Top Help Needed

[Pete Jordan]

Hi there,

I have been making tops for my 5th grade students and give away 2 every day to the kids who try the hardest. I am looking to start doing some tops with metal or plastic inserts so they will spin longer. Any suggestions on what to use and where to get them. I thought maybe using metal dowel pins but am looking for your help.

Thank you,

Pete

[Michael James]

Use to pick em up in Mexico for a nickel or a dime and they used nails clipped off...Played havoc on linoleum!:eek:

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Pete,

I wonder if you couldn't buy some brass rod and turn a point and cut..turn a point and cut....turn a point and cut...

You get the idea.

[Peter Hay in Aus]

Why not pop rivets they have rounded tops.

Regards Peter.

[Jeff Nicol]

Pete, I agree with using brass like Ken said. It is soft enough to work with and all you really need to do is round it off on some sand paper then buff it up a bit. Drill the corresponding hole for the brass rod (I use 1/8") and cut it with a side cutter so it sticks out just enough so the rounded off part is at the edge of the wood. This works perfect for me and the brass lasts a long time.

Have fun,

Jeff

[Steve Vaughan]

I was gonna suggest 1/8" brass rod too...readily accessible at the big box stores and hardware stores. Another thing might be to find some Corian kitchen countertop scraps and use pieces of that for maybe the lower third or so? Some of your local cabinet makers might have some scrap of that type stuff. One more possibility might be some 1/8" delrin rod. It's a hard, tough plastic or nylon type of material. You'll have to google that to find a supplier, but I know you can get it from muscical instrument supply places. It's often used to put under the strings of instruments.

[Greg Ketell]

How long do you want them to spin? It may all be in the shape you are using. Here is a picture of a top my son made from a chunk of scrap kingwood and a 1/2" dowel. Soaked and finished with thin CA.

http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=165607&stc=1&d=1288150013

Very low slung with a wide, heavy head. You can see a video of it here http://gallery.me.com/gketell/100019. It spun for 1 minute 9 seconds after hitting the side of our stove-top 14 times. Without the hits it may have spun another 20 seconds or so.

Sorry for the iphone quality picture and video. Just wanted a quicky for you all.

GK
PS sorry for the sounds of my son's cold in the background.



Hi there,

I have been making tops for my 5th grade students and give away 2 every day to the kids who try the hardest. I am looking to start doing some tops with metal or plastic inserts so they will spin longer. Any suggestions on what to use and where to get them. I thought maybe using metal dowel pins but am looking for your help.

Thank you,

Pete

[Bruce Pratt]

If you are turning the tops from hardwood, you can work harden the the bottom tip of the top by burnishing it with the bevel side of a gouge. This will heat up the wood and essentially "fire harden" it. Maybe not as durable as brass, but probably quicker.
------------
Bruce Pratt

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Hi there,

I have been making tops for my 5th grade students and give away 2 every day to the kids who try the hardest. I am looking to start doing some tops with metal or plastic inserts so they will spin longer. Any suggestions on what to use and where to get them. I thought maybe using metal dowel pins but am looking for your help.

Thank you,

Pete

Pete I have used steel pop rivets with success for years already.

I push the nail part out of the rivet, and press the body into the top, and use that to center the top and finish turn it, then cut the rivet nail to the length I need and push that into the rivet and top.

A couple of pictures should help to show the "how to" and end look, they work great, so much so that the kids can't wait for the top to stop turning :D

165612 165611 165610 165609 165608

[Pete Jordan]

Thank you for your suggestions!!!

I will try them all and see which one works best for me.

[merrill worthington]

I don't know if you want to spend money for a kit but Penn State ind. has a top kit that has a Ball Bearing in it which makes it spin for a long time. I have made several of these and they are easy and fun to make. http://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKTOP2.html

[Chris Stolicky]

When I played around a little with make tops I found that gluing a piece of corian on the bottom really made a difference. You can turn the corian to a nice tip and it is hard enough to not give much under weight when spinning. It also lowers the center of gravity because it is generally heavier than most woods.

[Peter Lamb]

Pete,
You may wish to check out this site. Good variety of tips.
http://www.turnertoys.com/wood_toy_spinning_tops2A.htm
Peter

[bob edwards]

I assume safety is a concern so a sharp point mite not be what you want. Steel shot would be cheep enough and friction free. Super glue it into a small cupped depression.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/misc/progress.gif http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/buttons/edit.gif (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=1544638)

[Scott Hubl]

I know this is a few months old but there is a slide show from youtube I found for Tops.

2 piece tops and he uses plastic knitting needles cut into 1/2" lengths and inserts them for the Point.

I just went to Hobby Lobby for some plastic knitting needles, $3.99 a pair. They are US size 5, 10" length.
Smallest diameter they had.

I believe he says to use 3/16th needles. After he drills and CA glues them in, he just turns to a point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwnr-nx_hyI

Just waiting on my Robust tool rests to arrive so I can make some for my 9 year old Daughter. (Haven't told her, just gonna come in with a few made for her.)

[Gary Max]

We use a small brass nail with a round head------predrill your dowel rod and gently tap the nail in. Cost is pennies

[John Terefenko]

www.turnertoys.com (http://www.turnertoys.com) if you want what you asked for. You can get in stell or plastic. Or alot of the other suggestions will work as fine. here is the link to the page http://www.turnertoys.com/product_index.htm#TOPS

[Bob Vallaster]

I have used what Gary Max recommended---called an escutcheon nail---in various sizes. But brass is relatively soft and will suffer if the top is used on concrete.
Have also used the equivalent in steel and had better durability, especially on larger tops. Sometimes packaged as axles for pinewood derby cars, and pricey. Cheaper if bought in the nail section of a traditional hardware.
Drill for a slight interference fit, to prevent splitting the point of the top.

BobV

[Reed Gray]

On the softer woods, I would use a drop or two of super glue. Since it is end grain, it penetrates wells, and will leave the tip hard. On woods that are hard, like rosewood, or cocobolo, I don't bother. Old dinner plates make nice platforms for spinning, and the lips keep tops form running all over the place, but running can be part of the thrill. Wood plates don't work well as the tops, even with wood points will dig holes.

robo hippy