How to make a turntable for model and miniature painting.
For painting models a turntable, aka Lazy Susan, that you can rotate to access all sides of a model without touching is the way to go. They’re particularly useful when spray painting so you can cover all angles in a single spray action rather than stopping and starting the air flow and possibly getting different densities as you do.
You can of course buy them, I use this heavy duty one, but if you have an old microwave lying around you can also cook up your own (sorry, couldn’t resist that pun).
This is what the inventive guy behind the Facebook page, Through the loft door, did when he needed to weather his rolling stock.
The turntable from under the dish in his defunct microwave was extracted. It feature outer spokes with wheels on the ends allowing it to turn and which connect to a central hub the centre, a bit like the one seen below.
A 1 inch bolt was pushed attached through the middle to a wooden plate with washes and nuts separating and holding the two pieces together.
A spray booth around it was created with some additional wood.
The result is a 16 inch turntable on which he can paint his models, even his largest locos, and cost next to nothing to make.
> A final, personal, note: I spend a huge amount of time testing, photographing, writing and researching techniques for these articles and pay for all the running costs of MRE out of my own pocket. If you found this article useful you can support me by making a donation on my fund-raising page. Thanks and happy modelling, Andy.
Andy is a lifelong modeler, writer, and founder of modelrailwayengineer.com. He has been building model railways, dioramas, and miniatures for over 20 years. His passion for model making and railways began when he was a child, building his first layout at the age of seven.
Andy’s particular passion is making scenery and structures in 4mm scale, which he sells commercially. He is particularly interested in modelling the railways of South West England during the late Victorian/early Edwardian era, although he also enjoys making sci-fi and fantasy figures and dioramas. His website has won several awards, and he is a member of MERG (Model Railway Electronics Group) and the 009 Society.
When not making models, Andy lives in Surrey with his wife and teenage son. Other interests include history, science fiction, photography, and programming. Read more about Andy.