Warren White
Member
OK. I was about 7 for 7 in the top business (meaning that they spun quite well). I gave them to my grandsons and they liked them. My HS Senior granddaughter wanted one, so I went back to the shop to make one more 'creative' for her by gluing a piece of metal at an angle on the square blank I turned. Looked great, but it wouldn't spin worth a darn.
Next, I decided to laminate thin pieces of maple/walnut/maple in the walnut blank I turned. After discovering that the glue was not infallible to the stresses of turning (little chips here and there) and in trying to fix it, the score of those two became blank=2; me I=0 (if you get my drift).
Second try on another laminated blank and it spins, although poorly. I suspect that in the process of turning past the little chip-outs I turned it too small in diameter. Score now: me=.5 and the blanks=2.5 (again, if you get my drift).
So, questions for the experts: Is there a minimum diameter of the tops? It seems to my physics-starved brain that too small won't sustain the spin... Is there a proper ratio between the height of base of the top and the spin handle? Is there something that you can do to enhance the balance of the top (like undercut the top of the base to increase the angular momentum (my high school physics teacher would be happy that I even remember that term). Lastly, is there a preferred shape for the pointy end?
HELP! I can't let something this simple drive me nuts!!!!
Next, I decided to laminate thin pieces of maple/walnut/maple in the walnut blank I turned. After discovering that the glue was not infallible to the stresses of turning (little chips here and there) and in trying to fix it, the score of those two became blank=2; me I=0 (if you get my drift).
Second try on another laminated blank and it spins, although poorly. I suspect that in the process of turning past the little chip-outs I turned it too small in diameter. Score now: me=.5 and the blanks=2.5 (again, if you get my drift).
So, questions for the experts: Is there a minimum diameter of the tops? It seems to my physics-starved brain that too small won't sustain the spin... Is there a proper ratio between the height of base of the top and the spin handle? Is there something that you can do to enhance the balance of the top (like undercut the top of the base to increase the angular momentum (my high school physics teacher would be happy that I even remember that term). Lastly, is there a preferred shape for the pointy end?
HELP! I can't let something this simple drive me nuts!!!!