Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Sam]

Hey Guys. I finally got to finish a top I have been working on. It's made from ash and is about 2 3/4" wide and 3 3/4" high. I drilled a 1" hollow in it to lighten it up though it wasn't too heavy to start with. I was able to do a boomerang on my second try and then did a wire walker with it. It's a bit odd in the respect that it hums while it is spinning. It spins steady with no wobble that I can tell. I'm pleased over all with how it turned out. I've got to get better at making the tips, that one didn't end up as I planned, but it works fine.

Check it out!

On the lathe:


Side View:


Hollow Top:

[Watts' Tops]

Sam,  Looks great.  Working with a metal lathe?  Like the hole too.

[Sam]

I'm using a jet mini wood lathe. It's nice so far.

[Larry D.]

Nice work Sam!
That is a good looking top.

[ta0]

It has a player's shape and the stained wood looks very nice.  You just need to work on that tip to have a perfect top.

[Dick Stohr]

Well done!  More, more.

[the Earl of Whirl]

That a way, Sam.  Keep up the good work.

[Sam]

Thanks guys.

I have been playing with it for the past hour or so and it plays really great. I'm going to try to keep track of them as they are made. So this one is SAM#2.

I think I'm going to try and take about 1/2" off the height on the next one and try to keep the width the same. I'm going to try turning the tip after it is attached to the top next time and see how that works out. I also ordered some tips to try out and they should be here next week.

[Sam]

I turned out another top today Sam#3. This one is made from the last of that piece of ash wood and is hollow. It has a natural wood and friction polish finish. It's about 2 3/4" High and 2 1/4" wide. I gave up on making my own tip and used a spare BK tip I had. I'm tempted to drill it and try to make it a bearing tip. It spins good though not quite as long as SAM#2.

Check it out:

[Dick Stohr]

Sure looks good!!!!!!!  Eric & Alan mount the bearings in Delron or some plastic.  Not sure that wood could be stable enough to hold the bearings.  Anyone else tried it?  Was it good?

[topper777]

i really like the second version.  the shape is ideal. the tip looks better for tricks!

[cecil]

I would use a Spintastic large C tip. They work great.

[Watts' Tops]

Sam, your tops look great.  Love the real wood. 
I have about a quart of 60's Duncan plastic tips.  I wonder how these would work for your tops?

[Sam]

Thanks Walter. I'm having a lot of fun making them. I've not familiar with the 60's Duncan tips but if you'd be willing to sale me a few I'll sure try them out. 


I'm all hyped up right now. My sister just had a large white oak tree cut to prevent it from falling on her house and I was able to get a ton of wood from it. I haven't measured how wide it is yet but I can't even come close to reaching around the trunk. I was able to process most of it yesterday but I still have some of the trunk that I need to cut up. I did seal it up really good on the ends to prevent cracking and I hope to have it all done by the weekend. I'm going to try to get some of the trunk to dry whole without cracking in hopes of making a big top later.

[lincolnrick]

Good news:  free wood!  Not so good news:  it's oak. 

Good news:  it's from a tree not damaged by wind or other natural events. 
Not so good news: it's still oak.  Oak is heavy.  They make furniture from it.  It's not the best wood for tops. 

Good news:  free wood!! Have fun, try tops but also have at some bowls or something else.
That's it..