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By
RICK CAMPBELL
Photos by TRACY COX
Illustration by LEN CHURCHILL |
LAZY SUSAN (part 3) |
Now
it's time to fit the strips around the bending form and glue
up the lamination.
The
strips should start out a few inches longer than the circumference
of the bending form. Trim one end of your first steam-bent strip
to 45°. Now wrap the oversize strip tightly around the bending
form, allowing the extra length to overlap the mitred end. Mark
where the strip should be cut to length by using the mitred
end as a reference.
| Router-cut
circles |
| The
first time I used a router to cut a circle I was
building an outdoor table. The project instructions
stated that the cedar slats for the top be left
long and trimmed to their final circular shape
using a router with an oversized baseplate. That
slightly vague direction and a fuzzy photo of
the builder following his router around the tabletop
prompted me to attach a crude extension to my
router and plunge right in. The resulting circle
was so pristine, so mathematical and so effortlessly
executed that I vowed that day never again to
cut a circle with a saw, be it band or jig. There's
a couple of things to remember when using a router
to cut circles: use a sturdy jig with a securely
fastened pivot point (plans for Gary Walchuk's
"Circle-Cutting Jig" are on page 34): cut with
a 1/2"-dia. straight bit, any smaller and you
risk the bit flexing on deeper cuts, any bigger
and you'll be removing more material than necessary.
Take only 1/4" bite per pass, and finally, make
sure the offcut is supported as it is released
during the final pass. While you are in jig-building
mode take the time to make a second longer arm
for really big circles, when it comes time to
make that round table that seats 10 you'll be
glad you did. --Paul Lewis |
|
Trimming
the strips to length using a tablesaw with the blade tilted
45° creates a mitred joint where the ends meet. The mitred
joints provide a wider glue surface and help to conceal gaps.
Check the fit now, this time tightly clamping the strip to the
form with a web clamp. When you apply pressure it's best to
position the ratchet mechanism over the joint to exert the maximum
force where the resistance to bend is greatest. Prevent the
clamp from moving as it's tightened by securing the fixed end
of the strip to the form with a C-clamp positioned in one of
the holes drilled earlier. With the strip clamped in place,
take a look around the form to see if the ply is bulging out
at any point. If it is, the strip is a too long. Unclamp the
strip and remove a paper-thin shaving from strip's end, re-clamp,
and check again. Continue this process for a perfect fit.
Following the same approach, fit your second ply around the
first but this time position the joint on the opposite side
of the form. Alternating the joints in this way results in a
much stronger lamination. When you're satisfied with the fit,
glue and clamp the second strip to the first. I use a yellow
polyvinyl acetate (PVA) glue, but if you prefer more working
time use a slow-setting epoxy or plastic-resin adhesive. Let
the glue cure for a couple of hours then remove the clamp to
add the remaining plies one layer at a time, continuing to alternate
the joints from side to side.
When the last strip has been added to the stack, let the lamination
cure overnight before removing the rim from the form. Sand away
any irregularities on the top and bottom face of the rim and
fill any minor voids with a combination of glue and very fine
sawdust.
Rounding the Rim
The hardest part of the project is now behind you, but there's
still work to be done. At the router table use a 1/4" radius
bit equipped with a guide bearing to round the top edges of
the rim. To prevent splintering, complete the roundovers in
several passes raising the bit a little higher with each turn.
Next, use the table-mounted router to mill a rabbet around the
bottom of the rim to receive the bottom panel. Use a rabbeting
bit with a bearing installed to limit the depth of cut to 3/8".
The bit height should be set to 1/2", the same as the thickness
of the bottom panel. Again, proceed with caution making successive
light passes until the bearing is riding fully against the rim.
The Bottom Panel and Base
Begin by edge joining boards to form wide panels. Lay out the
boards for best grain match, then plunge slots along the edges
to receive #20 biscuits. Biscuits make the joints stronger and
help with alignment. When cutting the biscuit slots for the
base keep them far enough back from the edge so they won't become
exposed when the piece is cut out.
Use a compass to lay out a 12"-dia. circle on the base and trace
around the inside of the rim to lay out the circumference of
the bottom panel. Use a bandsaw to cut to the outside of the
layout lines, then a stationary sander or hand-held belt sander
(clamped on its side to your workbench) to smooth the edges.
Continue to sand until the bottom panel fits the rim perfectly.
Complete the base by routing a decorative 1/4" roundover around
the top edge. Finish sand all the pieces now before final assembly.
Putting it All Together
 |
| CLICK
ABOVE TO ENLARGE |
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Attach the
rim to the bottom panel using a few clamps and glue. The assembly
rotates on a lazy Susan bearing attached to the base. Attach
the bearing to the base first using screws, then to the underside
of the bottom panel through an access hole drilled in the base.
Remember to limit the depth of pilot holes for these screws
to prevent the bit from going all the way through.
If your lazy Susan spins well during several trial runs, take
everything apart for finishing. I wiped on a coat of Minwax
colonial maple stain followed by three coats of wipe-on polyurethane.
Now your lazy Susan is ready to be pressed into service on the
kitchen table, making meal times more convenient and offering
inspiration about how to work flowing curves into future project
designs.
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| 1
- Lazy Susan | 2 - Cutting
The Plies | 3 - Fitting And Gluing |
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