I've been tasked with building some props for our marching band. We are building 8' tall by 3' wide "panels"- (3 sided)- made out of wood (they will have artwork painted on them- building them is not the issue- They want them to rotate during the show so that the kids will turn them to show different sides. I thought of using lazy susan turntable but I am not sure a small one will work right when spinning a large object like this- Any other suggestions on what I use to make this "thing" rotate? (it just needs to rotate -not spin) but easy enough for a kid to turn it

 

Need more details about how these will be used, what's the bottom going to be; any other detail you can provide.

 

bottom will be a 3/4" piece of plywood (triangle)- 3' x 3' x 3'

 

Here is a page with lazy susan, first one will hold up over 1000 pounds.
Woodworkers Supply Search Results for: LAZY SUSAN
I get a lot of things from them with good service.

 

You might want to make your rotating base round and then attach your triangular base to that. That would make it easier to use a larger "Lazy Susan" for the rotating device.

Bud

 

You said marching band so I inferred these would be moving along with the band. Sounds like I'm wrong - other than rotating, these are to be stationary when used?

 

correct- stationary- they will just sit in the backround- every "movement" in the music- someone will turn the triangle (so to speak) from side one to side two. So it should turn fairly easily (But the prop itself will sit stationary)

 

I suggest just using 3 large swiveling casters under the bottom. They are available with 6" and larger wheels or even pneumatic tires so they would roll easily on the grass (assuming this will be out on a field). Advantage of casters is that it will be easy to roll the whole assembly on and off the field. Plus, using 3 wheels would make for a stable base regardless of uneven ground.

Harbor Freight would be one source for cheap large casters.

 

i like the wheel idea since it's simple and only requires 3 smaller casters- it makes it a bit unstable... any other way to make this large "thing" spin while keeping it on a solid flat base? for example- using some kind of pipe in a coupling to sort of "Make" a lazy susan type contraption? Just looking for other ideas rather than wheels in case that becomes an issue

 

mount a flange fitting on plywood base. Put pipe in and mount turning part on the casters. Drill hole in plywood in center of casters base. I would use two pieces of plywood top and bottom with pipe running through them. Should not tip over that way. here is a fitting from Lowes
Shop pipe fittings at Lowes.com: Search Results