(More) Spinner Woes

[Jess Ragan]

So! I finally built that spinner I was talking about earlier. I used a Large Brick Trunk from Jo-Ann Fabric, with holes strategically cut into the top for a dial and an arcade button, scrounged from a discarded arcade panel. I glued a laser mouse inside the box, and threaded a wooden dowel through the hole I'd cut in the door. I cut a groove on the top of the dowel, making it easy to slip an Atari paddle into it, and glued the cap from a Sobe energy drink on the bottom.

 

The end result was a little low-rent, but it was at least functional. Spinning the dial caused the cap to spin along the upturned mouse, registering movement with little friction. It had no inertia to speak of and the dial wobbled a bit, but it did get the job done.

 

Of course, I couldn't be satisfied with that. I decided to add a bearing assembly, a threaded metal rod, and some metal washers to give the spinner more heft, and have it roll more freely. This turned out to be a huge mistake! The small hole I'd originally cut into the brick trunk had to be enlarged, and the bearing assembly (an all-metal roller for a glass door) that I thought would cut down on the wobble actually increased it, making it unusable and forcing me to undo hours of hard work.

 

Some DIY spinner methods recommend using an all-metal roller for a bearing assembly. I say, "It's a trap!" They're absolutely terrible, and no matter how tightly you screw in the hex bolts, the metal rod wanders. What's a better option? I've heard good things about hard drive bearings and VCR heads, but I don't have a hard drive I'd be willing to sacrifice for the mod at the moment, and the VCR head may be too large for my brick trunk. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Edited June 26, 2013 by Jess Ragan

[Jess Ragan]

For those interested, I did manage to get the spinner running (sort of) after reversing some of the mistakes I'd made previously. It's more temperamental than it was when I first built it, but I suspect it's nothing a few adjustments won't cure. Will keep working at this until I get satisfactory results.

[Jess Ragan]

Good news on the spinner! It's fully operational now, with a dial and two buttons. I'm debating whether or not I should put in a second arcade button, as the momentary button I bought from Radio Shack gets the job done... but only barely. I need something with a little more tactile response!