My prototype tops are manually machined on my Hardinge HLV-H toolroom lathe. Check out the video below for a quick montage of making the very first Lambda top.

Please keep the weight and diameter in mind when comparing tops. Ignoring other factors, increasing the mass and/or diameter will increase the potential spin time. That’s just physics. A big top will spin longer than a small one. A heavier top will spin longer than a light one.

Materials: Brass ring, aluminum spindle, ruby tip

Some of the photos show a black ring. This was an early prototype and not offered as an option.

The Lambda top is made in-house on the Haas CNC lathe I purchased with the funds from my first KS campaign. All of the raw materials, including the instrument-rubies, are domestically manufactured.