by Philip Griffith
Can you reach everything on your Picnic Table?
With larger picnic tables especially the square, hexagonal or octagonal ones, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the butter, pepper or ketchup on the table are out of reach. There is a very quick, easy, cheap and stylish method to solve this little dilemma.
A simple Lazy Susan will shift everything around your table with ease and you will not be constantly asking for things.
You need about 14 inches of room at the edge of the table to put your plate and glass or cup on. The rest of the table can be used by your Lazy Susan.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
—Bible: Hebrew Psalms, 23:5.
Measure the diameter of your lazy Susan allowing for the 14" at the edge. Measure also the size of the umbrella hole in the center. Now proceed to your nearest glass supplier and tell them you require a round piece of glass of the diameter you have worked out, with the right size hole in the middle. Tell them what it is for and ask them what thickness they would recommend. For most sizes you will require toughened safety glass of 5mm.
That takes care of the Lazy Susan top.
Now half the distance between the outside edge of the glass and the centre. This is where your turntable mechanism will go.
You will require a router and about 80 - 100 1" marbles.
You need to router a channel in your table top at half the distance between the center and the edge of the Lazy Susan glass top. Mark it with a pencil. Put your umbrella or something through the center hole of the table and attach your router with wire or string so that you can create a perfect channel in the table top. The depth would need to be 1/2" and the width 1". This will allow the marbles to roll around freely in the groove.
A hundred cabinet-makers in London can work a table or a chair equally well; but no one poet can write verses with such spirit and elegance as Mr. Pope.
—David Hume (1711–1776)
You will require an umbrella or something in the center hole when the Lazy Susan is being used because there will otherwise be nothing to hold it in place and it could wander off on the marbles.
Your friends will be intrigued to see the marbles working underneath. Or you can order frosted glass to obscure the view.
The Lazy Susan is a wonderful compliment to your table especially if you have built it yourself with a picnic table plan. This article was written by Philip Griffith, a successful Company Director with over 25 years experience in a number of different industries. He has been involved in the woodworking related business for over 25 years. One of his interests has been in the design and manufacture of outdoor furniture specifically picnic tables. Along with his Father in Law, they believe that they came up with the original concept for octagonal and hexagonal picnic table plans in New Zealand. It has turned out to be a very successful concept and can be accessed at picnic table plans.http://www.ezpicnictableplans.com