, I flip to the other side and rotate 90 deg. First slot on the other side will show if I got the depth correct. I needed to raise the table a couple of thou for the other slots to get better "holes" from the slot intersections.

Trivet_lattice_red-oak_first_slot_second_side_7951.jpg

The milling completed. I kept my printout on the table. It is very easy to get confused if the co-ordinates are not written down.

Trivet_lattice_red-oak_milling_completed_with_note_7952.jpg

There are always what I call "feathers" to be removed.

Trivet_lattice_red-oak_before_feathers_removed_7954.jpg

The edges were routed with 1/4in radius roundover bit.

The appearance after sanding before adding the mineral oil.

I must have messed up with the table position for the beginning of slot in the lower left. It is my "oops" and not an optical illusion.

Trivet_lattice_red-oak_edge_routed_sanded_7965.jpg
 
Any object a hot pan was placed upon was always called a trivet in my trade.
 
Weren't those the fluffy little ball on Star trek?
 
I probably shouldn't have thrown that out like I did but couldn't help myself. I did enjoy seeing your trivet though and might even whip one up for the wife this winter when its too old to be in the shop.
 
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