Do you spin?

Darkbulb

Darkbulb

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I don't think it's possible to spend a day here in San Francisco w/out seeing someone using a spinner.
It seems like these EDC fidget/stress toys came from nowhere and suddenly popped up just about everywhere. My CFO has a, granted rather attractive, brass spinner that he keeps in his office and I've seen him aimlessly spin it as he's on a conf. call.

30lf3vd.jpg
​

Personally I must admit I've never really been into these stress/fidget EDC toys (remember the stress balls, etc) but I can sort of kind of see the appeal with these.

So what are they?
In short they are all mechanical (no batteries, etc) hand-held spinning tools that uses a number of bearings to extend the spin to up to 5+ minutes.
Some of them are multi-functional in that they are also cigar rests, bottle openers,etc and some of them even incorporate some light emitting chemicals in them.
You can also in many cases 'customize' and accessorize them.
They come in every possible material and price point and seem to predominantly be a male-thing.

Trivia: One of the most popular spinner-maker is in the UK: Rotablade

There are Kickstarter ones as well that are doing very well.

Me?
I hate to dismiss something I haven't tried personally but...I just can't see myself getting one of these.
Maybe I'm just not stressed enough.

Anyone here having jumped on the hand-spinner craze?

This video does a pretty good job explaining the background/"reason" for these spinners:

Some Rotablade products:

 
Ok!! Where do you buy them??(and not the 100$ ones).
(I still have the Wheel Bearing off of a '85 Peugeot that I use to have, would that do the same thing.)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
Darkbulb said:
I don't think it's possible to spend a day here in San Francisco w/out seeing someone using a spinner.
It seems like these EDC fidget/stress toys came from nowhere and suddenly popped up just about everywhere. My CFO has a, granted rather attractive, brass spinner that he keeps in his office and I've seen him aimlessly spin it as he's on a conf. call.

30lf3vd.jpg
​

Personally I must admit I've never really been into these stress/fidget EDC toys (remember the stress balls, etc) but I can sort of kind of see the appeal with these.

So what are they?
In short they are all mechanical (no batteries, etc) hand-held spinning tools that uses a number of bearings to extend the spin to up to 5+ minutes.
Some of them are multi-functional in that they are also cigar rests, bottle openers,etc and some of them even incorporate some light emitting chemicals in them.
You can also in many cases 'customize' and accessorize them.
They come in every possible material and price point and seem to predominantly be a male-thing.

Trivia: One of the most popular spinner-maker is in the UK: Rotablade

There are Kickstarter ones as well that are doing very well.

Me?
I hate to dismiss something I haven't tried personally but...I just can't see myself getting one of these.
Maybe I'm just not stressed enough.

Anyone here having jumped on the hand-spinner craze?

This video does a pretty good job explaining the background/"reason" for these spinners:

Some Rotablade products:
Click to expand...
No, he lost me at "spin station"!
 
Johnus said:
Ok!! Where do you buy them??(and not the 100$ ones).
Click to expand...

Haha, yeah supposedly they are rather addictive once you start.

I think a lot of places carry some variation on hand spinners right now.

Just search for "hand spinner" and "toy" or "fidget" :)
I think if you type in "Fidget toy" in etsy for instance you see a slew of them.

Some lower priced options are on Etsy for $10-15 or $8-20 here
Here's a video of these 'entry level' spinners:

eBay have some wooden ones for $45
s-l500.jpg


Or this one from the Netherlands for $29
s-l500.jpg


Some handy people can even make their own:
mjALWID.gif


People seem to like FidgetCraft's ones for $20-25

Apparently there's a ceramic vs steel bearings 'debate' as well amongst the people into this.

Fun realization: I personally do tend to 'spin' my iPhone in my hand a lot when walking or sitting around thinking/waiting.
I can see the appeal but the money for the 'top shelf spinners' is just absolutely insane. The Torqbar was the first one out the gate I believe and are considered top notch in terms of build, spin-time, etc...but...these can go for hundreds of dollars. :)
There is one on eBay right now and the bidding has almost reached...$600 for one of them...

Here's the Torqbar..it can spin for over 6 minutes....
 
Last edited:
Darkbulb said:
Haha, yeah supposedly they are rather addictive once you start.

I think a lot of places carry some variation on hand spinners right now.

Just search for "hand spinner" and "toy" or "fidget" :)
I think if you type in "Fidget toy" in etsy for instance you see a slew of them.

Some lower priced options are on Etsy for $10-15 or $8-20 here
Here's a video of these 'entry level' spinners:

eBay have some wooden ones for $45
s-l500.jpg


Or this one from the Netherlands for $29
s-l500.jpg


Some handy people can even make their own:
mjALWID.gif


People seem to like FidgetCraft's ones for $20-25

Apparently there's a ceramic vs steel bearings 'debate' as well amongst the people into this.

Fun realization: I personally do tend to 'spin' my iPhone in my hand a lot when walking or sitting around thinking/waiting.
I can see the appeal but the money for the 'top shelf spinners' is just absolutely insane. The Torqbar was the first one out the gate I believe and are considered top notch in terms of build, spin-time, etc...but...these can go for hundreds of dollars. :)
There is one on eBay right now and the bidding has almost reached...$600 for one of them...

Here's the Torqbar..it can spin for over 6 minutes....
Click to expand...
That is an insane price, the razors I could purchase with that kind of money!
 
Never seen\heard of these before. Might entertain me for a minute or two, but I have to say I'm struggling to see the point.

Am I missing something or do you just set it going, then sit there watching it for 5 minutes?

Some people clearly have WAY too much time on their hands! Lol.
 
isaiah53 said:
my girlfriends son is autistic and these would be right up his street, he has a thing about motion in front of his face to help him deal with stress. got my eyes on a few on ebay.
Click to expand...
If one of these spinners would be a help to an autistic child then that is great news and if they genuinely help people de stress then I can see no harm in them but I think many people have them simply because it's a new fad and will end up in a drawer sometime soon never to be used again. One with lights on will help your girlfriends son, light and movement should work quite well.
 
If they where a couple of quid I'd be tempted. I've never noticed before but since seeing this I'm suddenly become aware that I do in fact fidget when I'm not typing and just reading code. But at these prices I'll stick with tapping a pen.
 
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