9 month update

[studio42]

With my "starting date" of Early October 2014, I'm at around 9 months in.

With my last update, I think I was messing around with Corkscrew and Crazy 8. I'm now pretty decent at those. I'm still mostly playing bearing tips, but I have gotten a few more fixed tip tops, with the Spintastics Quicksilver Hybrid being the stand-out item. I have that in a fixed and a bearing tip. I also have the Spintastics Trompo Bearing and Trompo Grande(x2), and the Quicksilver Hybrid fixed tip really works nicely for me. The extra weight has given me longer fixed tip spin times and has allowed me to really get arm walker figured out better. Wire walker is much nicer as well with this top, especially over the HP Hornet with the diabolo fixed tip. I've added hacky top and am looking to add race car any day  I'm having a bit of a problem doing the set-up of it. It's nothing that more practice won't resolve. I'm not ready for regenerations ye. I am feeling more comfortable when I make a mistake and the top is at at the bottom of the string. A lot of that "panic" element is gone. I've also had some trivial set-backs. Those stock Strummol8 strings just don't hold up well, so I've been cutting new strings from this bulk Spintastics string I purchased sometime in mid-2013 when I stocked up on some stuff so I would have it available when I was ready for it. Now I am. These are small things, because I know how to quickly adjust a string length to what I need it to be.

On another topic, one of my friends got one of the STB 2.0 FMJ tops and those play nice. I did have to clean out the bearings in the stacks for the bearing tip, as those were literally grease packed. He was having issues boomeranging it. I had no problems, but his string needed adjusting. It is heavy, but in the hand, it doesn't feel heavy spinning. It would be nice to have detailed instructions as to how to dismantle those stacks for maintenance. With the adjustments, he'll have no problem boomeranging it anymore. I did show him how to do corkscrew! He doesn't have it down yet, but he's got the basic mechanics down. It's all practice now!

Lastly, as I expected, progress has slowed. I'm fine with this. It's still fun and that's all I need. I'll just smooth out stuff I know and the drive for learning new stuff will come when it should.

[ta0]

Congrats on your progress!
You have the right attitude. It doesn't pay to try to learn regens too soon: it just leads to frustration. The most important thing is persistence: what may seem impossible today, with practice eventually becomes easy.

Full Metal Jacket = STB 3.0
I am surprised Maurizio did not clean and inspect the bearing assemblies. He was probably in a hurry to get them out after all the delays.
Did your friend get in on the pre-order or did he order directly from Maurizio? I don't think they are available at a store at this time.

[the Earl of Whirl]

Good work studio42.  I love to read about your progress.  It brings back lots of good memories!

[studio42]

Congrats on your progress!
You have the right attitude. It doesn't pay to try to learn regens too soon: it just leads to frustration. The most important thing is persistence: what may seem impossible today, with practice eventually becomes easy.

Thank you. I remember not too long ago going into a slight panic mode if the top ended up at the bottom of a loop under my hands, but now I know I usually have time to deal with it. I do admit most attempts are not successful, but even in those failures, I take something away to build off if.

Full Metal Jacket = STB 3.0
I am surprised Maurizio did not clean and inspect the bearing assemblies. He was probably in a hurry to get them out after all the delays.
Did your friend get in on the pre-order or did he order directly from Maurizio? I don't think they are available at a store at this time.

Yes, it was a pre-order. After playing this top, I gotta say I'm extremely impressed with it. I'd be willing to shell out for one!

Good work studio42.  I love to read about your progress.  It brings back lots of good memories!

Thank you. All the videos around here help keep me motivated beyond my own motivation of just wanting to do this.

Today's task will be changing the new string on my second Sophia, and changing the worn string on my first Sophia. I did notice that by using the Spintastics string on my STB 2.0, it seemed to spin a lot faster. Wow!

[Jack]

excelent news studio42! congrats on your success! i am curious though what you mean by your strings wearing out?  ive only needed to replace 1 string........ever lol   

edit: is there a burr on your tip that might be eating your string up? thats what happened when mine snapped

[studio42]

excelent news studio42! congrats on your success! i am curious though what you mean by your strings wearing out?  ive only needed to replace 1 string........ever lol   

edit: is there a burr on your tip that might be eating your string up? thats what happened when mine snapped

There's no burr on the tips eating strings. The stock Strummol8 strings just don't hold up too well, and this replacement #24 cotton twine I bought at an Ace isn't holding up so well either. The Spintastics stuff seems to hold the performance attributes much longer.

Also, some of the strings are getting dirty and I just don't have time to wash them. But, I'm liking the thickness of the Spintastics string. To me, it just "feels" better. Not too thin, not too thick, enough stiffness, but then softens nicely after breaking in, yet still holds nice with just the right amount of stiff in it.

[Jack]

excelent news studio42! congrats on your success! i am curious though what you mean by your strings wearing out?  ive only needed to replace 1 string........ever lol   

edit: is there a burr on your tip that might be eating your string up? thats what happened when mine snapped

There's no burr on the tips eating strings. The stock Strummol8 strings just don't hold up too well, and this replacement #24 cotton twine I bought at an Ace isn't holding up so well either. The Spintastics stuff seems to hold the performance attributes much longer.

Also, some of the strings are getting dirty and I just don't have time to wash them. But, I'm liking the thickness of the Spintastics string. To me, it just "feels" better. Not too thin, not too thick, enough stiffness, but then softens nicely after breaking in, yet still holds nice with just the right amount of stiff in it.

i tip my hat sir, ur a lucky cookie to find string you like the feel of in bulk 

[Jack]

and am looking to add race car any day  I'm having a bit of a problem doing the set-up of it.

maybe someone with a helmetcam could make a vid of the setup? i cant find a clear vid of the setup  and im interested in learning it aswell 

[Shootist]

and am looking to add race car any day  I'm having a bit of a problem doing the set-up of it.

maybe someone with a helmetcam could make a vid of the setup? i cant find a clear vid of the setup  and im interested in learning it aswell 

I thought Race Car and Short Circuit were the same trick. You might find a video for Short Circuit on this forum.

[Kirk]

I thought Race Car and Short Circuit were the same trick. You might find a video for Short Circuit on this forum.

Race Track (Formula 1 in Spanish) is 3 strings instead of two.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hafcFeWGTGk
Of course Gustavo still has enough spin to do another wire walker with a regular Cobra.  Mere mortals can sometimes do the trick.