Lazy Susan

This rotating tray fit for a feast displays your craftsmanship from all angles

- BY CARMEN DE LA PAZ

Most people think of a lazy Susan as a simple circle that spins on a table. I decided to take the idea up a notch by turning it into a charcuterie board. With elaborate boards popping up everywhere—from restaurants to weddings and house parties—why not make one that spins?

Shaping the tray is easy with an acrylic router template, and installing the lazy Susan mechanism is simpler than you might expect. Follow this foolproof process and you'll have a beautiful tray for nuts, fruits, cheeses and cured meats, ready to steal the show at your next gathering.

SET UP THE ROUTER TEMPLATE

Cut the wood slightly larger than your acrylic router template. At its widest points, my template was roughly 12 by 8 in. Position the template on the wood and trace it with a pencil so you have an established starting position. Clamp the wood and template to your bench so it won't shift as you rout.

BORE OUT THE POCKET SECTIONS

Use a router with a straight-cut bit to incrementally bore out the tray's pocket sections, introducing the moving bit with a plunge cut. Keep the base plate flat to the template and avoid tipping it. Straight-cut router bits do not have a bearing to guide them, so get as close as possible to the edge of the template while being careful not to nick the acrylic.

ROUT THE POCKET SECTIONS

Change to a dish carving router bit with a top bearing to refine the shape. Set the depth of the router bit so the bearing rides along the profile of the template.