A batch of Tops

[Dennis Ford]

Mostly made of Holly, with some chatter work and colored with "Sharpie" markers. They probably average 2-1/2" diameter.

[Russell Eaton]

Your going to make a lot of kids happy with those! Good job.

[Adam Blanton]

Now for the real challenge, let's see if you can get them all spinning at once!

[Dan Masshardt]

Cool. Did you make them using dowels through another drilled piece or from one solid piece?

[Wayne Lovell]

It looks like you found a great way to relax after that great demo Saturday.

[Dennis Ford]

Dan: they are made from a solid piece.

Wayne: Thanks for the kind words.

[Dick Mahany]

Eye-catching and beautifully done! Makes me want to be a kid again, but then, so many other things;). Great work and colors are fun.

[Gerald Wervey]

The designs on them are really nice. I do a lot of tops but they lack the swirls that you have care to share how you made that pattern. Jerry

[Dennis Ford]

Gerald:
I turn the top in the normal way and then take a final pass with a detail gouge. The top tends to vibrate like crazy during this pass and the vibration causes the spiral pattern most of the time. Some fail with a broken stem and some get a less defined pattern but after some practice, most of them come out OK.

[Dan Masshardt]

That's funny. I assumed you used a chatter tool.

[Gerald Wervey]

I' give it a try one thing that do is put a spiral on with a sharpie marker going with a very slow speed on the lathe moving from left to right. Then with the lathe running same speed same direction go from right to left and the pattern goes the opposite direction. Note I tried it with the lathe running in the opposite direction and that does not change the patterns direction. Thanks for sharing your method. Jerry

[Jim Underwood]

I find it's much easier to use a chatter tool for both bottom and the top. Just leave enough meat on the stem before chattering so that it won't break. Then once the chatter is done, thin the stem to desired diameter. No sense wasting all your work!