What is it, what is the meaning and how does it work. How to disassemble a metal and plastic spinner

Most likely, you have recently seen someone twirling a strange object in their hands that looks like a small propeller, it’s called spinner(English fidget spinner).

Spinners, fidget spinners, spinners– an anti-stress toy consisting of a bearing in the center and several petals of the body. Usually held with the thumb and middle finger, and unscrewed with a slight click.

There are hundreds of varieties of spinners, each different in color, size, design, and the price can vary from a couple to hundreds of dollars. Spinners can be found everywhere and in the possession of many people, from a bored child in the yard to people in expensive suits with unusual, glowing gadgets in their hands.

In this article we will tell you everything you need to know about your new hobby - how fidget spinners work, how to find the right one for you and why you need them.

Toy? Why and what are spinners needed for?

Nervous people or just fidgety people who fidget all the time, click ballpoint pen, tapping the table with their fingers, tapping their feet on the floor, biting their nails, etc. The list goes on and on, everyone knows such people, and many themselves have similar habits that irritate others. Fidget spinners are designed to channel this strange energy and need to do something in a completely harmless direction. Although people who do not have such habits say that fidget spinners help them concentrate.

Spinners perform the same function as traditional “Chinese health balls”. Fidget spinners are reported to help people with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder focus. It is believed that the vibrations and sound from a spinning spinner create a therapeutic effect. In any case, everyone finds something different in spinners.

How a spinner works and works

Fidget spinners do not require batteries to spin, although many are equipped with LEDs. Each spinner has a bearing in the central axis (more on bearings later) and it only takes one click of your finger to make the spinner spin. Basically, the central part is held between the thumb and middle finger, and “winded” with the index finger, although you can start rotating it with the other hand or in any way and in any direction. Sometimes the spinners are not even in the hands, but spin on the palm or on the table, one hand presses the spinner, and the other spins it, this allows you to noticeably speed up and increase the rotation time.

Lid

The part that is inserted or screwed into the center of the bearing that allows your fingers to hold the spinner securely. Without a bearing cap, it will be very difficult to hold the spinner while spinning.

Frame or body

The part of the spinner that rotates around the central bearing. More information about body types and petals is written below.

Bearing

The bearing is located in the center of the spinner and looks like a small ring with metal or ceramic balls inside. Bearings have their own quality rating - ABEC, the higher the rating, the faster and longer it will rotate. The spinner uses only a central bearing; the outer bearings serve more of a decorative function and additional weight distribution for better balance.

Rotation time matters

The spinner's rotation time after spinning may not matter to you, but for enthusiasts, this is the main indicator of the quality of the spinner. These hardcore riders use high quality bearings, precise balance and suitable materials just to keep the spinner spinning as long as possible.

This may not seem like a big deal, but believe me, once you spin your first spinner, you will be surprised at how quickly you will want the spinner to spin faster and longer.

Of course, most people will be happy with the standard features, but enthusiasts are just trying to squeeze a lot more out of it. Although the initial five dollar spinner can spin for a minute or even two if you're lucky. While the highest quality and most expensive models rotate for tens of minutes.

Types of spinners

Single

This is the simplest spinner design, which consists of one small block with a bearing in the center. The advantage of this design is its compactness, as it is much smaller compared to a typical three-spinner. These spinners stand out from the rest, but don't let their size fool you, some of these little spinners can spin for five minutes!

Three-spinner

This is the most common design among all spinners. Outwardly, it resembles a clover with three leaves, in the center of which there is a bearing. It often happens that there are bearings on each petal, all this is done for the balance and weight of the spinner. The designs vary greatly, some resemble a propeller or a ninja star, etc. Three-spinners are usually assembled from plastic, metal and wood, although there are also leather options.

Quad spinner

With the success of the three-spinner design, it was only a matter of time before someone created a four-leaf spinner. They may look like crosses, windmills, or more complex designs. The quad spinner has better stability and smoother rotation, but the larger weight and size may not appeal to everyone.

Wheel

Instead of petals, the spinner has a completely round shape, like a wheel. These spinners look like wheels from a cart or car.

Exotic

Fidget spinners like no other and hard to classify. Some of them are triangular or have rounded shapes, some are even asymmetrical. Others may even have small, free-rotating steel balls or mechanisms built into the structure. The only thing they have in common is their originality. Some of them may be small size, like a coin, while others are huge and can resemble a miniature medieval weapon torture.

Many of these spinners are made from exotic metals such as mokume-gane, Damascus steel, zirconium, tungsten and others.

3D printed

A special type of spinners, the frame of which is printed on a 3D printer, can be of any of the above types. It takes only half an hour to an hour to print and assemble. There are hundreds of ready-made drawings online, a bunch of groups on Facebook and VKontakte where people share ready-made spinners or print them to order.

What to consider when buying a spinner

Aesthetics

As with any hobby, people want to be able to express their individuality. Spinners come in many styles, from the standard and most common three-spinner to stars like Ninja and Batman. Some spinners will be more convenient, but appearance and aesthetics play a huge role when choosing your first spinner.

Feelings of vibration and rotation

Regardless of the materials they are made of, spinners vibrate when they rotate; some may like this more, while others may prefer it. The only thing that greatly influences vibrations is the bearings and material of the spinner; the faster the spinner rotates, the more vibrations and louder the sound. Another option is slow and quick-extinguishing spinners, when you need silence and want to irritate others as little as possible. In any case, you will have to choose between these two options, but if you want minimal vibration, look towards ceramic and hybrid bearings.

The volume of rotation is also affected by the weight of the spinner. Cheap plastic ones are usually quieter than heavier metal spinners, but as mentioned above, a lot depends on the bearing.

While enthusiasts are looking for spinners with a long spin, on the other hand there are people who, on the contrary, want to feel the vibration of the spinners and spin them as often as possible, they enjoy the process of spinning and feeling. Such people choose spinners primarily based on their appearance or the feeling of vibration; in any case, only by spinning the spinner can you understand whether it suits you or not.

Ergonomics

One thing that cannot be ignored about a spinner is its ergonomics. Some designs are created more for an amazing appearance, while others are designed for comfortable holding; finding a balance between them is quite difficult. For example, there are many spinners that look amazing, but when they spin, they feel stiff and uncomfortable. Heavy spinners can be uncomfortable after a full day of use, so plastic and wooden ones are better if you're looking for a relaxed spin.

Spinners price

Cheap spinners for $5-20 will most likely be 3D printed or assembled in China, but that doesn't mean they're bad, they're simple and work well. For $20-50 you can count on the middle segment of spinners, which use expensive and high-quality bearings and expensive metals: copper, brass, aluminum, etc. Anything over $50 is considered high-quality, sometimes unique, hand-assembled limited edition spinners.

Bearings

Exists a large number of types of bearings and it’s very easy to get confused, that’s why they introduced an ABEC rating for bearings. The higher it is, the faster and longer the spinner will spin. However, the faster it spins, the louder it can potentially be.

608 and r188 bearings

The most common type of bearing is 508 and can also be found in roller skates and skateboards. Another type of bearing is called R188 and is faster but less stable due to the smaller inner diameter, the type typically found on high speed spinners. Despite their impressive spin times, R188 bearings tend to be more difficult to clean and maintain. They are also more expensive because they are not as common as 508 bearings.

Steel

Most bearings are made of steel and contain steel balls inside. These bearings are installed on simple spinners and require little maintenance and attention.

Ceramic

Ceramic bearings have tiny ceramic balls inside them that soften vibrations and make rotation smoother. Ceramic bearings are more expensive than steel bearings and are great for silent spinners with minimal vibration.

Hybrid

Hybrid bearings are a cross between steel and ceramic. Balls can be either steel or ceramic. Excellent balance between price and vibrations.

You've probably noticed that many spinners have three or four bearings that are located closer to the edge. These bearings are non-functional and serve the purpose of weight distribution and aesthetics. If you pull them out, you will notice how slowly the spinner begins to rotate.

Video demonstrating how bearings affect rotation time:

Cheap spinners vs expensive ones

The difference isn't really that big, but the features listed below will probably be an argument for you to spend a little more money than you expected.

Rotation time

For hardcore enthusiasts, spin time matters most. High-speed spinners can spin for five to ten minutes. As a rule, this is achieved by using heavy metals in construction: steel, copper, brass. Add to this the quality and precision bearings and you will understand why they spin faster and longer than cheap tri-spinners that have ABEC-1 rated bearings.

Smooth rotation

High-quality spinners spin smoothly, all thanks to R188 bearings with a high ABEC rating. Some of them may have ceramic bearings and a well-designed design, which affects the smooth running and rotation of the spinner. The time and smoothness of rotation is affected by and.

Processing quality and precision

As already mentioned, the creation process, material processing and accuracy all affect the rotation speed of the spinner. High-quality spinners are made on CNC machines, which allow surface processing with high precision. Not to mention the appearance and unusual designs.

Durability

The use of metals such as aluminum, steel or brass in spinners allows them to last a long time and be more resistant to mechanical damage than cheap plastic spinners. As long as you maintain or replace the bearings as needed, metal spinners can last a lifetime.

Rare and beautiful appearance

Although there are some beautiful spinners in the mid-price range, when you look at the most expensive models, you will realize what a unique design is. These spinners are more personalized, made from exotic materials and have individual original designs.

Where to buy spinners

Why are spinners sold in vape shops?

People who are trying to quit smoking or switch to steam use fidget spinners to facilitate this not very pleasant process. Nervousness and irritability are standard symptoms, so it’s useful to keep yourself busy with something to avoid reaching for a cigarette; fidget spinners are ideal for such moments. In addition, spinners are produced by large companies that produce mods and electronic cigarettes.

Most likely, the vape shop closest to you already sells spinners and the best decision would be to go in and twirl them in your hands, choose and understand which one suits you best. Moreover, vapers played a big role in popularizing spinners, so you can safely turn to them for advice.

Online stores

With the growing popularity of spinners, cheap versions assembled in China also appeared on the market. The cheapest ones can be found for a couple of dollars and that may be enough for you. Large online hypermarkets have opened entire sections and offer hundreds of models of spinners.

Table from reddit with prices and links to manufacturers and sellers of fidget spinners around the world.

Like any thing, a turntable requires care in order to serve for a long time and please the owner. Sooner or later, anyone who owns a spinner will have to disassemble it and get into its insides, you need to be prepared for this.

In fact, there may be several reasons:

1. Change the bearing. To replace a defective one, or for example, I wanted to install a cooler bearing.
2. Lubricate the bearing. Lubricant tends to dry out over time, causing the toy to make more noise and vibrate more strongly. However, be careful - excess lubrication will also negatively affect the rotation characteristics!
3. Clean the bearing and parts of the spinner from dust and debris. Again, a dirty turntable will spin worse and make noise.
4. Just out of curiosity.

How to disassemble and clean the turntable

Warning! If the spinner spins well and feels great, then it’s better not to go inside again; it can only get worse if you use the wrong cleaning agent or overdo it with lubricant. Special talents manage to break the body during disassembly.

How to disassemble a metal and plastic spinner

1. Remove the cap from the bearing. It can be threaded and unscrewed, or it can be removed upwards, depending on the model.
2. Remove the bearing if possible. Sometimes they are glued to the body or placed on a sealant, then there is no need to tear it off. If you accidentally tear it off, then glue it back with superglue.
3. Carefully remove the boots on the bearing itself, if any. This can be done by prying it with a screwdriver or other thin object.

Congratulations, you have taken apart the spinner! All that remains is to clean it and put it back together.

The difference between disassembling a plastic and metal spinner is that the plastic one may not be completely disassembled and when cleaning you need to be careful both with the chemistry and with the forces applied so as not to accidentally break the body.

If you are the owner of a glowing spinner, then disassembly may include removing batteries and LEDs, it all depends on the model.

How to clean a spinner

We will need a cleaning agent - isopropyl alcohol or special alcohol will do. car brake cleaners. As a last resort, acetone, kerosene or solvent, but under no circumstances lubricate the plastic spinner with them, the body may be damaged by contact!

There are conflicting opinions about WD-40. Some say that after cleaning the spinner with WD-40, it began to spin 30-40 seconds longer, others claim that, on the contrary, the spinning time was halved. The fact is that the VDshka leaves lubricants on the surface of the balls, although not for long, unlike conventional lubricant, so the rotation speed may decrease at first.

• Washing. We thoroughly water the bearing with cleaning agent and rotate it to wash out all the debris and grease. You can even wash it with fairies under some water.
• Drying. You can use a napkin or a soft, clean cloth, but it is better to dry it with a hairdryer so as not to leave lint and new debris. Definitely dry!
• Lubrication. Lubricate with a drop of synthetic oil from a syringe; oil for sewing machines or watch mechanisms is best suited. Do not use vegetable or thick machine!

How to lubricate a spinner to make it spin longer?

Here is the point - with lubrication, the spinner cracks and vibrates less, but the speed and duration of rotation also decreases. Therefore, if you want the turntable to spin smoothly, then apply it. If you want the spinner to spin longer, then you don’t need to lubricate it, just rinse it, or just drop a little oil.

However, without lubrication, the service life of the bearing will decrease and it will become more susceptible to water and condensation.

A visual video on how to wash the spinner and increase the rotation speed:

How to assemble a disassembled spinner

Actually, we proceed according to the same scheme as we disassembled, only in reverse order. The spinner is quite simple in its design, it is difficult to get confused with the assembly.

1. We assemble the bearing from the spinner - we put on the boot, insert it into place.
2. Close with a cap.
3. We rejoice at the revived spinner, which spins longer and quieter.

Or we are sad about the dead turntable, which after the procedures rotates 2 times less 🙂 It depends on your hands and brains.

But don’t worry too much, in most cases this is fixable, perhaps you just overdid it with lubricant, or during cleaning you added more debris than there was before. Try repeating the procedure, but use a different cleaning product and try not to bring dirt inside.

More interesting articles.

Spinners. They are now being talked about on every corner. But sooner or later the attraction to this new and unusual fidget will fade away. The era of spinners will be replaced by the era of ... what? Let's imagine:

Mokuru

Translated from Japanese as “turning over a tree” (“moku” – tree, “kuru” – revolution). This is an anti-stress toy. With such a contraption it is interesting to deal with yourself and watch others. You can also use friends, which gives the Mokuru an advantage over the spinner.

How to play? Everything is limited by your imagination. Basic movement: you need to push the mokura on the side so that it turns over and stands upright. A kind of vanka-vstanka. Watch the video for more details.

This amusing toy is quickly dismantled. Suddenly you are lucky, then you can buy for 10654 rubles.

Orbiter

The main feature of the orbiter is a magnet. The toy consists of two parts: a ball and a magnetic stand.

You can use the orbiter in different ways: simply rub the ball on the stand as an anti-stress, spin it like a spinner, move the ball in circles on the stand, or perform the same actions, only upside down. Complete Guide you will find.

And order yourself for 3898 rubles.

Moondrop

A fidget that not only keeps your hands occupied, but also clearly demonstrates gravity. Moondrops use a pin, magnets and rings. The latter fall down and slow down, simulating “lunar” or “Martian” conditions. To compare gravity with that of Earth, you can remove a magnetic block from the tube.

Watch the magic gravity. If you're hooked, click here and order for 232 rubles.

Write to everyone ✌?. I'll go and spin the spinner.