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[Neff]

So, as a side experiment for a top secret project I'm working on, I made an attempt to beef up a mini Cometa
that I got from poptop a while back.  The goal was to improve playability and spin time, so I added a little weight.

I found a couple of washers that fit pretty snug at the bottom and glued them in with some flowable silicone.



Adding the tip weight means you can add rim weight, so I put the body on my lathe and cut in a groove for a weight ring.
I fit a ring of solder into the groove, and soldered the ends together to make a continuous ring, and then trimmed it up on the lathe.
You can't see where the ends were soldered together.



The ring is snug and won't rattle, but it can spin in its groove a little, and I haven't figured out how to glue it in place without it looking like crap so I just taped over it.
Here's a scale photo:



It is an amazing player for its size.  It plays like some of the better regular-sized Mexican trompos.
I've been adding weight rings to my 5" tops, what a difference.  The key is just to add tip weight also to keep it playing right.

Maurizzy - when you gonna make that mini S8?  <3

[Trevor]

NICE!!!! I've been having probelm boomeranging that mini, now you've given me ideas. 

[the Earl of Whirl]

I love that kind of talk......."a top secret project".  It makes my imagination run wild!!!

[SpinQueen]

Awesome!    Still, even more awesome w/out the tape since the ring and tip look totally snazzy together.   Hmmm, how to get around crappy looking glue......must think.....must think.....

[Neff]

Eureka!  I should have just glued it before I soldered it together 
Good for the next one!

[SpinQueen]

   Neffy, Do you use your wood turning tools when working with other materials...I know solder is soft so I'm guessing it wont jack up your tools, but what about the metal tips and such? 

[figs]

NICE!!!! I've been having probelm boomeranging that mini, now you've given me ideas. 

I found that using a yoyo string with the mini is the perfect length and width for boomerangs

[Neff]

  Neffy, Do you use your wood turning tools when working with other materials...I know solder is soft so I'm guessing it wont jack up your tools, but what about the metal tips and such?

The tip on that mini Cometa is stock, I don't make metal tips, just Delrin reinforced with a steel bolt running all the way through.  I bought a small metal lathe (a Unimat) when I made Nimbus so that I could shave down metal rod to the right diameter for the bearings I wanted to use.   I haven’t tried making tips with it, just shaving down a rod was fairly time consuming – I don’t really know what I’m doing yet.  For modification of existing tips, I just put it on the wood lathe and grind it down with a Dremmel cut-off wheel.

[ta0]

The idea of a mini top that I can carry in my pocket and take out at any time for serious play is very attractive.  Put me on the waiting list!

[Neff]

send me a mini ta0!

[ta0]

I am not sure if poptop got the Cometin from me, but I don't have any left! I do have one mini Cometa that looks like a miniature 5 Estrellas Ultra. And I have a mini from 5 Estrellas (Buggy) and a mini from Super Trompo. Unfortunately, I have no extras.  I do have a spare mini from eXtrem if you want to try but the quality is not very good (I probably sent you one with your tops).  I do have several mini Premiers, but those much smaller.

[Neff]

I do have a spare mini from xTreme if you want to try but the quality is not very good

All the more reason to try it!  You did send me one of those, I think it will work just fine.

[ta0]

Ok, I'll send you the min eXtrem. 

[pplgrande]

Awesome mod Neff, I would like to feel how it plays

[poptop]

I still have that Comatin's brother in my collection.

I picked them up in Mexico.  They've also got a Cobra mini and Diamante mini, each about the same size as the comatin, but perhaps slightly better balanced. 

Sorry I've been MIA lately--work, kids, toys... (not necessarily in that order  )

[poptop]

I hadn't put it together until now (dummy), but I suppose this is the genesis of the recessed, soldered "delicious mod" ("groovy mod"?)
http://www.ta0.com/forum/index.php/topic,1744.msg17618.html#msg17618

Not to be confused with our groovy moderators  

Perhaps there's still another top secret project in the works???

[Neff]

Good call Pops - yes... though I've been messing around with solder since top #2 

Matias Stuntman is the first person I saw do it, actually his avatar is a picture of his first solder mod I think.  I've been missing Matias.  I checked out his YouTube channel last week and it looks like he as taken up a slightly more exhilarating hobby.



I've been going through a lot of solder lately 

[ta0]

Did the yellow paraglider go over high-voltage transmission lines at 4:18!  I loved Grampa doing it at 95 years old!

I almost bought some thick solder (with silver) yesterday but at $20 the spool I decided to wait until I needed it. I did buy some mounting putty 

[Neff]

ta0 is going to balance a top?   

$20 is a good price for a spool of lead-free solder.