I had to ban the power spinners at my school because several children were hit dangerously close to their eyes while playing, but I used to tell the children to use the power spinners at home to practice big scoop because when they're just learning, they can't generate as much spin by string. You can also use it to practice tricks such as Wirewalker via big scoop and Skyrocket, because the top will spin strong and straight.
As for your Big Scoop throws that are making a rotating circle....This can actually work to your advantage in terms of getting the top to come up onto your hand. Scoop up the top as it comes toward YOU in it's circle rotation.....when the top makes its counter clockwise circle, scoop it up at 9 or 8 O'clock....assuming you are a right handed player. Sometimes you can just lay your hand flat on the ground and the top will climb up, in between your fingers, on its own. However, your challenge then will be to balance the rotating top on your hand.
A smooth surface, like plexiglass, is a great surface for using the shove and scoop method with a FIXED tip. With your palm up and flat, open a wide gap between your index and middle fingers. Next, push your hand at the top and just shove your hand at the top with the V of your two open fingers. You may have to angle your hand down a bit for the initial scoop if you have big "thick man hands" to get the top to climb in between the web of your fingers. Once the top climbs up, just level your hand back out. Big scoop is one of those tricks that I've seen many a kid pass by because it can be a challenge...then again, I've also seen a few kids learn it on their first or second try like they were born to do it. What I've noticed about this trick in particular, is that there are a number of ways to "get er done"
I guess if you are not yet able to keep a skyrocket in your hand or to keep Big Scoop spinning for at least 3-5 seconds, you need to throw harder. Swing your arm hard and fast and let the top go with the tip (straight up). If you turn your wrist even a little bit as you release the top, the top will tend to make those rotating circles that you were talking about, because the top is flipping over and landing at the opposite angle at which you released it.
So yes, I would say that I can throw as hard/fast as the power spinner at this point.
Hope this helped.
