tops for tots

[John K Jordan]

The batch of tops for the kindergarten class this Christmas. I didn't finish them until late the night before...

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JKJ

[Frederick Skelly]

Very neat. Bet they will love them John!

[Dick Mahany]

Good looking lot. What do you use for the colorings?

[Rudy Musclow]

Nice work, great idea they will love them.

[John K Jordan]

Dick,

I use a variety of things. One year I used specta ply which had it own coloring! (and turned a central shaft/handle from another wood)

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This year I tried using water color pens for the first time. I found that by careful selection a set of bands of color look like a nice gradient. This worked so well that I'm about to make more the same way. I use these brush pens which I buy when the price drops (I set a watch on camelcamelcamel.com).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N9IY5QF
They actually have a pretty good price right now, but I have bought them at less than $20 when I caught a temporary price drop. They make GREAT presents for artists! Spray acrylic will finish without the colors bleeding.

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Rudy,

Thanks. I've made 100s of these over the years. I used to send batches of 50 with a missionary to Romania who used them as incentives in children's programs. (no batteries required!) I also carry a pocket full when traveling and give them out to people I meet. They are perfect conversation starters!! We've actually become good friends with a family in Italy that started when I gave a girl and her aunt a top on a train from Austria to Venice - we since became pen-pals and they show us around their area when we visit and some of them come visit us! Good clean fun.

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Most people seem to make tops quickly and use chatter tools to texture. I got tired of that quickly and started making them from a variety of woods, mostly harder woods like dogwood, osage orange, hard maple, and persimmon, holly and sugar maple when I want to add color, a lot of exotics - cocobolo, ebony, bloodwood, bubinga, etc., I pay attention to detail and form and try new shapes all the time!

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I think tops are a great way to develop turning skills. They will teach you fine tool control and a delicate touch for surfaces that need very little or sometimes no sanding! I assign tops as practice homework to students. :)

BTW, I made this to show how I turn - turn and finish the bottom first, then the top of the body, then the handle. Once you thin the handle you can't touch the rest with a tool. I typically chuck up a longer piece of wood, maybe 1.5" by 8=10" and turn two or three in a row without tailstock support.

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Try them! My typical tools are a roughing gouge, parting tool, skew, 3/8" spindle gouge, and possibly a thin wire for friction burns for the black lines on some.

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JKJ

[Bill Bukovec]

John, thanks for the inspiration!