Lazy Susan?

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Harken in Wood

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I have recently installed a huge (well large) kitchen island and want to install at “Lazy Sue” in the centre. Looking for advice on how to make one Larger than 17” In diameter. Help please
 
I’m not sure this is going to be of any help at all, but exhibition stands often incorporate whacking great turntables. I’d guess a search for exhibition turntable may throw something up. Gonna be expensive, but if its a high end kitchen.....
 
Thanks fir that. I was thinking of using a router to create the basic shape and develop it from there.
 
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I made a lazy Susan a while back. 18" diameter, totally made of wood apart from the glue and all turned by me too. That included the 36 X 5/8" ash balls for the bearing. Not particularly easy, but boy what satisfaction to see the result!.

My lathe is a Record CL1 that I bought new about 20 years back so nothing fancy.
Lazy s 3.jpg
Lazy Susan all wood-13.JPG


The balls were turned by turning the ash to a series of 6" long X 5/8th dowel held in the small O'Donnel jaws in my K10 Axy chuck, part forming the ball and parting it off. Then part forming the next ball along the dowel. Then turning a pair of 'cup' chucks held in the jaws and tail stock and finishing the ball shaping.
Lazy Susan all wood-02.JPG


The top shown above was pine, but stupidly I had it on show on a coffee table in front of an open fire and one evening there was an almighty BANG and it split. It now looks a lot better as I have put an oak top on it.

If You wanted it built into your work surface you could route the lower bearing ring into that work surface, but be very sure that the top bearing ring is exactly the same size and diameter or it will give trouble, don't ask!
Lazy Susan all wood-12.JPG


I like it and think it looks quite good, but you could always go down the easy route and get a metal lazy Susan bearing I suppose? And it ain't that heavy for an 18" lump of oak.

I assume that putting this on to the turning sub forum that you have a lathe?

What ever, good luck with it.
 
I made a lazy Susan a while back. 18" diameter, totally made of wood apart from the glue and all turned by me too. That included the 36 X 5/8" ash balls for the bearing. Not particularly easy, but boy what satisfaction to see the result!.

My lathe is a Record CL1 that I bought new about 20 years back so nothing fancy.
View attachment 92019View attachment 92020

The balls were turned by turning the ash to a series of 6" long X 5/8th dowel held in the small O'Donnel jaws in my K10 Axy chuck, part forming the ball and parting it off. Then part forming the next ball along the dowel. Then turning a pair of 'cup' chucks held in the jaws and tail stock and finishing the ball shaping.
View attachment 92021

The top shown above was pine, but stupidly I had it on show on a coffee table in front of an open fire and one evening there was an almighty BANG and it split. It now looks a lot better as I have put an oak top on it.

If You wanted it built into your work surface you could route the lower bearing ring into that work surface, but be very sure that the top bearing ring is exactly the same size and diameter or it will give trouble, don't ask!
View attachment 92022

I like it and think it looks quite good, but you could always go down the easy route and get a metal lazy Susan bearing I suppose? And it ain't that heavy for an 18" lump of oak.

I assume that putting this on to the turning sub forum that you have a lathe?

What ever, good luck with it.
I remember watching that one with great amusement, what an insanely complicated way to make a simple thing... I love it.


Aidan
 
I made a lazy Susan a while back. 18" diameter, totally made of wood apart from the glue and all turned by me too. That included the 36 X 5/8" ash balls for the bearing. Not particularly easy, but boy what satisfaction to see the result!.

My lathe is a Record CL1 that I bought new about 20 years back so nothing fancy.
View attachment 92019View attachment 92020

The balls were turned by turning the ash to a series of 6" long X 5/8th dowel held in the small O'Donnel jaws in my K10 Axy chuck, part forming the ball and parting it off. Then part forming the next ball along the dowel. Then turning a pair of 'cup' chucks held in the jaws and tail stock and finishing the ball shaping.
View attachment 92021

The top shown above was pine, but stupidly I had it on show on a coffee table in front of an open fire and one evening there was an almighty BANG and it split. It now looks a lot better as I have put an oak top on it.

If You wanted it built into your work surface you could route the lower bearing ring into that work surface, but be very sure that the top bearing ring is exactly the same size and diameter or it will give trouble, don't ask!
View attachment 92022

I like it and think it looks quite good, but you could always go down the easy route and get a metal lazy Susan bearing I suppose? And it ain't that heavy for an 18" lump of oak.

I assume that putting this on to the turning sub forum that you have a lathe?

What ever, good luck with it.
 
Very impressive. I have a lathe and am moderately competent but would hesitate over making that number of wood balls accurately. Nice idea but I think I will take the wimps way and use a metal bearing. My real difficulty is wit cutting and forming the top. My Jet lathe has a maximum capacity of 16 inches (whatever that is in metric) and I was looking to make something substantially larger than that. Shame about you first effort with pine but I am sure the Oak was a vast improvement.
 
I used a router and trammel to make a revolving base for a floor standing lamp.
Buy more marbles than you need as the size isn't consistent.

Pete
 
Use a router and trammel to make a template in mdf or ply. Use the template with a bearing guided cutter or guide bush to make the final piece. More work, less stress. And you can use the template again when someone says “can you make me one”.
 
If you want something larger than your lathe allows then router/trammel method is the way forward. I would buy a load-of-balls such as these. Be careful to avoid the scented ones - they might interfere with your lovely food aroma!
Brian
 
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