Today a potential customer asked me if I can build her a dining table with a lazy susan in the middle (leaving only enough perimeter space for plates). I of course answered “no problem”!
I have seen one or two of these in furniture catalogs/design books/plan books/etc., but cannot remember where. Any design ideas will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks to all in advance.
Pete
Replies
My neighbor who sells antique furniture just had me replace a center pole that the lazy susan turned on. The table was about 50" in diameter and the lazy susan was about 18".in diameter. The pole went down into the base of the table and could be lifted out if it wasn't used, By the way the table was 150 years old and sold for $13,000 dollars.
Thanks!
How were the pole and lazy susan mated to keep the tray level? Whatever design I come up with will have a removable lazy susan/tray system.
Pete
As I recall the pole was about 1-1/2" in diameter and was mounted on a circular flange which was attached to the lazy susan with screws there was a hole in the top of the table for the pole ( a very close fit) and there was a brace under the table with another dead end hole that supported the lazy susan, it also was a close fit so there was very little wobble or ability to tilt, thus the lazy susan was parallel with the table top and was about 7/8 above the table with the 3/4" flange & 1/8" clearance.
Thanks, this method allows removal for cleaning.
Pete
That sounds like a bargain...$13,000 for a 150 year old table with a spinning middle. Hey, I will sell you a piece of plastic from my old Tyco race car set...it is a guard rail for tiny cars...I'll sell it to you for 7 million dollars. Listen fancy pants...the guy is trying to build one and wants woodworking tips not goofy stories about how you or your buddy got ripped off. Please only give tips ok and get those hands out da pants.
I believe I gave him specifics on what a specific table with a lazy susan looked like and how it functioned. You may want to look again.
Pete,
I don't have any plans to recommend, just some observations.
While travelling in China I noticed that this idea is extremely common in high-scale restaurants, and I looked closely at several tables made with very large lazy susans in the center. The more elegant ones are made with the rotating part flush (in the same plane) with the outer ring. However, they all seemed to suffer from the inherent problem of cleaning the stuff that gets in the gap. Gorgeous rosewood veneer tables with fine lacquer finishes, but spoiled by a grunge line that goes right past everyone's plate. If I were making one I'd opt for the lazy susan to be a separate item, just resting on the center of the table and easily liftable for cleaning underneath. It sacrifices the clean flush lines, I admit, but don't take this cleaning problem lightly.
I'd also recommend doing your table in veneer. Doing concentric circles in solid wood and expecting them to look good at all rotations is a tall order indeed.
Do post a pic if you make the table. Interesting project.
David Ring
http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e
I have also seen these table/rotating food trays you are talking about, and keeping them clean is a major problem! As much as I love Chinese food, I could not get past the idea of everyone picking morsels off the tray with their chopsticks. The ability to remove and clean the tray/susan is a must.
Thanks!
Pete
Here's Lee Grindinger's version:
http://www.furniturecarver.com/tables.html
Thanks!
His work always blows me away.
Pete
A couple of lifetimes ago, I think Norm did one on the New Yankee Workshop.
I'll bet if you surf his website, he'll still have plans and a video for sale.
Politics is the antithesis of problem solving.
Thanks!
I will do a search.
Pete
Here's another, http://furniturecarver.com/Turek8.html
Through my website statistics I noticed Don had linked to my site . I'm flattered.
Work backwards through the pages for a fairly thorough description of the construction of this table, PCM. I set up these pages for a client that was two thousand miles away and documented it well enough with pictures for either a blog or article..., yet to be written.
Email with questions, I don't come here much anymore. [email protected]
Lee
Edited 2/25/2008 7:33 pm ET by LeeGrindinger
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