Make a lazy susan

This lazy Susan is not only used for sauces and spices, it can also serve as a floral centrepiece.

 

You will need:

Tape measure
Pencil, protractor and compass with pencil
Hacksaw
C-clamps
Drill with 6mm- and 20mm- wood bits
88mm (outside diameter) hole saw
Router with chamfer bit
Paintbrush
Sandpaper

Materials:

3 x 36cm-dia 20mm Supawood or plywood circles
1 x threaded rod, 1m long
Polyurethane
1 x Lazy-Susan bearing
Screws to fit Lazy-Susan apparatus
20 x nuts and flat washers

 

 

Here's how:

1. To determine the placement of the five openings, locate the centre point on the top plate (Q) with a measuring tape. From the centre point, use a protractor and pencil to mark a radius every 36 degrees, dividing the circle into 10 equal sections. Using the same centre point, use a compass with pencil to draw two circles on the top plate - one 20mm from the edge and another 63.5mm from the edge (the two circles will be 317mm and 228mm in diameter, respectively).

2. Use a hacksaw to cut the threaded rod into five 203mm lengths; thread a nut onto the portion you're cutting so you can back it off the end and straighten any threads damaged during cutting. To drill the holes for the threaded rods, first clamp the top plate (Q) and lower plate (P) together. Drill a 6mm hole on every other radius line along the outer marked circle. Unclamp the plates, switch to the hole saw, and drill five 88mm holes in the top plate (Q) with the center points on the other five radius lines where the inner circle intersects them. (See diagram to verify hole locations.)

3. To mount the lazy-Susan bearing to the underside of the lower plate (P), drill a 20mm access hole in the base (O) as indicated. Rout a 6mm chamfer on the bottom edge of the base and top plate. Drill 20mm-diameter counter-bores in the bottom surface of the lower plate to recess the washers and nuts.

4. Use a paintbrush to apply two coats of polyurethane to all plywood components, letting dry, then sanding between coats.

5. Install the threaded rods, keeping the top and lower plates parallel.

6. Mount the lazy-Susan bearing to the base (O), then, through the 20mm access hole, fasten the base to the plate assembly with screws.