I bought a new Jet lathe last summer, and one of the things I’ve been doing is turning little finger tops with it, mostly for practice, and it’s pretty fun too. At this point I can turn one out in 7-10 minutes, and I’ve accumlated a pile of them.
So, this weekend at a big family gathering, I stuck a bunch of them in a bag and brought them along to see what interest I could generate withBut the pre-teen and teenagers who were going to be there. Frankly, I didn’t expect much. These are kids who spend a lot of their lives with their heads buried in video games and other such nonsense.
So, you can imagine my surprise when I dumped them all out on the foyer floor and the kids pounced, scrambling around to see which ones spun the best. There were “top wars,” timed spinning contests, and other competitive events. One of the younger girls attempted to learn to spin a top with her toes. And half a dozen “new age” kids were captivated for a full half hour. Amazing.
One of my brothers-in-law came by and said, “Hey! Tops! Is this some kind of Amish thing?” He, too, was fascinated by the level of interest in such simple little toys. Some photos… Zolton
If you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It’s not a pet. – Jackie Moon
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If you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon
Hey Zolton, I don't suppose you have lost a cat have you? I have a nice cute one here for you.
Keith,
That's hilarious! I wonder how they got the possum to pose for the photos?
ZoltonIf you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon
It wouldn't be too hard to capture those expressions, that is pretty standard possum behavior. They are pretty slow, and easy to capture, then when prodded, they will try to bluff by hiss and snarl, before playing dead. Thus the term "grinning like a possum" term is actually how they look when trying to look threateningI had fun sending that photo to my cat-lover friends trying to find it a new home. None of them seemed to be amused by it. They are not like dog people you know. ;-)
Edited 3/22/2008 6:01 pm by KeithNewton
Speaking of possums, we've got a few in our neighborhood - and I live very near a downtown area. They evidently find plenty to eat in people's compost piles and garbage and have no predators other than automobiles.
I've never been tempted to take a photo of them though. I usually see them at night, waddling away along a sidewalk. We had a family of them living in a storm sewer for a while near my house..
I'd never eat one.
ZoltonIf you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon
Zolton,
Hm tops. In addition to the finger twirled ones, a craze in my youth was a heavier type that was spun by winding a cord around the body then throwing it at the ground (like skipping a stone). They would spin quite a long time.
Haven't thought of those in years and years.
Ray
Zolton,
That's great. Simple toys still have charm.
When I was a kid and my parents would drag me to antique auctions. I was bored out of my mind. One auction, my dad bought a box of wooden tops. He handed them to me and one of the people working at the auction gave me a piece of string. My dad took me outside and taught me how to wind the top and throw it. I spent the rest of the time playing with tops. I took the tops with me to every auction after that. I can't tell you how many times someone would stop and show me something new. I'm sure there were some people appalled that I was playing with antique tops.
One un-intended side effect of going to all those auctions. I can identify and give the history of each antique my parents bought.
Len
Len,
Great story about the antique tops! I'm curious as to how these were "thrown," as I've never seen it done. I'd like to make a top or two like that, as an upgrade to what I'm turning out now.
The ones I make are quite small - the largest is maybe an inch and a half in diameter - and are just spun between two fingers. Even so, I've had one going for a minute and 15 seconds, my personal record. That took place during a heated after-dinner competition between me my stepson and a couple of his friends, on a varnished maple tabletop (another of my projects). And I got the best of them every time.
I remember the first auction I went to as a kid up in New Hampshire. I bid on - for 25 cents - and won a wooden cane! No idea what I was going to do with it at ten years old or so, but it turned out that I did spend much of the rest of the summer sporting that thing around town.
Zolton
If you see a possum running around in here, kill it. It's not a pet. - Jackie Moon
When I was a kid (I think I was one?) you used a whip to start a top -- just a stick with a piece of string attached. Most tops had a groove round them to accomodate the string. You could either hold them upright on the ground and pull the string, or if you were good start them in midair. Girls used them more than boys, I think.
Jim
Zolton,
I found one of the tops in a bag not to long ago. I think my mom shoved it my car the last time I visited. I'm trying to remember where I put it. As soon as I find it I'll shoot you a picture.
BTW. I'm not fond of opussums either. They are defined as a pest in CA. Not native to CA. People brought them here during the Great Depression as food.
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