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I'm planning a remodel on my shop(Two car garage). I want to (in the next two years) build a room (half the garage) to do all my building in. I'll move all the big power tools to the other side of the garage. By doing this I hope to be able to create a space that is more controlable with respect to humidity.

I plan to keep some smaller power tools in the room. A 10" band saw, a benchtop belt sander and a benchtop drill press. For these three I'd like to place them each on separate sides of a 36" square table. I want to put this table in a corner of the room. So to conserve space I'd like to have the table top be a lazy suzan, that way I could spin the needed tool into position. Of course there would have to be some way to lock the LS into a fixed position, shouldn't be hard.

So the questions... Keep in mind this set up is for machining small parts.

Where can I get a hardware set up for the lazy susan, again with a 36" top?

Anyons see any problems with this set up?RCoates38830.6354050926

I would check McMaster-Carr or Grainger first, see if they have a bearing race/set that might get you there.

My understanding of a lazy susan is that it has a bearing ring almost as wide as the diameter of the top. 36" is a pretty large diameter, though. Also, a lazy susan has a base that is about the same diameter as the top. So whatever you build or obtain, it'll also probably need the base too.

Whatabout instead of a bearing ring, though, that you get several heavy-duty swivel casters and mount them on the top's underside. Anchor the top with a post arrangement at its center and have the casters located close to its perimeter/circumference where they could ride on the base? Might work.

Best,

Michael

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Yeah great idea Michael. I'll start thinking along those lines. That actually might be a little more stable as well. Probably a LOT cheaper, always a bonus.

I saw an 8 foot lazy susan built by an old man for a kids merry go round. I looked underneath the 8 foot disc, Wheels along the edges at N S E and West locations. The center pivot was some sort of bearing. So I guess you could make it any size and it would work.

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Hi Ronn,

Have you tried looking at Lee Valley for this, i know they have some, try this link:

http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=1&cat=3,44013& p=44042

You could also make something up using these roller balls from Lee Valley (or I'm sure some place in the States for less $) Take Bruces suggestion and make something up with 6-8 of these puppies and you may just have something there.



As Serge said, Lee Valley does have a 29-1/2" lazy suzan, but the price is $159 US

Rod True38831.0268171296

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I'd just use a 12 inch lazy susan from Home Depot (Proabably about $10) and then just add some blocks along the outside edge for support. You don't need this turntable to be super smooth and efficient, you just want it turn and be stable me thinks!

Good Luck

Shane

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Ronn, I don`t think I would even worry about bearings and such. It`ll just make a table top that won`t sit still. A piece of old countertop. Formica face down and the lower part with the formica face up. It will slide easily enough and stay put when you want it to (you`d probably need a clamp or pin to keep it in place anyway). Formica is pretty slick, and if it isn`t slick enough, toss some dust from the sander in between.
This is assuming that your not mounting a 10" vise or anvil to it.
Small room with lotsa dust means ventilation and dust collection are gonna be a must. Ask me how I know this.
Actually, I leave all power tools out in the bay and do the small stuff inside my room\office. That way I can keep an eye on the Forum, too.

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If you could find a cheap potters wheel, you could modify it to do the job. The heavy flywheel at the base would hold everything steady. It'd be pretty easy to to install a locking foot brake on the flywheel.
I've seen decent wheels at garage sales for $20.00 or less.
Don't know if it would work for you, but it might be worth thinking about.
When I built my building room, I kept it quite small 10' X 12' (sorry Hesh). I kept all the power tools in the main shop & try not to do any dusty work in the small room. It is easy to heat / cool & control humidity & there is very little dust where I spend most of my building time.
Just one more way to skin the feline.
Good luck with your project.
Cheers,   Dan

Ron,

If you want the work surface to be 36" on a side, it will take a circle of a diameter 1.7 times the length of a side, or 61" for the corners to swing around in. Guess how I learned this! You could "inlay" a 36" dia circle mounted on the LS, and surround it with a stationary square surface (grey area), saving space. But maybe you thought of it already.



burbank38831.5772106481

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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Nifty idea, Pat!

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Give me 50 cents worth of regular.
Check my oil too, if you don`t mind,,,