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[czyoyo]

WOW What kind of lathe did you use

[JMauk]

Well, for lathe, it was just a couple of stands to rest the shaft on and a makeshift crank to turn it, the shape-able part is soft closed-cell plastic so could be shaped at low speed, didn't need a power lathe.  We had the rough round shapes in several layers prior to assembling on "lathe" for final turning.

[jim in paris]

WAOOOWWW : BiG TOUPIE!  SHE IS LOOKING FLASHY IN BLUE !!


Dear Joe Mauk

like Mike wrote , we've known you for quite some time, and it's a real pleasure to have you here so close, on the forum.

once again you're about to show us how far can tops raise emotions, commitment,  will-power and faith
you're a true Jim Schreiber's descendant !

saturday is the big day : it will be ST Vivian here in our calendar (wasn't she/he a martyr?)

my best wishes and magic vibes sent to you

jim

[czyoyo]

Perhaps a live feed of the record attempt? 

[JMauk]

Thanks Jim, luck, wishes, vibes, prayers, magic, I'll need it all for Saturday!

czyoyo, sorry no live feed, have an arrangement with a local TV show for first broadcast on their nationwide (Philippines) Monday morning show (Umagang Kay Ganda on ABS-CBN).  They will play the taped attempt but I will be interviewed live that morning.  Will try to post some home videos on youtube asap after the attempt.

Oh, and Jim, it was also my pleasure to meet with Jim Schreiber on three occasions before his passing.  I had learned spinning from Jim Steed of Grand Rapids, MI, who had learned from Jim Schreiber and was able to visit with Jim and Jemima twice (I think 1979 and 1983) and the last time was just Jim (I think 1990) after Jemima had passed on. He gave me my noisy diabolo top from China on that last visit.

[Larry D.]

What an incredible feat you are attempting.  The top looks gorgeous.
Too bad there will be no live feed. 
Thanks for giving us such wonderful insights Joe.
I can't wait to read more updates.
Wishing you all the best and great success!

[czyoyo]

I guess I will have to settle for youtube videos

Oh well.

Is that metal bar the tip or will it get a giant tip?

[WaxyAxle]

That is absolutely one of the coolest things I have ever seen.

I smell a shoo-in for the 2012 photo contest!

Best of luck, this is going to be great.

[JMauk]

The shaft will serve as the point, it is a 14 ft long solid steel 2 inch diameter round bar that was machined to a point on one end. At the base visible in the picture will be attached a wooden spool like a yoyo to wind the string, and below that a "nose cone" to complete the shape.

[Mark Magyar]

Latest pic as of today March 7, 2012


Great to see you here Joe Mauk. ^_^
Welcome.

[Note from admin: I merged the two topics.  I left Mark's picture links as they show even if you are not logged in]

[JMauk]

Thanks Admin!  Well, Thursday morning here.  Byron Watts arriving this evening to serve as one of the official witnesses required by Guinness.  The other official witness will be the town mayor.  Have also had confirmation of the local nationwide television arrangements.  No international broadcast inquiries yet, I mean other than you internationals requesting streaming video!  Sorry about that.

Didn't get the tower up yesterday.  Making progress on the holders.  The shaft will be held top and bottom by two huge 10-inch bearings.  This will give safety from it running away or landing on someone (like me) but will still enable it to spin freely within the space the large bearings allow.  The shaft is 2 inch diameter, bearings 10 in so I hope it will be very obvious it is spinning freely without being suspended by any mechanism (one of the requirements of Guinness).  Without the tower up, haven't been able to test the winch I bought so don't even know if it works right yet, I do know the crank turns the gears but that's about it.

A friend was waxing eloquent about what faith I must have to attempt this, I replied, either faith or insanity!

[ta0]

Byron will be there? Hey, we have another witness from the forum!

I think you are being too cautious. You should release it after it is spinning.  Perhaps on a following spin after you know everything is working well?

By having the rope pulling from close to the tip from the start, there will be a lot of "flipping" torque.  One nice thing of the conventional shape of a top is that you have embedded a continuous gear box: at the beginning the string applies high torque at low speed and as the wrap goes down it starts to provide less torque but at high speed. It will be interesting, to say the least, to see what happens Saturday.   

[anon]

This is cool#

[JMauk]

Jorge, you are exactly right about the need for larger diameter for better torque to start the spin.  However we will not be winding around the top itself, even though it has beautiful grooves, the plastic foam filler could never withstand the force.  My first thought was to just wrap the string around the shaft and had planned a launcher mechanism according to that idea. I have several small launcher tops that work well with this technique, of course my hand to the size of the top is an unperceived quantity of enormous force in comparison to the size of the top.  While on the "lathe" I wrapped a rope around the shaft and 5 of us could barely turn it.  Wrapped it around one of the 2 ft diam steel plates and one person could turn it easily.  Abandoned the launcher idea and went to a yoyo groove idea.  This enables us to wind from inside out on a spool so the initial pull is on greater diameter and winds down as speed increases.  I think the theory is right.  The practice? -yet to be seen.  The top will actually be held upright by the large bearing rings because of the force of the rope pulling it, we should be able to put the right tension on it with the winch brake.  When we release the weight the shaft spins against the bearings due to the pull force, when rope is done it should release into the middle of the spinning plate.  We'll see!

[JMauk]

Thursday afternoon.  Going in to Manila soon to pick up Byron.  Today added 12 dots 18" diameter separated by 19" spacing to fill the 37' 5" circumference.  The tower is up, Hooray!  Haven't tested the winch yet.  If I can't have a little test before I go in, I will, otherwise get onto it in the morning.  42 hours to launch.  May try to post a pic of the tower raising too.