@nsj thanks Neil, that is the obvious answer I’d stupidly not considered…
The other side is a bit nicer, but this will be my first carve top, so this suggestion makes the best sense.

Can’t you turn it over, make that side the top then all that will get carved out anyway?    If not binding is about 6mm and it looks like you should hide most if not all of it, could also…   Read more»