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Spin Tops and Wire Burning Techniques

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Feb 2, 2016
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Including the finial it is about 5” tall and 2.75” diameter.

Thanks! I've had "box tops" in my sketchbook for a long time but for some reason never made any. Now I'm inspired to finally make some!

Ed Davidson (YoYoSpin) makes little boxes with a top as a lid:
I have one of his throw tops (where a little lid reveals a storage space for the string), and one of his yo-yos - support your favorite artists!

I love turning tops, made 100's over the years. Sent them in batches of 50 at a time with a friend for programs in an orphanage in Romania (yay! toys that don't need batteries), and always carry them when traveling for ice breakers/conversation starters/little gifts - a good way to meet new friends.

There's nothing like a group of corporate executives in suits standing around after a meeting spinning tops on a conference table, or the head of a National Lab sitting cross-leg on the floor with me spinning tops! Almost everybody loves playing with them. (Top wars are fun)

Hanging with Mark StLeger and a kid gitt'n down at a symposium.
The boy has mastered the upside down technique.
Mark_StLeger_tops.jpg

Often friction-burn lines with thin steel wire. There's a little trick to burning lines on a slope with a wire.
tops_comp2c.jpg

Different shapes, sizes, metals, acrylics, sometimes use specta ply.
(I wish I could find some DymondWood)
tops_comp3.jpg

For throw tops I turn nylon tips so they're easy on the floor.

If anyone has never made tops, try some! (Don't need big wood)
Except for some multi-part tops, I make them like this,
sometimes 2 or 3 from one longer blank.
top_sequence.jpg

BTW, blanks with density variations might not spin true!

JKJ
 

Michael Anderson

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Awesome @John K Jordan ! Love that last progression photo.

I’ve never made a throw top before, but it’s on my list. I have fond memories of battling my brother with tops. Ed makes fantastic ones (and thanks for the link to his top box gallery—good stuff!). I’ve only made around 5 or so boxes with spin top lids. Many more normal spin tops, though definitely not in the triple digits. Ha. They are great fun, and make nice gifts!

My turning club meeting is tomorrow, and I currently have the “bring back box”. I had thought about making a sphere from some exotic wood, but I think I’ll make another soon too box. Everyone loves a box, and a top. Winning combo haha.

What’s your trick for burning lines cleanly on a slope? I’ve done it many times, but it’s sometimes a hassle with a wire. I know a lot of folks use mica or similar with good success.
 
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What’s your trick for burning lines cleanly on a slope? I’ve done it many times, but it’s sometimes a hassle with a wire. I know a lot of folks use mica or similar with good success.

Ha, sometimes, for me at least, it's IMPOSSIBLE with a wire!

The method I use is actually pretty simple. Basically, cut a little "v" ledge on the slope and friction burn the bottom of the "v". Then cut away the ledge. Rinse and repeat as desired.

I didn't take these two photos to accompany the diagram below, but they should give the idea.
top_IMG_4974.jpg

I made the diagram below a long time ago. I should improve it some day, but it would be better to write a short document and include consistent photos of the process and result.

For orientation, the sketches are a cross section view of one half of a little finger top from the turners point of view, as it is held in the lathe (the way I make them).

The gradual concave slope to be enhanced is on the upper side of the finger top, toward the handle to the left (the side shown in the lower photo above), with the contact point of the finger top to the right in the diagram. This method works on even very steep slopes.

The top sketch: suppose we want to end up with two friction burned lines on the smooth concave slope, represented by the black dots.

The thick brown lines are the intended final surface. The thin horizontal lines represent the grain of the wood.

For A, B, and C, the green lines represent wood to be cut away.

tops_burn_slope_updated_10_18_24.jpg

The simple process, as mentioned above: cut a series of ledges to catch the wire for burning.

When starting on the sloped surface where I want the lines, I might leave a millimeter or two of extra wood on purpose, but in reality I don't bother, usually just shape the sloped surface then cut away a bit more where needed.

The green line in sketch A shows the wood surface before burning any lines.

As in sketch B, I make a shallow cut down to where I want the first burned line, leaving a little v-shaped "ledge" to catch the wire. Hold the wire against the wood and make the first burn. (Best to burn fairly deep.)

Then repeat, as in sketch C, cutting away the extra wood below the first burned line, careful to leave the surface flush with the first cut. Burn that line (again, fairly deep). Then continue the cut to the end.

I try to make very smooth cuts requiring only 600 grit or finer sanding so the burned depressions aren't sanded away. Burning a little extra deep helps here! If my cuts aren't quite smooth enough to suit me, before sanding I might twist the spindle gouge a bit and use the lower wing to very lightly shear scrape the slope.

I think I've put as many as five burned lines down a 1" surface, but one or two is easier!

BTW, I had discussions a few years ago with some who seemed to scoff at this method and said they could do the same thing a lot easier with formica or something else, sharpened and pushed into the spinning wood. However, at least in my experiments, that doesn't always make clean, very fine lines. For many fine-grained woods, the method I use usually leaves smooth, clean black lines burnished and almost polished by the wire.

Notes about friction burning: Most people know these things but for those who haven't tried it, a some points.
  • To avoid possible serious injury, NEVER hold the wire directly with the fingers. Especially, don't wrap it around fingers you want to keep uninjured. I use wires about 10" long or so. Twist the ends of the wire securely around two short pieces of wood. (I like to turn nice little handles, just because)
  • Another, lesser, hazard: the wire can get VERY hot. However, a thin wire cools in a few seconds.
  • The wire: I prefer to use solid steel wire. Long ago I found some very thin galvanized lockout-tagout steel wires commonly used in industry. These are perfect. Some people use copper wire, but copper thin enough to suit me is not as strong as steel. Some say they have used braided wire but that's also pretty thick - ok, of course, if you want thick burned accents. To easily hold a braided wire, it might be best to pass it through some holes in the sticks, maybe tie knots in the ends. I've never tried stranded wire but can't imagine it better than what I use.
  • When burning, use a high very high lathe speed, the smaller the diameter, the higher the speed. Wrap the wire about 1/2 way around the diameter to put it in contact with as much wood as possible. (I wouldn't even think about wrapping it more than 1/2 way around.) I've never had a wire get caught in a groove but be prepared to quickly let go of the two sticks.
  • After a wire is used a bit, it can easily get "polished" too smooth, making it hard to get enough friction for it to get hot. To fix that, I use a piece of coarse sandpaper, maybe 220 grit, to roughen up the surface.
  • It sometimes takes a fair amount of force to get a good burn. Be aware that after some use, the wire can get weak, especially after using it repeatedly on small diameters. It will eventually break. Please don't fall into the spinning wood or chuck!
  • Some wood species are difficult or impossible to friction burn. For example, some exotics, especially lignum vitae, are naturally so full of oils or waxy lubricant I can't get enough friction for the wire to get hot. In cases where I really wanted black lines in wood I couldn't friction burn, I've cut small v-grooves in the wood with, say, a skew or point tool, then after applying a grain sealer and/or finish, fill in the grooves with a dark grain filler, then use a piece of paper towel to remove the excess. I use an ancient can of dark walnut filler for this.
That's all I can think of at the moment...

JKJ
 
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I just realized when I posted pictures of finger tops, I forgot to show some smaller ones!
These sit on a penny for scale.

tiny_things.jpg

The photos are not too good. Oh well.
(But to make up for that, they spin poorly! 😁)

And about throw tops, here's the last one I made. (well abused)
As mentioned, I like to turn a tip from nylon to avoid beating up floors.
throw_top_cs.jpg
I see I accidentally wound the string for left-handed throwing.
(you hold the top upside down for throwing, flips around before it hits the floor)

JKJ
 
Last edited:

Michael Anderson

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Michael, could you elaborate? I’m not familiar with the “bring back box.” Thanks!
I’m sure most clubs have some version of this. This is one of the raffle items each meeting. If you “win” it, you get to keep whatever is in the box, but have to make something to put in the box for the next raffle. Pretty fun.
 
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Here's a short video on how I turn throw-tops.
Great, thanks for posting the video! That's much the way I work but it's nice to see it from the Legendary YoYoSpin! Is that holly?

Besides the throw top I got from you, I still have the yoyo - remember this one?

Ed_Davison_YoYoSpin_yoyo.jpg

I've never seen painter's tape that thin - I just found some on Amazon.

Hey, have you ever tried taper shank bits for drilling? That's about all use now except for forstner bits held, and sometimes hold those in 2MT collet.

The taper shanks have a morse taper and fit directly into the tailstock, eliminate the need for the drill chuck, take up less space, and can avoid some vibration and precision issues in some operations with misbehaving wood. I once found a bunch on clearance for $1 each and bought out the stock! I think I now have most sizes from smaller than 1/8" up to 1".

Here are some examples, showing a #1mt adapter.
taper_1_IMG_20160919_094408.jpg

The larger are #2mt, the smaller #1mt are used with #1 to #2 adapters.

This shows the drill bit extension difference between using taper shank vs the drill chuck. Also can occasionally help where space is limited.
taper_2_IMG_20160919_094945.jpg

Thanks again for posting the video!

JKJ
 
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Great, thanks for posting the video! That's much the way I work but it's nice to see it from the Legendary YoYoSpin! Is that holly? The wood I normally use for tops is 2.6" to 3" diameter baseball bat factory reject rock maple...really hard, no knots/defects, perfectly white, cheap and readily available. Great wood for coloring with alcohol dye.

Besides the throw top I got from you, I still have the yoyo - remember this one? That is one of my all time favorites!

View attachment 67967

I've never seen painter's tape that thin - I just found some on Amazon. Amazon has everything. The tape in the video is 1/4"...really cheap, no waist.

Hey, have you ever tried taper shank bits for drilling? That's about all use now except for forstner bits held, and sometimes hold those in 2MT collet.

The taper shanks have a morse taper and fit directly into the tailstock, eliminate the need for the drill chuck, take up less space, and can avoid some vibration and precision issues in some operations with misbehaving wood. I once found a bunch on clearance for $1 each and bought out the stock! I think I now have most sizes from smaller than 1/8" up to 1".

Here are some examples, showing a #1mt adapter.
View attachment 67968

The larger are #2mt, the smaller #1mt are used with #1 to #2 adapters.

This shows the drill bit extension difference between using taper shank vs the drill chuck. Also can occasionally help where space is limited. I have a bunch of tapered shank bits in really small sizes, like 0.5mm - 1.0mm, for use in jewelry making. Will look into getting some for larger sized bits diameters...thanks for the lead.
View attachment 67969

Thanks again for posting the video!

JKJ

See responses above, in bold.
 
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See responses above, in bold

The wood I normally use for tops is 2.6" to 3" diameter baseball bat factory reject rock maple...really hard, no knots/defects, perfectly white, cheap and readily available.

Ok, give it up. Readily available, where would I look for the factory rejects? I have some rock maple but only blanks I've cut from downed trees and dried, and not a lot.

JKJ
 
Joined
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The wood I normally use for tops is 2.6" to 3" diameter baseball bat factory reject rock maple...really hard, no knots/defects, perfectly white, cheap and readily available.

Ok, give it up. Readily available, where would I look for the factory rejects? I have some rock maple but only blanks I've cut from downed trees and dried, and not a lot.

JKJ
Here's a link to the bat manufacturer's reject eBay page. Been buying his stuff for years: https://www.ebay.com/itm/374909795486 . He also sells lots of other sizes, and birch/ash bat dowels.
 
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