Spinning Tops

[rwm]

One piece of brass. lathe and fly cutter.
R

 

[wildo]

Yeah man!!! Now we're talkin!

 

[rwm]

I'm thinking I will mount it on and SS shaft with an interference fit against a flange. I am not sure how to do the finger holder part (whatever that is called. Grip?) I have a knurling disorder so that is out for now. I may leave it polished. The only problem with the brass is it will tarnish and not look as good against the SS. (yes, I know some optimistic people call it "patina.")
Robert

 

[wildo]

I am not sure how to do the finger holder part (whatever that is called. Grip?)
Robert

The word you were looking for is "stem." That's what all the top makers call it. If you're really good, you might be able to replicate something like the BilletSpin turbine stem I pictured above. No knurling there... Or o-rings like the Focus Works one.

 

[tq60]

Past wax for floors works well.

Makes it more aerodynamic too.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk

 

[DHarris]

You could shoot a couple of coats of Automotive Clear paint on it then polish it down to a hard / smooth / shinny finish. You can get spray cans of the clear at automotive parts outlets.

 

[RandyM]

I thinking I will mount it on and SS shaft with an interference fit against a flange. I am not sure how to do the finger holder part (whatever that is called. Grip?) I have a knurling disorder so that is out for now. I may leave it polished. The only problem with the brass is it will tarnish and not look as good against the SS. (yes, I know some optimistic people call it "patina.")
Robert

I'd clear powder coat it. You got a great start, I like it.

 

[intjonmiller]

Chris of Clickspring fame just dipped his brass parts in a thin lacquer after polishing. Seems like that should be sufficient, though his pieces aren't meant to be handled as much as a top.

I have only used about a dozen colors of powdercoat, but almost half of those were different types of clear. We never found one that preserved the look of the metal underneath. They all looked like plastic (because, of course, that's what powdercoating is). Of course it also depends on how controlled your application is. If you're very good at it, and your machine is set up just right, you could probably do a thin enough cost to minimize that effect, but even with a top of the line Wagner Sprint AirFluid gun and a trainer from Sherwin Williams own powder division I never saw it. Wouldn't bother me at all to learn that it can be done, though.

 

[RandyM]

Jon, Clear is clear, not sure what you are referring to with different types of color. The brass gas pump nozzle in this pic is polished and clear powder coated.

 

[rwm]

I was actually thinking about trying to gold plate it. Not sure how hard that would be? I have some scrap gold I could use as an electrode.
Robert