Lazy Susan Bearings

 

 

            Lazy Susan bearings are small metal plates that swivel 360 degrees using built-in ball bearings to make the motion smooth. You'll find these types of bearings in all sorts of things around the house, including swiveling bar stools, rotating spice racks and even DVD and media storage towers. If you plan to build a rotating tower of some sort, use a Lazy Susan bearing. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

 

              1.Flip the base that the tower will be rotating on upside down. Place the Lazy Susan bearing on the base with the side with the small holes facing down. Position the bearing in the middle of the base, and mark the positions of the small holes on the wood using a pencil.

 

             2. Mount the bearing to the bottom of the tower using regular wood screws (#6 screws for 3 to 6 inch bearings and #8 screws for 12 inch bearings). Screw-in the side of the bearing that has large holes only. Screw the bearing on from the underside of the bearing plate by rotating the free plate out of the way of the holes. Insert screws using a drill.

 

             3.Drill holes in the underside of the base where you made pencil marks earlier. For 3-inch, 4-inch and 6-inch bearings, use a 5/32 inch drill bit, and for 12-inch bearings, use a 3/16 inch drill bit. Drill the holes about halfway through the wooden base.

 

             4.Drill the self-tapping screws into the holes you just drilled in the underside of the base. Remove the screws, and line up the fully-drilled holes with the holes on the bearing plate. Insert the self-tapping screws again, and drill them into the bearing plate to secure it to the base.

 

              5.Turn the entire tower onto its base, and make sure it rotates freely. Lubricate the bearing if necessary.