How To Make a DIY Lazy Susan

Set up the router template

Cut the wood slightly larger than the acrylic router template, which at its widest point is roughly 12-inch x 8-inch.

Place the acrylic router template on the piece of wood and position it where you like it. Use a pencil to outline the template so you have an established starting position. Secure the wood and router template to your worktable with clamps so it doesn’t shift while routing.

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Bore out the pocket sections

Before you can run the bearing along the template, you must clean out the wood in each section of the tray. Do this in increments, with the router set to a depth where the router bearing can ride along the template.

Use a straight-cut router bit to bore out the pocket sections of your tray. Introduce the moving router bit with a plunge cut. Keep the router’s shoe flat to the template and avoid tipping it. Straight-cut router bits do not have a bearing to guide them, so it’s extremely important to be very cautious about damaging the acrylic template by getting too close to the router bit while boring out the center.

Try to get as close as possible to the edge of the template without nicking it. This will be the biggest challenge to this whole project. This step is only meant to crudely remove the bulk of the material before you refine the shape of the lazy Susan later on with the acrylic template and bearing bit.

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Rout the pocket sections

With the bulk of the wood removed from the center of each section, you will now change to the bowl bit with the bearing to finalize the pattern using the template.

Whenever working with a router bit with a bearing and a template, set the depth of the router bit so the bearing rides along the profile of the template. Test the depth on a scrap of wood first. At all costs, prevent the router shoe plate from dipping into the center of the pockets, as this will create dings in your wood — which will later need to be evened out.

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Rout the outside profile

With the inner tray sections routed, you will now work on the outer edge of the tray along the acrylic template. If excess wood is removed as close to the edge of the acrylic template as possible, routing the outer edge will be much easier. That said, trim outside the template with a band saw or jigsaw to save you time and effort.

Starting from the top face of the tray and using the pattern bit with a bearing at the top, rout the outer edge of the template, running the bearing along the outside edge of the acrylic template. Adjust the placement of the clamps so you don’t run into them as you work your way around the piece.

When the outside top edge has been routed, switch to a flush trim bit with a bearing on the bottom. Secure the tray face down and follow the profile you made when routing from the top.

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Round over the edges

With a 1/4-in. round-over bit, round over all the edges along the top and bottom of the tray’s outer profile. When rounding over the top, be sure to keep the router base plate riding flat along the top of the section divider wall, without letting it dip into the sections.

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Clean up the pocket sections

Use a rotary tool with a carving bit to clean up any uneven spots left behind by the router on the top edge and bottom of the interior sections. The goal is to create a consistent texture, even out bumps and divots in the bottom of each section, carve off burn marks from interior walls, and produce a hand-carved feel.

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Sand everything

Sand everything by hand—top and bottom, as well as inside each section. Start with 150 grit, then 220 and 320 to ensure a smooth surface throughout the whole tray. Sanding by hand will prevent over-sanding an edge, making it uneven or drastically changing the shape. This is also your opportunity to eliminate any other tool marks that you may come across.

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Oil the tray

Using food-safe walnut oil to condition the wood, apply several coats to finish the tray. Lightly sand with 320-grit sandpaper between coats of oil to get a really smooth finish.

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Cut the base of the lazy Susan

Cut the base of the lazy one inch larger than your lazy Susan mechanism. For a 4-inch x 4-inch mechanism, cut your wood 5-inch x 5-inch. Cut 45-degree angles one inch in at all four corners. Be sure the dimensions of your base will not be visible under the top tray when it spins. This is particularly important when dealing with rectangles where one end is longer than the other.

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Layout lazy Susan hardware screws

Find the center on the base piece of your lazy susan and mark the placement where the screws will be secured.  The easiest way to find the center is to draw an “X” from the midpoint of your 45-degree angle cut to the midpoint of the 45-degree angle cut on the opposite corner. Place the screw holes to line up with the “X” line. Mark the screw holes with a pencil. Then remove the mechanism and use a nail set to create a starting point for your screws to be installed and not lose position.

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Mark and drill access hole

On the base, spin the mechanism a quarter turn to access the screw holes on the lazy Susan’s upper plate. Mark the location where one of these upper plate screw holes lines up on the base. Drill a single 3/8-in. hole at this mark to access the upper plate screws when you join the tray to the base of the lazy Susan.

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Assemble the lazy Susan

Apply a coat of walnut oil to both wood pieces with a clean shop rag. Make sure the coat is thorough around the marked screw locations on the base and tray.

Center and mark the placement for the location of the upper plate screws on the bottom of the tray. With both the base and the top marked for screw placement, start with securing the base to the lower plate of the lazy Susan mechanism using 1/2-in. screws.

Then, place the tray face down and position the wood base with the lazy Susan mechanism centered on the bottom of the tray. Secure 1/2-screws into their marked locations with a hand screwdriver through the 3/8-in. access hole. Ensure screws are well-seeded and do not pierce all through the wood and into the routed sections of the tray. Work your way around the base, spinning the base to find each screw placement through the access hole.

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Install the knobs (optional)

To install knobs on each end of the tray, cut off the head of the screw provided with the knobs. Determine the center position on the edge, and drill a hole slightly larger than the screw thickness. Using CA glue, fill the pre-drilled hole and insert the screw so the end you didn’t cut is sticking out of the side. Wait a few minutes for the glue to cure, and screw the knob on until it is flush with the wood.

Apply one last coat of walnut oil

Once everything is assembled, apply one last coat of oil. Allow the oil to penetrate for 12 – 24 hours before using the lazy Susan.

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FAQ

Why is it called a lazy Susan?

It is unclear why the lazy Susan is called that. Some rumors suggest that Thomas Jefferson invented it for his daughter, Susan, who often complained that she was always the last to be served at dinner. Another is that Susan was the generic name by which wealthy property owners addressed their maids in the 1700s.

What makes a sealer/oil food safe?

Volatile organic compounds make some finishes unsafe for food handling. Especially, if those sealers have not fully cured before being used with food. If a cutting board or other project smells like varnish or some other kind of chemical, you can be sure it is not food safe. To double-guarantee your finish is food safe, purchase a product that is specifically designed for food handling.