Trivet

The trivet is a 5"x 5" aluminum plate, mirror finished with a design CNC milled into the top. It has four felt feet on the bottom corners to protect surfaces from scratches. It's used underneath a hot pot to protect the surface of the table or countertop.

Manufacturing Process Sheet

Advice

The program for the design on the trivet is done in MasterCam. If you are a student assigned this project, make sure you get your MasterCam file done first, and get it done by following the instructions EXACTLY as they are written. Choose a simple design that you like, nothing too complicated. Complicated designs will take a lot of time and may appear too cluttered on the trivet surface.

When you want to machine the trivet, set aside enough time to get as much of the project done as you can. It's easier to get the trivet done all at once than spend a few days working on it. If you have the time, set it aside for this project to get it out of the way!

Cost of the Trivet, if Made by Hand

Raw Stock Cost: ~$10 per 5" x 5" piece
Labor cost: $300, 15 hours at $20 an hour
- 3 hours to make the MasterCam file
- 12 hours to square, sand, CNC, and polish the trivet

This would make the piece around $310 if they were made by hand. This isn't very cost-effective, and people probably wouldn't buy a $300 trivet when they can be found for much cheaper prices.

It would take me around 17 years to make 10,000 of these trivets, if I worked consistently without stopping. It would cost a buyer around 3 million dollars to purchase all of them.