# Orthodox Ecclesiastical Rotating Chanter Stand...Help?



## meestro (Jan 20, 2012)

Wow, what a title! I figured I'd be descriptive enough to give a good idea for what I'm working on here…I'll attach a few reference photos to give an idea for what I'm after. Most of the structure itself is figured out, but a few major tips would be most appreciated…



















The closest extant topic I could find was with the Jefferson Bookstand: http://lumberjocks.com/topics/10314

However, the rotating dowel mechanism seems to function on a base plate that doesn't allow any table space, so to speak, below the stand.

I've seen these things up close, but being that it is in church, it's not something I can really 'inspect', and I'm not familiar with anyone in particular who has built one. On top is the pitched book holders that have a shelf space of their own between the book holding slabs. There is a dowel running through the center, w/ a cross on top as a fenial.

Then there is some space for the dowel, before you reach the cabinet unit itself. The space between the top of the cabinet and the bottom of the rotating shelf also allows for more book space.

Then we get to the cabinet, which is typically hexagonal. Typically one or two sides act as a door to reach more shelving inside. Each corner typically has some rope edging. With the door, I'm assuming that the edging is cut at a 30degree pitch on the glue side, and only one side is glued to the door leaving the other open? Also, what kind of hinge would be best? Euro style? How does one leave space on the hinge side of the door so that the edging allows the door to open and not run into the next panel?

Also, my main concern is as to how to go about the rotating portion w/ the dowel. Is there a lazy susan underneath the 'counter top'? I'd imagine this is a very old design that probably at least stems to the 12th or 13th century, if not earlier, and a modern lazy susan was not used. However, if concealed properly, I am not opposed to using modern techniques.

Thanks for any assistance you may lend!


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

Welcome to lumberjocks. The two pictures show two different designs. Which one are you favoring? My guess is that the dowel is fixed and the bookstand part swivels around that.

More important question, are you building one of these for yourself? Your church?


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## meestro (Jan 20, 2012)

Thank you! Great place. Both images actually employ the same design…the only difference being the top doesn't have a pitched 3 part book stand, but the dowel still runs through the center of the stand & functions the same. As far as I am aware, the dowel itself spins, and the shelfing is fixed to the dowel. I will try to find a video example, the only one I currently have is on a DVD.

It will be built with the assistance of others for the church.

Thank you!


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## meestro (Jan 20, 2012)

Here's a closeup of the hexagonal base w/ the rope edging.


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## meestro (Jan 20, 2012)

Here's a photo of someone carrying part of the stand into a church. The rotating bookshelf is taken off, but the dowel is still attached…


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## papadan (Mar 6, 2009)

You really have a choice of how you want the the swivel to work. You can turn your shaft and have it fixed into the stand top and mount bearings into the book holder top piece, or you can build the top with a fixed shaft and mount your bearings under the stand top so that the shaft turns also. A 3rd choice would be to mount a lazy susan bearing in the top of the stand and allow the stand top/shelf to rotate with the book holders. If you would like any more info or details just PM me. Dan


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## derosa (Aug 21, 2010)

The dowel still fixed to the stand being carried, that suggests that it is fixed to the stand and it is the shelves that spin. Also in your first picture the dowel looks pretty stocky at the bottom perhaps as a reinforcement for a fixed piece. I would suggest that the dowel is stepped so that the shelves have two places of rotation. If you look at your second pic you'll see there is a board connecting the three holders, I suspect this has a hole in it that sits on a lip on the dowel and that there is a second such board near the top of the three shelves where they all touch, this would have a smaller hole in it that also rides on a lip on the dowel. The dowel being stepped so that the bottom hole can fit over the top lip and still have a fairly tight fitting joint that can still rotate. With the spatial difference between the two boards and the holes being slightly tight fitting to the dowel the shelves would rotate freely enough but not have a lot of wobble. Machined bicycle hub spindles use a similar design so that they only have to have one bolt to hold the hub together.


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## meestro (Jan 20, 2012)

Thank you for the wonderful responses. I was able to get some screen grabs from the DVD I had in mind. They come from the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.


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## Alexios (Aug 10, 2017)

How did it turn out? Im thinking of building one.. not sure where to start.


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## meestro (Jan 20, 2012)

> How did it turn out? Im thinking of building one.. not sure where to start.
> 
> - Alexios


I ended up just building a tall end table/cabinet, and used a book stand. I would love to see someone break one of these projects down.


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