Spin top string

Spin Tops
1
  1. Is there a a certain way to size top string? I know its about top size not the size of the person but there are so many top sizes, so is it just guess and see if it works?
  2. Is there going to be more spin top string available here? There is an option for yyf tops but it comes with 2 buttons and costs 5 bucks and only has 1 string. I feel the buttons would accumulate and I wouldnt have enough strings once they wear out.

Thanks

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The most important factor is how far up the top barrel the string wraps, so you have a bit of leeway. Within reason, you can use a thinner string if you want your string to be longer, and a thicker one if you prefer it to be shorter, but of course as you stated, the size of the top will dictate this range of thickness.

Some top throwers just twist up their own string. I have received some string from Chris Neff, and it is far superior to other strings I have tried! However, I’ve had good look with Ace Hardware’s brand of cotton string. I can’t remember exactly how thick it is, but my calipers say about 2.5mm. It not as nice as even the string that comes with most tops, but it works well enough for me. Really the downside is that it doesn’t last as long, but you get miles of it for really cheap.

Just go there and look at it, and you should see a thickness that will work for you. Just make sure it’s cotton. What I do initially is to cut one longer than I’ll need, and knot it through the button at the length I think is close to right, try a throw, and adjust the length by moving the knot, until it’s turning over the right amount. Then I just cut off the excess. Once you have the right length for this kind of string, you can just use the old one to measure the new one.

The above assumes you’re talking about the small, commercially available tops, but could generally apply to larger tops or smaller tops.

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Myk_Myk is exactly right.
You would generally start with string that should be too long and shorten it until the top lands perfectly vertical on your hand. Don’t cut it right away: wrap the string around the button and try several times until you are sure before cutting it.
For the starting guess, consider that the wrap should end lower than the center of mass of the top: if the string were that long the top won’t flip. As you shorten the string, it will flip more and more.

NOTICE: My site and forum (www.ta0.com, www.iTopSpin.com) are down since yesterday. There was a major crash of the server. I am hoping to restore all the files in a few hours. Sorry about the inconvenience.

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