Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998
Hack toll = trow top ? use & shape
Leo Van Der Loo
>Some one has asked about making a trow toll, I think that would be what we used to play with in the 40's & 50's and called hack-toll, the game was to trow a toll(top) and then for anyone to use his toll to knock the first one out and so on. I have made some and will try to get a pic. up
Leo V
Re: Hack toll = trow top ? use & shape
Leo Van Der Loo
>The way to use them is to make a string long anough to wind around the top dowel, down the side and around the body up to almost the shoulder, you need a knot on both ends one for the string not to slide from under the string around the dowel and a other one on the end so as to be able to keep that end between your pinky and ring finger, you hold the toll between your index(on top) and thump (bottem) trow the toll down and away from you, then pul the string back up, and like turning, practice, practice, etc.
Size approx. 2"D X 2 1/2"H
Re: Hack toll = trow top ? use & shape
Leo Van Der Loo
>Have made some smaller ones, they are finger twisted
Leo V.
Re: Hack toll = trow top ? use & shape
Leo Van Der Loo
>One more for shapes
Leo V.
Re: Ttrow tops-- Thoughts on shapes
Brad Vietje
>Great Holiday toy project, Leo -- thanks !
I've experimented with shapes and throwing methods, and have a few observations:
I make a lot of throw tops shaped, in general like these, but more like the very wildly colored image posted a few days ago (see photo below from Spintastics web site for shape). BTW: the top in the photo is not wound correctly -- Leo's pic's show the way to do it.
I started making these from Walnut and Sugar Maple stock I had that was 2.5" thick, and shaped as much as possible like the pic below. These are wound like your description/photo, except they are thrown upside-down, with the tip up -- they invert as they roll down the string, and land on the tip.
Then I decided to use some 2 x 2 Hickory stock I had, because the wood is so tough, I thought it would make very durable tops. I made them the same shape, but smaller, due to the stock size. Turns out, they didn't throw well upside-down, and had to be released on their side, like yours are, and then they worked beautifully. To get them to throw well when released upside-down, I had to make them a taller shape, about 1.75 times as tall as wide, as opposed to the larger ones, that were about 1.5 times as tall as wide. I wanted them to throw the same, so I could use one set of instructions for those sold at craft shows.
So, I have concluded that as the diameter gets smaller, the height has to get taller to have the same throwing properties, or center of gravity. Hopefully, this will help anyone out there looking to make some throw tops for gifts. I'd post photos of the shapes tried, but no camera right now :(
Safe Spinning,
Brad Vietje
Thetford, VT
What are you using for the tips?
Charles McKinley
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Re: Throw tops-- Thoughts on shapes
Leo Van Der Loo
>Thanks Brad, a comment on the shape versus throwing , stabillity and the woods specific weight versus the lenght of time the toll turns, I find that the stubby shape makes for a overall best performance, its less wobbely than a taller shape, and the gird makes for a greater mass, where it counts, to keep turning longer, of course the specific wieght of the wood also influences the turning times duration, one other thing Brad, I throw the tolls with the point down, not sideways or upside down, don't know if that works, never tried.
here's a pic. of differend shapes they all turn, but some better than others. Have fun and take care.
Leo V
OK I gooved, this was the pic. *LINK*
Leo Van Der Loo
>This picture also shows the hardware I use for the tips, they are steel pop rivets + a small washer, aluminium ones don't stand up, bin there done that, no good.
Have fun and take care
Leo V
http://homepage.mac.com/l.vanderloo/PhotoAlbum18.html
Re: OK I gooved, this was the pic.
Leo Van Der Loo
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Re: OK I gooved, this was the pic.
Leo Van Der Loo
>
Re: What are you using for the tips?
Leo Van Der Loo
>Sorry Charles didn't answer your Question yet, well I use a steel pop rivet for the tips, I take the rivet off the nail turn it over and slide it back on, then add a small washer to keep the string from sliding off the end when winding the string on.
I tried to use some alluminium pop rivets that have a wide collar so that I would not need to use a washer, but that was a flop, after some use the edge would be all bend up and worn, the steel pop rivets with the separate washer fare much better, and the small round tip makes for some nice spinning tolls.
Have fun and take care
Leo V
