Ah, dorm life. Always more challenge than thrill, being crammed in close quarters with a potential total stranger can be a nightmare if the limited space is not managed well. It’s about that time of year again, so perfect to resurrect Alan Mellovitz’ TV Spinner DIY from MAKE Volume 08. Back in 2006, Adam was a mechanical engineering sophomore at the University of Illinois, and he came up with a motorized lazy Susan stand for his TV. He then mounted the setup above his top bunk, maximizing space in his tiny room. I love the way Lego motor setups look, so here are two closeups. On the left is the tension spring that pulls the axle against the edge of the TV stand. On the right is the motor and gears in place. Gear reduction on the Lego motor gives sufficient torque while 3 medium gears on the axle engage the rubber weather stripping on the spinner’s edge as a friction drive.

And here’s the whole thing in place in Adam’s old dorm room:

Check out the full DIY in our Digital Edition to make your own.

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