[Woodcarver] How to carve a deep , long , narrow , winding groove

[harry hadadi]

why dont you make a special piece that will adapt the dremel to do what you want.
  that way you get the same dept, and a better hold on it. i mean the same as the router system only small.
  
  just thinking
  
  harry

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I'd  be grateful for advice on this : I want to carve into the outside of a  turned wooden bowl ( say 300mm or twelve inches in diameter )  the  pattern of a jigsaw puzzle . The figuring of the wood will then be the  jigsaw's pattern . In between the "pieces" of the jigsaw  will be  the deep ,  long , narrow , winding groove that I''ll carve . I'll  then fill the groove with a coloured resin . The groove must not  penetrate through to the bowl's inner surface , so I can't use a saw .  I want the groove to be narrow , say 3mm or an eighth of an inch  maximum . Depth of groove about 5mm or two tenths of an inch . The  "pieces" of the jigsaw will be about 25 by 40 mm or one by one and half  inches in size , so the groove between the pieces will be quite wiggly  in order to form the classic knobs and sockets of the "pieces" . 
  
  Now for some questions - am I right in thinking that the only way to  carve this groove is using a router ? I don't think that hand tools  could do this . 
  
 I've tried it with a full-size router - the problem is in  shifting  the heavy beast  around with enough precision so  that I can do the  fine detail of the wiggly knobs and sockets .
  
 I've also tried it with a Dremel - here the problem is that the  router is so light that  ( with the bits I've tried  ) it  tends to  get dragged off-course and the groove has lots of little  wobbles in it or places where the groove has suddenly widened  .  Keeping the tool at right angles to the surface ( this is needed   - it's all part of a cunning plan  :>) which I'll unveil when I  get it to work ) is also difficult for me . Removing the wood in one  pass along this ( relatively ) deep and narrow groove seems like too  much of a challenge for Dremel bits , and the tool itself . It's hard  enough to guide the bit in one pass that I recoil at the thought of  having to take two bites at the cherry to get the necessary depth . 
  
  So......what would you recommend ? And if the Dremel approach , which  bits would you suggest ( and where do you source yours - I'm in the UK  )? If I botch the groove , I'll just turn another bowl , so I'm  prepared for a method which has its failures  , but I want to  produce a crisp and neat jigsaw effect .
  
  I'd be grateful for any advice on this , apart from the obvious one - to give up ;>(     
  
  Robert,
  Poole,
  Dorset,
  England_______________________________________________
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