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[Quark]

I am interested in buying the _Tungsten_ version of the Quark Top (pictured below).  Note, it is 1.75 inches in diameter, whereas the regular version is 2 inches.  If you have one or know someone who does, please let me know.

[ta0]

Welcome to the forum!

I saw that the www.quirkle.com site is working and the Quark page is there, but marked out of stock. It still says copyright 2004-2005 (the top was introduced in 2001).  The top was created by a certain software developer, Jim Lewis, and his other company, Micro Logic has a working website but looks like it may not have been updated in a while. Have you tried to contact him through his websites?

I wonder if they ever sold the solid gold version they advertised. It was one of the most expensive finger tops ever at $2500 (I am leaving open the possibility that there have been finger tops with diamonds  ) but given the increase in the value of gold since, it would have actually been a good investment (if you had the heart to melt it down  )

Good luck with your search but I am not giving up mine!

[Quark]

Thank you!

 I did contact the manufacturer, but there are none available.

[ta0]

I was surprised by the price listed for the brass quark of $100 as I remembered it used to cost $50 (this includes balancing laser pointer, adjusting weights and glass spinning surface).  So I used the "way back machine" on archive.org to look at the old versions of the site. As of February 2011 both the brass and tungsten tops were still listed as in stock, and the prices were $50 and $150, respectively. By November 2011 the tungsten was out of stock. By June 2012 the price of the brass quark had gone up to $100.  Currently, both are listed as out of stock.

I am curious, do you collect finger tops?  Science toys? Any reason you specifically want this top?

[Quark]

Thanks for the details.  I guess I missed it by about three years  .  I characterize my interests mostly along science lines.  As part of my overall collection, the tops I have are Top Secret, Topnosis, a couple of flip tops, a battery powered top with LEDs, and the _brass_ version of the Quark Top.  A couple of other spinning items I have are Euler's Disk and Hurricane Balls.  I would like the Tungsten version of the Quark Top since it shown as better than the brass version which I really enjoy  .

[ta0]

My collection started like yours; my first three tops were in order: the Levitron, Top Secret, and a motorized top.  After that I got a throw top (Monarch) from The Toycrafter and the rest is history 

Are you working on a duration record? According to the manufacturer the brass version can go over 15 minutes and the tungsten can break 20 minutes, if I recall correctly.  I don't have a brass Quark, so I cannot compare them.

My personal record is "only" 11 minutes.  I only worked on it for a few days and I know I am not a strong finger top spinner.  I remember trying Philippe Dyon's creations and he could spin them much faster and with more control than I could. 

Mmm, now I have a desk at the office were I could set up the base for a while. Maybe it is time to work on my personal finger spinning record again   

[Quark]

With my brass version, I can do 13 minutes consistently and I have done 15 minutes one time.  I figure that was pretty close to the longest possible time since "over 15 minutes" implies less that 16 or the manufacturer would have had "over 16 minutes." 

[ta0]

With my brass version, I can do 13 minutes consistently and I have done 15 minutes one time.  I figure that was pretty close to the longest possible time since "over 15 minutes" implies less that 16 or the manufacturer would have had "over 16 minutes." 

Those times, specially with the brass version, are very impressive!
I need to set up mine and practice!

[czyoyo]

Wow! 15 min. on a finger top?!

[Quark]

With regard to improved spin time, I saw mentioned "a small rubber tube which you can use as a stand or you can put in on the stem to make it easier to spin."  My brass Quark Top just came with black sticky tape I applied to to the spindle to help spin it.  Does anyone have one of the rubber tubes?  If so, how about a picture and/or lead on where to find one.  I'd like to try that instead.

[czyoyo]

With regard to improved spin time, I saw mentioned "a small rubber tube which you can use as a stand or you can put in on the stem to make it easier to spin."  My brass Quark Top just came with black sticky tape I applied to to the spindle to help spin it.  Does anyone have one of the rubber tubes?  If so, how about a picture and/or lead on where to find one.  I'd like to try that instead.

Maybe you could use heat shrink but not shrink it on. Just get the right size. That's what this sounds like.

[Kirk]

Try your local Auto Parts Store. Vacuum hoses com in many different sizes.
Kirk

[ta0]

I don't think my Quark came with either a tube or plastic tape. I don't think I need more gripping friction on the stem. What I need is more control when I maximize the force I put so the top stays in place and as vertical as possible.  If I apply maximum power the rim generally hits the spinning surface, which if I am spinning it on glass is scary.  That must be even more of a problem for the brass Quark as it is wider.

[Quark]

I found one!   However, I am only achieving 16 minutes , even though I have balanced it to the point that the laser reflection is a very small circle, comparable to the one for my brass top.  I am not sure if there is a problem but here are a couple of observations:  the tungsten top's procession shrinks throughout the spin (how about yours ta0?), but does not completely go away as with my brass top about halfway through its spin; the reflected laser circle has a wiggle in it even though there are no visible issues with the top, including the surface and the ball in the tip.  Perhaps it was dropped at some point.  Has anyone ever seen this or dropped a Quark Top and had any issues with balancing?

With regard to:

I don't think my Quark came with either a tube or plastic tape. I don't think I need more gripping friction on the stem. What I need is more control when I maximize the force I put so the top stays in place and as vertical as possible.  If I apply maximum power the rim generally hits the spinning surface, which if I am spinning it on glass is scary.  That must be even more of a problem for the brass Quark as it is wider.

I think you will find that a powerful spin is easier to control with the tube or sticky tape.

[ta0]

Congrats! Those are not easy to find 

The precession is supposed to stop at some point for maximum duration. If I recall correctly, mine "slept" well, but it has been a few years since I last tried   I need to re-balance mine. I already took it to the office; I'll do it next week if I have time. 

Sixteen minutes is way more what achieve in the past.  But now I have an incentive to try harder.



How heavy is your brass top?