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spin tops
- Thread starter Mel Reed
- Start date
My grandparents had a top when I was a child, 47 years ago, which had a part that was twisted metal. As you pumped this part up and down, the speed of the top increased. I remember the top as being all metal. There were small holes that created a humming noise at faster speeds. Thats all I remember.
Welcome, Mel. I've made quite a few finger tops but I've never made a whistling top. Here's an idea that you might want to try and, perhaps, work out the kinks to see if it will work.
First, forget about the finger top style. I doubt that they'd ever turn fast enough to create a whistling affect.
I think a whistling top would be powered by a pull string (perhaps a string wound through a spindle that came off when the string was pulled fully through its course of travel) so that it could be rotated very fast.
Next I'd expect that I might turn the top in two pieces. One piece, the bottom, would simply be hollowed and finish up as a very thin shell. Then I'd turn the top portion (rough it out and hollow it too) before joining it to the bottom piece. Then I might drill a series of holes around its perimeter very near the outer edge or, perhaps, along the outer perimeter where the two pieces join. I'd probably use a brass tack or pin glued into the apex of the lower portion so that it would spin with less resistance.
Whatcha think?
My friend jerhall is always coming up with creative ideas. See - he's just posted one below. He's some kinda genius with these things.
First, forget about the finger top style. I doubt that they'd ever turn fast enough to create a whistling affect.
I think a whistling top would be powered by a pull string (perhaps a string wound through a spindle that came off when the string was pulled fully through its course of travel) so that it could be rotated very fast.
Next I'd expect that I might turn the top in two pieces. One piece, the bottom, would simply be hollowed and finish up as a very thin shell. Then I'd turn the top portion (rough it out and hollow it too) before joining it to the bottom piece. Then I might drill a series of holes around its perimeter very near the outer edge or, perhaps, along the outer perimeter where the two pieces join. I'd probably use a brass tack or pin glued into the apex of the lower portion so that it would spin with less resistance.
Whatcha think?
My friend jerhall is always coming up with creative ideas. See - he's just posted one below. He's some kinda genius with these things.
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As it happens, I was going to try
to make a top that hums or whistles. Ran across this picture with hole in the side
Don't know if it is through hole or not, one side or both.
Might try to make one tomorrow and experiment with different hole configurations. I like the key of G. Maybe I can spin several in "harmony." Keep us posted on your progress!
to make a top that hums or whistles. Ran across this picture with hole in the side
Don't know if it is through hole or not, one side or both.
Might try to make one tomorrow and experiment with different hole configurations. I like the key of G. Maybe I can spin several in "harmony." Keep us posted on your progress!
Here's one that does an emergency warning
test tone, like you hear on TV. Nice video, nice turning, nice spinning plate, but no information on how to build the thing to make that awful sound:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BNE5fCYij4&feature=related
And here is a video of a hollow one, with a single slot. No improvement on the sound: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HReHUmuHOdE&feature=related
George, I am going to hold out for a full voice "Will the Circle be Unbroken" as a tribute to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
test tone, like you hear on TV. Nice video, nice turning, nice spinning plate, but no information on how to build the thing to make that awful sound:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BNE5fCYij4&feature=related
And here is a video of a hollow one, with a single slot. No improvement on the sound: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HReHUmuHOdE&feature=related
George, I am going to hold out for a full voice "Will the Circle be Unbroken" as a tribute to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
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For a 'How To' article, do a search on "Woodturners Guild Ontario". This should lead you the guilds website. Once there, click on the article index, and when asked for authentication, click cancel. The index will pull up and there is an article on whistling spin tops by Art Deboo.
I've made a couple using his write up. I found that the wood must have a uniform density or the top will vibrate excessively.
Later,
Dale M
I've made a couple using his write up. I found that the wood must have a uniform density or the top will vibrate excessively.
Later,
Dale M
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Click on Newsletters, and the first choice is the article index.
The link below is a cut and past from the directory.
http://wgo.ca/newsletters/Article Directory.xls
The article is in the March 2006 issue.
The link below is a cut and past from the directory.
http://wgo.ca/newsletters/Article Directory.xls
The article is in the March 2006 issue.
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Thanks the link Dale.
It appears that the hole on the one picture shows it to be off center rather than drilled directly perpendicular the axis. This would seem to give the same effect as a whistle in that the edge of the hole acts the same way as the edge of the notch in "cutting" the airstream.
I have a question on the string pull. I made one of these string pull tops, and cannot get the top to drop out of the handle at the end of the pull. It seems that the axle just rolls about in the handle until the momentum is mostly gone, and then finally drops out with a wobbly slow spin. What's wrong? Is my hole in the handle too large or too small?
It appears that the hole on the one picture shows it to be off center rather than drilled directly perpendicular the axis. This would seem to give the same effect as a whistle in that the edge of the hole acts the same way as the edge of the notch in "cutting" the airstream.
I have a question on the string pull. I made one of these string pull tops, and cannot get the top to drop out of the handle at the end of the pull. It seems that the axle just rolls about in the handle until the momentum is mostly gone, and then finally drops out with a wobbly slow spin. What's wrong? Is my hole in the handle too large or too small?
Non Spin Spin Tops
Jim, I have been making a bunch of them and may have had the same problem as you. I was pulling too hard and set up a vibration on the shaft. Now I just start out with a gentle pull then accelerate to a moderate level. Also made sure the shaft had a good clearance. Tried waxing too. Another factor is that some of my designs had the center of gravity high, and didn't have enough mass on the periphery. That made them harder to successfully spin. But now I can get them all to spin, some much longer than others. It's a learning process! Hope this helps. I notice on some of the commercial sites they are ranked in order of difficulty.
Jim, I have been making a bunch of them and may have had the same problem as you. I was pulling too hard and set up a vibration on the shaft. Now I just start out with a gentle pull then accelerate to a moderate level. Also made sure the shaft had a good clearance. Tried waxing too. Another factor is that some of my designs had the center of gravity high, and didn't have enough mass on the periphery. That made them harder to successfully spin. But now I can get them all to spin, some much longer than others. It's a learning process! Hope this helps. I notice on some of the commercial sites they are ranked in order of difficulty.
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Steady acceleration in the pull is what works best in my experience. Hole should be fairly oversize.
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Its been a while, but I think I left about .005 to .007 inch. clearance between the shaft and the hole with a 1/2" stem. Also applied carnuba wax to the shaft. I would think that a hole that was to somewhat to large would allow for the stem to orbit in the hole and use up a great deal of energy before dropping out. A large clearance would not have the orbitting effect.
For me, the best spinning top was made when I cut a straight grained piece of 1"x 3" across the 3" and glued the two jointed 3" faces together. The center of the spindle and the point on the bottom were centered on the glue line. This kept the balance of the revolving mass pretty close, and the tops spun better.
The shape of the hole has quite a bit to do with the whistling effect.
Later,
Dale M
For me, the best spinning top was made when I cut a straight grained piece of 1"x 3" across the 3" and glued the two jointed 3" faces together. The center of the spindle and the point on the bottom were centered on the glue line. This kept the balance of the revolving mass pretty close, and the tops spun better.
The shape of the hole has quite a bit to do with the whistling effect.
Later,
Dale M