Watched your video Rick, great stuff. I decided to make one and your prediction was right. It did not work first time. Rather then start again I put it in a 3 jaw drill chuck and re turned it. After the 3rd try subtly changing shape etc, it worked brilliantly. The peg sticking out makes it easy to work on. Thanks for the info. Regards Brian
Rick -- New subscriber here ... stumbled onto your video on the 'tippee top' the other night, so I thought I would give it a spin today. I'll take dumb luck over skill any day ... the very first one I turned works like a charm! I have checked out some of your other videos, and look forward to future postings. Thanks!
Rick...I really enjoyed viewing your video! Great turning and explanation of why the top actually tips! I've turned a number of them just like you, but I've used the '2 piece' method... Instead of a ball bearing in the bottom recess, I use a small lead fishing sinker to insure the lower center of gravity is where I want it. It works about 50/50% of the time. I need to play with it to see if I can improve on the efficiency and if so, will share another post. Thanks for sharing and especially your tips! Safe turning to you and Merry Christmas to you and yours!
thank you very much. You have given me some very important aspects of making a successful tippe top. I made one a perfect sphere and it did not work at all. That fattening off the bottom curve is very important!!
Thanks for the information on hiw to make one that works. I was wondering, would putting a point on the end of the handle help at spin better when it flips over or keep it from working? Thanks for the videos!
Cigar Smoka Actually a point doesn’t work so well. You have to have some friction to stop it from going all the way over. These don’t work so well on glass either because of the lack of friction. Best on wood.
That would be a definitely BIG tippee top. I guess it would work - I never tried one any larger than the ones in my video. Might be hard to get a six inch diameter top spinning fast enough to flip. Good luck!
OK. I.m addicted to making a tippy top that works. But first, I'm working on Christmas ornaments using a device invented by one of our local turners (artisticwoodturners.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=r_CqVmBdJqw%3d&tabid=66&mid=402). And I really, really need a tool for hollowing out tops and ornaments. Can you tell me what tool you started with and explain the grind for me? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Tippee Top Addiction (TTA) is a serious life-choice. I got hooked by turning 20 tippee tops in less than 24 hours. I'm checking into the Betty Ford Clinic for Tippee Toppers tomorrow. :-)
Hi, Kenny. Sorry for the long delay....I didn't see the part of your comment about the hollowing tool until just now. I used a tool made from a 8" length of tool steel. The end of it was ground about halfway down, so the "point" was a semicircle when viewed head on. Then I just ground the tip at about 70 degrees or so, to make a small scraper. You could pretty much the same thing by cutting off the short arm of an Allen wrench, sharpening the end, and mounting that in a handle.
Good to know. That was the direction I was going in because of something Cap'n Eddie said - in fact, I bought a couple of Allen wrenches at a yard sale this weekend.
Thanks, Ty. That is the video I was referring to in the latter part of my video. It's a pretty good video, but he never really showed all the steps he went through to complete a top, and only mentioned using a ball bearing. The first time I watched it, I could not figure out how a ball bearing would help....if you put the post into the hole in the middle of the bearing, you couldn't spin the top! It took me another viewing to realize he was talking about the actual ball inside the bearing cage. Boy, was my face red!
Watched your video Rick, great stuff. I decided to make one and your prediction was right. It did not work first time.
Rather then start again I put it in a 3 jaw drill chuck and re turned it. After the 3rd try subtly changing shape etc, it worked brilliantly. The peg sticking out makes it easy to work on. Thanks for the info. Regards Brian
Thanks for watching, Brian.
Rick, I have come close but never succeeded. With your video I will try again. Thanks.
It's takes a lot of tries to get that little thing to work right! Thanks for watching, Joseph.
Rick -- New subscriber here ... stumbled onto your video on the 'tippee top' the other night, so I thought I would give it a spin today.
I'll take dumb luck over skill any day ... the very first one I turned works like a charm!
I have checked out some of your other videos, and look forward to future postings. Thanks!
Gerald Jensen Thanks for commenting, Gerald!
Danke für die gute Erklärungen und Bildführung .Thänk you
Thanks for watching and commenting, Costa,
thanks Rick i have done a few tippies but only had two that would tip but never knew why or what i did right ...thanks for laying it down ....
You're welcome, Tom. Hope they work out for you next time you turn them!
Rick...I really enjoyed viewing your video! Great turning and explanation of why the top actually tips! I've turned a number of them just like you, but I've used the '2 piece' method... Instead of a ball bearing in the bottom recess, I use a small lead fishing sinker to insure the lower center of gravity is where I want it. It works about 50/50% of the time. I need to play with it to see if I can improve on the efficiency and if so, will share another post. Thanks for sharing and especially your tips! Safe turning to you and Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Thanks for your comments, Kenn!
thank you very much. You have given me some very important aspects of making a successful tippe top. I made one a perfect sphere and it did not work at all. That fattening off the bottom curve is very important!!
Thanks, Jim.
Good clear explanation. Thanks
Thanks for watching, Kenny.
Some of the ones that didn't work I think the post is long. It would lower the center of gravity and make it easier to get upon the post
Thanks for the information on hiw to make one that works. I was wondering, would putting a point on the end of the handle help at spin better when it flips over or keep it from working? Thanks for the videos!
It probably wood. I didn't specifically test for that. Since the bottom has a blunt point, that would probably work on the top.
Cigar Smoka Actually a point doesn’t work so well. You have to have some friction to stop it from going all the way over. These don’t work so well on glass either because of the lack of friction. Best on wood.
Why are the stem ends concave? Can they be rounded/blunted?
As long as the end is smooth, it seems to work either blunt or pointed. As I recall, it worked better if the end was gently rounded.
Hello; is it possible to make a big one of 150mm diameter?
That would be a definitely BIG tippee top. I guess it would work - I never tried one any larger than the ones in my video. Might be hard to get a six inch diameter top spinning fast enough to flip. Good luck!
what is your wood size you started with please?
I believe I started with a blank about 2" on a side and about 4" long.
RickTurns awesome thanks for taking the time to reply to me much appreciated
OK. I.m addicted to making a tippy top that works. But first, I'm working on Christmas ornaments using a device invented by one of our local turners (artisticwoodturners.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=r_CqVmBdJqw%3d&tabid=66&mid=402). And I really, really need a tool for hollowing out tops and ornaments. Can you tell me what tool you started with and explain the grind for me? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Tippee Top Addiction (TTA) is a serious life-choice. I got hooked by turning 20 tippee tops in less than 24 hours. I'm checking into the Betty Ford Clinic for Tippee Toppers tomorrow. :-)
Hi, Kenny. Sorry for the long delay....I didn't see the part of your comment about the hollowing tool until just now. I used a tool made from a 8" length of tool steel. The end of it was ground about halfway down, so the "point" was a semicircle when viewed head on. Then I just ground the tip at about 70 degrees or so, to make a small scraper. You could pretty much the same thing by cutting off the short arm of an Allen wrench, sharpening the end, and mounting that in a handle.
Good to know. That was the direction I was going in because of something Cap'n Eddie said - in fact, I bought a couple of Allen wrenches at a yard sale this weekend.
Sorry Rick it was Denton turners .. Make a tipee top. Check it out.
Thanks, Ty. That is the video I was referring to in the latter part of my video. It's a pretty good video, but he never really showed all the steps he went through to complete a top, and only mentioned using a ball bearing. The first time I watched it, I could not figure out how a ball bearing would help....if you put the post into the hole in the middle of the bearing, you couldn't spin the top! It took me another viewing to realize he was talking about the actual ball inside the bearing cage. Boy, was my face red!
Lol