Replacing Lazy Susan Shelves... Where to start?!?

[Jon Wilson]

Ok, well, my lovely wife's confidence in my abilities once again outweighs my actual abilities (for now), and you know I can NOT allow that reality to ever see the light of day. :D

My situation... We have a corner lazy susan with plastic shelves, the shelves are broken and just plain not quality material. I'm guessing you can see where this is headed.
The lovely wants me to make new shelves. The concept doesnt seem to be to difficult but I'm sure there's things I'm not taking into account.

Where should I start with the planning of the new shelves? Can I reuse the hardware or should I replace it?

I have a couple pics just to make sure we are all on the same page.

Let's have it!!!


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[Sam Murdoch]

Well you can buy a completely new set up - http://www.rev-a-shelf.com/p-125-kidney-shape-ld-natural-wood-2-shelf-corner-lazy-susans.aspx
or just buy the shelves without the hardware http://www.kitchensource.com/lazy-susan/rv-kidney1.htm or make your own shelves using the existing as a model. I guess it depends on your budget, your ambition, and the condition of the existing hardware. Me? I think i would go all new. There are many sizes to choose from and they come all finished!

[Jon Wilson]

I guess I should figure the cost of making new shelves vs. buying them.

I'll have to weigh the experience and the lessons I will learn making them over just buying them.
Which is a huge reason that I like woodworking to begin with.

Thanks for the input.

[Sam Murdoch]

Jon, it looks as though your old unit has the doors attached. The first link I included is not set up with the spring return but for hanging the doors independently on the cabinet. RevA Shelf does offer the self closing kind though - just not what I linked to but on other pages. The 2nd link was just to show that single shelves are available if you want too buy some. The big BUT is that you need to come up with a washer combination of some sort that will hold the shelves fully loaded on the pipe. If you can remove your plastic shelves and replace them using the same hardware you could be all set, but there could be more to this than is obvious.

[Jon Wilson]

And this is why I asked...

Never even thought about the load bearing aspect of this project. I'm going to attempt the removal of the "guts" later today. That should give me some answers, of course it will probably give me just as many, if not more questions.

I think I have the construction part figured out.

Short version:

Blank 28"x28"x2"
Cut 24" circle
forstner out the hole for hardware
Cut out a "slice" of the shelf
use combination of bowl/tray & roundover bits to make the shelf
finish/seal
assemble shelves on hardware, affix hardware & shelves in cabinet and attach door
Show Happy Wifey!

That last step is more of a wish than part of the actual plans.

[Jerry Miner]

You may want to cut the "slice" before you cut the blank round----a couple of straight, square reference edges could make that aspect easier.

p.s. have you considered a plywood shelf with a bent-lamination edge around it? Would probably stay flatter/rounder than solid stock