Slikstik Tornado Spinner?

[Daviea]

It seems to me that someone else might be making the Slikstik Tornado spinners now, but I can't for the life of me figure out who it is.  I was asked awhile back by a certain vendor to look into making them when Slikstik went belly up, but I wasn't too interested since it's really outside of my core business model , not to mention the fact that I didn't want to be connected to Slikstik in any way considering the way they crashed and burned.  

Anyhow, I keep seeing things which has lead me to believe that the Slikstik Tornado's are being made again.... but who's making them?  I'm really curious to know if someone just took over or if Slikstik sold the rights or something?  Maybe it was part of some elaborate judgment against Slikstik?  Anyone know??  Unless I find out the real story, I'm going to keep making up my own version of the events to tell myself whenever I start to wonder about it.  LOL

Dave

[brock.sampson]

Looks like Happ is selling them.

http://happcontrols.com/amusement/gameparts/95265700.htm

I don't know if they are manufacturing them but I would assume so.

[Ummon]

Looks like Happ is selling them.

http://happcontrols.com/amusement/gameparts/95265700.htm

I don't know if they are manufacturing them but I would assume so.

That's what I thought, too....but as they're calling it that, there are questions.....

[AndyWarne]

Happ make their own version of the Slikstik spinner in China.

Industrias Lorenzo also make their version of it. In the case of I-L they simply copied it. I know this as I asked them and thats what they said. It is also alleged that Happ never paid anything for the design either. They definitely didnt pay anything for the electronic part of the design.

Its immaterial really since there are far superior products available now.

[Ginsu Victim]

My homemade spinner broke last night....just when I was about to install my new knob.

I was thinking at first I needed to replace it and would be in the market for a new one, but I can't justify the cost compared to buying a trackball (which I would use WAY more).

[taylormadelv]

Happs makes them or just puts the parts together somehow. From what I was told, they have the rights to it now. I could never find another place to buy one. You may want to build your own molex connector and get three mouse buttons out of it as well. Buttery smooth, maybe too smooth in comparison to the original Tempest spinner (I have both running in two different cabs now). My only complaint is that the spinner shaft is real long and I had to offset this when mounting. I suppose you could take a hacksaw to it as well.

[Ummon]

Its immaterial really since there are far superior products available now.

Hahn!  As well, immatierial cos it's highly doubtful someone's gonna come knockin on their door about it.

[Xiaou2]

.

[Ummon]

But did you use a mouse?  Looks like a hell of a lot of work for paint, even with a stylus. I think you'dve been better off creating a new thread for it, though. It'll probly get buried or not even noticed in this one.

[BamBam]

Concept for a new Spinner:

- Up/Down Discs of Tron Spinner  (but much smoother spin w/ dual bearings)

- Engage / Disengage Gearing for High Resolution mode + Resistance (Arkanoid/Driving Mode)

- Turn off 2nd opto & use gearing for mere resistance

- Translucent UV Blacklight Reactive Knob, and Optional Discs shaped Dust bezel

 Not bad for 2 days & MS Paint ehh ? 

It's cool to see this kind of innovation.  Keep up the good work. 

[Xiaou2]

 Thanks Bambam.

Everything is drawn in mouse, except the knob... which was photoshopped some time back.

 (the stippled & criss cross look on things like the wooden control panel is merely a side effect
when you convert a bitmap to a gif. )

 Tablets are mostly only good for shading things in.   What is seen here had to have decently
accurate lines so the parts would fit together correctly.  If I was a 3d guy, I might model things up...
but that probably would have took even longer.  Concept designs are pretty much lightning fast in
MS paint.

 I may start a new thread later...

[Ummon]

I didn't necessarily think you 'drew' them, just that there might be higher resolution with a stylus and pad, as well as easier to articulate section sizes and all.

[Xiaou2]

 A tablet would have made the couple of hours drawing, into a couple of weeks.
When you have to be pixel accurate in placement, its very hard to do with a tablet.
FYI: I own a high priced Wacom tablet, so Im very familiar with them.

 As said, they are basically just good for shading in irregular shaped objects.
Thats about it.  Even the pressure sensitivity isnt very accurate or controllable.
(so trying to control box sizes accuratly wouldnt work, nor do paint programs
even support that functionality)

 And the worst part... is that you cant see where you are drawing to.  With a real
pencil, you can look at the end point where you want to draw... and aim your
pencil towards that point easily.  With a pad, you can only go by what you see
AFTER you have drawn.  (unless you have a tablet which you can draw on,
which are extremely expensive, and still not as accurate as a real pencil)
This means you need to guess, then erase/undo way too many times.
You basically end up using straight line tools, vector paths, etc... that can
all be done fine (better) with a mouse.

 Resolution is completely separate issue.  I could have made it any res I chose.
I can also still re-size it if needed.

 3d Studio Max would probably be better, as you could simply get accurate parts
by typing in accurate numbers in the basic shapes.  However, 3d max is a pain
to get used to... and to position things in 3d space it also a pain.  Its all around
simpler at times to just 2d it (cad/sketch)... and go from there if needed.

[Ummon]

Hm. Actually, I was thinking of something else that I think used a touch screen or something. I think someone posted a video on it here in the last year. Whoever was doing the demo was really good, although the info claimed it didn't require 'artistic skill' or something.