Receiving Helpdesk

who made the lazy susan

by Virginie Rosenbaum IV Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

In 1891, an American woman named Elizabeth Howell filed a patent in Missouri for a "Self Waiting Table" that purported to be better at catching crumbs than other rotating servers, and her design was the basis for the majority of Lazy Susans produced in the early 1900s.

Why is it called the Lazy Susan?

Why is it called a Lazy Susan ? No one knows for sure the origins of the name but a popular story exists that they were invented by Thomas Jefferson whose daughter, Susan, often complained about being served last at dinner.

Who is the Susan in the 'Lazy Susan'?

Susan O'Connell (Sean Hayes) is a woman in her 40s with no job or ambition, and has been financially dependent on her family for her whole life. She chronically sleeps past noon and does nothing but make collages all day long. Susan must regularly ask for rent money from her mother, Mary.

How to make the laziest DIY Lazy Susan ever?

Lazy Susan Supplies

  • 2 cake pans any size (we got ours for .88 each at Walmart)
  • Marbles, normal to smaller size. They must all be the same size. You need enough to almost cover the bottom of the pan.
  • Spray paint (optional)
  • Paper or contact paper for bottom of one pan (optional)

How to disassemble a lazy Susan?

How to Disassemble a Lazy Susan. Remove all accessories from the lazy Susan. Set the lazy Susan base up on a firm surface at a comfortable working height. Remove the screws from the top piece of material. Turn the lazy Susan over so the top plate of the bearing faces up. Click to see full answer.

Did Thomas Jefferson invent the Lazy Susan?

Thomas Jefferson invented the Lazy Susan in the 18th century, though they were referred to as dumbwaiters at that time. It is said that Jefferson invented the Lazy Susan because his daughter complained she was always served last at the table and, as a result, never found herself full when leaving the table.

Why do they call a Lazy Susan a Lazy Susan?

The Name Game “Laziness was a common complaint against servants (at the time), so 'lazy Susan' must have been a usual term since the 18th century,” says Markus Krajewski, professor of Media History at University of Basel, Switzerland, and author of The Server: A Media History from the Present to the Baroque.

Did the Chinese invent the Lazy Susan?

Although they are common in Chinese restaurants, the Lazy Susan is a Western invention. Owing to the nature of Chinese cuisine, especially dim sum, they are common at formal Chinese restaurants both in mainland China and abroad.

Where did Lazy Susan originate from?

ChinaThe Smithsonian notes a revolving table, which later evolved into what we know as the lazy Susan, was first used in 13th century China. It gained popularity over centuries and found its way into Chinese restaurants as a “hygienic dining tray” in the 1960s. Some historians credit Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Edison.

What are lazy Susans called now?

Jefferson's dumb (or silent) waiters were serving trays with wheels. A guest who dined at the President's house recalled, “By each individual was placed a dumbwaiter, containing everything necessary for the progress of dinner from beginning to end.” Today, some call the lazy susan a dumbwaiter (especially in Britain).

When was the Lazy Susan cabinet invented?

The most popular hypothesis links the concept behind Lazy Susan furniture to England and the 18th century, due to the identification of similar devices, made of mahogany, dating from around 1780, in auction houses in London.

Why do Chinese people eat at round tables?

Chinese prefer round dining tables because more people can be seated around the table. A round table allows people to eat facing each other without differentiation. In other words, when seated at a round table every one is equal, regardless of their status and wealth. Meal time is a time for family members to converse.

Why is Lazy Susan played by a man?

' Like how scary and weird would that be if I played a woman?," Hayes tells Yahoo Entertainment in a Skype interview this week (watch above). "I wanted to do it because it's why we're actors, to embody people that we aren't, and sometimes feel uncomfortable doing that.

What is the purpose of a Lazy Susan?

Also called a turntable, the Lazy Susan is a round or tray-shaped platform, that rotates on a set of bearings, and sits on a table or countertop to easily distribute food. Often used in upper and lower cabinets, the Lazy Susan also creates accessibility for storage in the kitchen.

What is a spinning circle on a table called?

Today, it describes a spinning platter that rests on the tabletop. Back in the early-1900s, however, “Lazy Susan”—previously known as a “dumb-waiter”—described not only revolving tabletops, but also revolving tables, as well as elevators that carried plates and food.

What do you store in a Lazy Susan corner?

In terms of what to store, a Lazy Susan is perfect for frequently used supplies like spices, sugars and coffee or tea sweeteners, or other general food stores. Its rotating design allows for easy access, eliminating the need to pore through various containers and create a mess to find a given item.

What do you put on a Lazy Susan table?

Stick your markers, crayons, paints and any other crafting supplies atop a lazy Susan, and kids can easily share supplies while they work on a project around the kitchen table. This can be a temporary use, or you can make it permanent by gluing mason jars or pencil cups to the surface.

Where did the lazy Susan come from?

It’s unclear where the name lazy Susan came from. If you’ve dined at a Chinese restaurant, you’ve likely used one there. The Smithsonian notes a revolving table, which later evolved into what we know as the lazy Susan, was first used in 13th century China. It gained popularity over centuries and found its way into Chinese restaurants as a “hygienic dining tray” in the 1960s.

Why use lazy Susans?

Use Lazy Susans to help you organize your garage. Despite it not being 100 percent clear exactly where the term lazy Susan originated, one thing is clear: lazy Susans are valued. In fact, Christie’s auction house often sees these home helpers go for hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.

Who invented the lazy Susan?

"Thomas Jefferson invented the Lazy Susan in the 18th century, though they were referred to as dumbwaiters at that time.

When was lazy Susan furniture founded?

Founded in 2007 by business owner, Michael Scott, literally from his garden shed, we now operate from an 18,000 sq ft storage facility.

How much did a lazy Susan cost?

And few years back, a mahogany Lazy Susan (or dumbwaiter as it would of been known in its day) - 16" in diameter, dating from circa 1780 - sold at Christie’s auction house in London for in excess of £3,000.

What is the relationship between lazy Susans and Chinese food?

Barely on the radar. According to the Smithsonian, Lazy Susans also have a long-standing relationship with Chinese culture and Chinese-American food. Though the modern day version of the Lazy Susan seems to have European and American roots, Chinese literature from as far back as 1313 includes mentions of revolving tables.

Is Susan a popular name?

Since the ‘60s, the name Susan has sunk on the “most popular baby names” lists – in 2018, it was the 1,079th most popular girl’s name in the U.S. – but Lazy Susans themselves remain as useful as ever.

Measure Your Space

Maybe you’re placing your lazy Susan on your desk to hold your office supplies, or maybe you’re fitting it into a cabinet for easy access to your jars of spices and seasonings. Either way, measure the space where you want to place it. Measure the length and width of the area to ensure that your lazy Susan will fit nicely.

Draw and Cut out a Circle

Take your measurements and use them to draw a circle on your piece of wood. You can either use a circle-cutting jig, compass, or you can make your own with string cut to your desired diameter and a screw attached to the center of the soon-to-be circle.

Sand It Down

If you have an electric power sander, use that to sand down all surfaces of your wood circle so that it’s smooth to the touch. If you don’t have a power sander, sandpaper will work just the same—it will just take more time and effort to get the circle nice and smooth.

Prime and Paint Your Lazy Susan

Once you’ve cut out your wood circle and sanded it down, prime and paint one side. This will be the top of your lazy Susan. Feel free to leave the bottom unfinished since nobody will see it. Prime and paint the sides of the lazy Susan only if you want to.

Warning

To avoid breathing in paint fumes, always apply paint in a well-ventilated space, like your porch or garage.

Screw on Turntable Hardware

Place your hardware against the center point of the underside of your wood circle so that it’s flush with the surface. Grab your pencil and lightly mark the location of the holes in the hardware onto your wood.

Display Your Lazy Susan

Your new DIY lazy Susan is all ready to go once the hardware is installed and the paint is completely dry. Place it in your cabinet, on your kitchen table, or on your desk in your home office and place everything you need on top.

What are the different types of lazy Susan bearings?

O.K., there are two types of Lazy Susan bearings (hardware). Round and square . Generally speaking the round ones are more expensive and bigger. You can get away with the smaller, square mechanism for 95% of your Lazy Susananing needs.

Can you screw a lazy Susan to a surface?

The larger round ones one however will make your Lazy Susan more stable if you choose NOT to screw it to your surface. On other words if you want a Lazy Susan that will be moveable and stand on its own for your countertop or tabletop you should use the round mechanisms.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9