Kitchen Cabinet Upgrade: Get Your Lazy Susan Spinning (Part 3 of 3)
By Jim MalleryRefacingCabinet.com Columnist
(Part 3 of 3)
In the first article of this series, you gathered the materials and tools; in the second, you put together the center shelf; and in this final article, you are ready to construct the stationary shelf and two rotating shelves of your Lazy Susan inside the cabinet. This final process is kind of like building a ship in a bottle. Here are the final three steps to get your Lazy Susan spinning.
- Drill for Shelf Pins. You are going to need to squeeze into the cabinet to do this--if you are portly, find a helper who is thin. Put three pins across the two back panels of the cabinet, and two on each side. Make a jig so that each pin is exactly the same height. To ensure accuracy, use a brad bit--a drill bit with an extra sharp point to reduce "walking." Your holes must be perpendicular to the sides--it's worth buying a perpendicular attachment for your drill to ensure this. Drill a couple of sets of holes so you can raise or lower the shelf.
- Bottom Shelf. In the bottom of the cabinet, drill pilot holes for the screws that hold the bearing plate, and in your Susan shelf, drill an access hole so you can drop screws into the base plate. (Instructions with the bearing plate should guide you in this process.) Attach the bearing plate to the Lazy Susan shelf and insert the shelf into the cabinet by sliding it diagonally through the door opening (the 90-degree "pie" cutout in the shelf should give you enough maneuvering room to do this). Then screw the shelf to the bottom of the cabinet by rotating the access hole over each screw position in the bearing plate and screwing the plate into the predrilled holes in the bottom shelf. A magnetized screwdriver makes it easier to get the screws through the access hole and into the pilot holes.
- Finish Up the Middle Shelf. Insert all the middle-shelf pieces into the cabinet, including the Susan shelf (tilt the shelf to the back of the cabinet out of the way). Glue the stationary shelf together by putting a bit of glue in each biscuit cutout (or dowel hole)--don't put the glue on the biscuit or dowel because it just squeezes out. If you are using steel reinforcing plates, screw them in. After the glue has fully dried, mount the bearing plate on the stationary shelf, and lay the Lazy Susan tray on top of it. Raise the whole unit up toward the top of the cabinet--holding it in place with four sticks about a foot long while you insert the shelf pins into their holes. Drop the shelf onto the pins. Screw the Susan shelf to the bearing plate through the access hole in the stationary shelf--voila! You are done!
It is a lot of work, but if you like challenges and have some woodworking ability, you can pull off this serious and extremely useful upgrade to your kitchen cabinets.
About The Author
Jim Mallery, a semi-retired journalist and onetime registered contractor, has extensive experience remodeling, repairing and rebuilding homes.
