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Author Topic: Less is More top  (Read 717 times)

ta0

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Less is More top
« on: February 23, 2021, 09:01:02 PM »

You have created a family of curtain-ring tops!  ;D

Besides the commercially available "exclamation mark top"and the PERIOD top (curtain rin top nr. 1) this "colon top" is the third punctuation top I know of, can you think of any other ones?

I cannot find the post, but we once discussed this top offered on the Shapeway marketplace, the Less is More spinning top:



I like its looks, but the dynamic balance cannot be perfect along the axis. It still manages over one minute and a half with less than 2 grams of weight.

They also have a medium size and an extra large version.

When we originally discussed it, I tried to order one but the order was later canceled because they could not make it in the material I had chosen ??? I don't recall the material I selected but it definitely was not solid gold  ;D
Edit: I checked my Shapeways history and the material was polished bronze steel. It seems that the problem was the "polished" part, so the creator removed that option. I ordered again but it will take a month to deliver.
« Last Edit: February 24, 2021, 10:27:14 AM by ta0 »
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Jeremy McCreary

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Re: Less is More top
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2021, 09:49:49 AM »

@ta0: The elegance of that top design and the efficiency of its mass distribution are hard to beat.

The rendering you showed handles its inherent couple unbalance well. My much larger LEGO knock-off is a favorite despite the minor wobble.

@ortwin: I'm calling the curved stem and tip arms a pair of commas.
« Last Edit: February 24, 2021, 12:54:42 PM by Jeremy McCreary »
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ortwin

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Re: Less is More top
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2021, 02:40:34 PM »

The nice top that ta0 showed us, reminded me of the paper clip  top in the (German) paper I attach here.




Probably well known around here, but I can't know for sure.

While I was searching to find that paper again I came across this also very special carousel top:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxAZA-7FwGh/ 
@Jeremy: how fast can you make a Lego version of this one? Or have you done it already?


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In the broader world of tops, nothing's everything!  —  Jeremy McCreary

Jeremy McCreary

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Re: Less is More top
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2021, 03:49:56 PM »

@Jeremy: how fast can you make a Lego version of this one? Or have you done it already?

A forum post back in 2017 inspired this attempt at a Sakai top with the usual 60⁰ ring gap...



Dynamic balance turned out OK but not great. Truly awful aerodynamics.

Probably 3 hours of work -- most of which was spent in stiffening the structure and fiddling with small trim weights.
« Last Edit: February 24, 2021, 03:56:36 PM by Jeremy McCreary »
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ta0

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Re: Less is More top
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2021, 01:22:23 AM »

I received today the top from Shapeways. It does spin nicely, as advertised.



I don't know if it's because it's the size of a ring (I got the smallest size), but the natural brass almost looks like gold. Quite happy with it.
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the Earl of Whirl

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Re: Less is More top
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2021, 08:31:59 PM »

Very cool.  I like it.
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