April 2017 Updates & Extras

Just purchased a new piece of equipment today! I have no idea if it will do what I am hoping it does but it was worth the risk. You will know more in a few weeks depending on when it arrives!!

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/06579122

It will be interesting. Its a never ending challenge to continue to improve. I have a tiny little bit of experience with ovens for coloring and there is a LOT of potential here imo

4/4/17

New machine is here!

BIG day for BilletSPIN. We gonna have some fun in the upcoming months  🙂

BilletSPIN update

4/7/17

Testing the new studio. Lots more goodies coming. Let me know what you think of the lighting and sound compared to my other videos. I think we are on the right track.

4/17/17

Attention!!! Important update!!!! PLEASE READ!!

As some of you know, BilletSPIN is just a small part of our main company. Our plant manager of the main company was just diagnosed with a brain tumor. He will be going in for surgery tomorrow.

Due to this, I have to fill in for him for an undetermined amount of time. This morning I discovered that the main company is behind on some orders. In order to get caught up, I will have to use the machines I have been making the Matrix on for a short time.

What does this mean to you? Exotic combo #4 will be completed before we switch so we should have all those shipped early next week. Exotic #5 will NOT be launched this week and right now, I don’t know when it will be launched. I will keep you updated though.

Indiegogo-nothing has changed and the ship dates will be as promised. The only thing this circumstance will change is the exotic schedule. They will just be pushed back to accommodate the main company.

Our main concern right now is with our plant manager and his family. I appreciate all your patience and know that we will update you all with any information as we get it. THANK YOU for your understanding.

Sincerely,

Rich Stadler

4/19/17

Surgery went well. He was awake and speaking during so because they were working near his speech and motor portions of his brain. He was talking this morning and knew who his wife was so things are looking good. They were not able to get all of the tumor. He now has a titanium plate in his head. Biopsy will be a few weeks. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers. We will keep you posted.

4/25/17

Please Watch this!!!!!!!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/topcon-2017-tickets-32644973996

4/26/17

Rich N Sue Stadler Hey all, I got the go ahead from Rich to sell off some old models (no Krakens or apertures  :P). So get ready, lets have some fun!

NEW K2 perk #14 Br/SS/SS $155 shipped anywhere. First “in” gets it! I will message buyer immediately. Immediate paypal payment required!

Next up: Flamed SS Torus $90 plus $5 domestic and $12 international shipping. First “in” gets it! I will message buyer immediately. Immediate paypal payment required!

Next up is the ever popular Nexus! First “in” grabs this one for $130 plus $5 domestic and $12 international shipping. I will message buyer immediately. Immediate paypal payment required!

How about the wild K2 combo of Stainless/Spiro/Stainless? Anyone want this lovely top for $220, with shipping included? Be the first “In” and you get it! I will message buyer immediately. Immediate paypal payment required!

Sue is doing great, We have a bunch of leftover Spheres. Let us know if you want Sue to sell those today too

Looks like we found a CU/BR/CU Trident hiding away. First “in” grabs this one for $150 plus $5 domestic and $12 international shipping. I will message buyer immediately. Immediate paypal payment required!

Sup

How about something a little different? First 5 “in”s (only 1 per person please) will be buying this cute superconductor shere for $140 plus $5 shipping anywhere. . I will message buyer immediately. Immediate paypal payment required!

Taking a short lunch break

Lunch time SUS. I have 3 new Nexus. $130 plus $5 domestic and $12 international shipping. If you want one, reply “in”. Once we are done eating, we will random number draw the winners and announce them in the replies. One entry per person.

winners are 21,22 and 8!

GAW! One guess per person. 1st person to guess Sue’s weight wins a free Christmas top. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

David Werner 139

Rich Stadler winner!!!

Sue has messaged all you winners! If you dont see it, check your requests!

I purposely cancelled my life insurance policy before running that last GAW…  😛 You gots to have a good sense of humor to be married to me and she has a great one  🙂

Gavin Sexton Rich, you’re one brave, retarded man.

Rich Stadler Coming from YOU? Have yooze all seen the vids this guy has posted on FB? Poor Lisa……

Gavin Sexton True.

Here’s a beaut! New K2 Perk #18, SS/HC/SS. First “in” can wait patiently by their mailbox for only $220 with shipping included! I will message buyer immediately. Immediate paypal payment required!

New K2 Spiro/Flamed “Grey” Tungsten/SS for $285 including shipping. Expect some flutter with this darling but don’t let that scare you off. First person to post a selfie of themselves with a live animal (other than another human) gets to buy this top. I will message buyer immediately. Immediate paypal payment required!

Wow! Last one today! Check this out! First five “in”s will get one of these flamed copper Torus tops for $90 plus $5 domestic and $12 international. I will message buyer immediately. Immediate paypal payment required!

Sales are over for today. We have a LOT of K2’s yet, some Torus, Nexus, one Navigator, 2 Alpha’s, lot of spheres and one or two Tridents. We might have time to do some more tomorrow but we have to start assembling the #5 exotics!

Thanks for the fun day and have a great night!

4/27/17

I have 5 new Nexus. $130 plus $5 domestic and $12 international shipping. If you want one, reply “in”. We have a very busy day so sometime in the next 24 hours we will close the contest and draw the winners. We will random number draw the winners and announce them in the replies. One entry per person.

4/28/17

As far as the extra sales go of old designs, we are done for a while. When things slow down, we will do some more but that wont be for a while hopefully! Thanks again all!

Top #29 “Infected Specimen”

Jim Skelton Ok boys and girls, time for me to spill the beans. Rich and I have been working on a secret project, a collaboration piece. You might have noticed I slipped in a few little jokes over the last month about “Infected Specimen” and Rich in an OSHA Biohazard suit… those were tiny hints as to what was coming. Rich allowed me the opportunity to come up with a design concept for a new top, and I knew immediately what I wanted to do. But of course… as with everything else I design, it wasn’t an easy task to undertake. This one has already presented a challenge to Rich before he even cut the first piece this morning, and he has had to do some thinking on how to make my vision come to reality within the restrictions of what can actually be done in the real world LOL. I’m no machinist, so I don’t know all of the limitations… that’s the fun of being a dreamer… we don’t need reality!!

I can’t reveal too much, but all I can say right now is that it will be an INTRICATE top, and will feature a 3-Dimensional Biohazard logo similar to what you see depicted in the image here.

Stick back some pennies, because there will also be a handful, a very small run of SPECIAL editions of this one. Yes, you’ll need to be fast to grab one. Conversely, there will be a good amount made of the other metal options, so most everyone WILL get to own this very special piece. I hope that when you see it fully revealed that you like it. I think it’s BilletSpin’s most aggressive looking top, and might give the ole Kraken and Aperture a run for their money!!

S29-01 Continue reading “Top #29 “Infected Specimen””

“Miracle” Proto GAW

SUS this is a prototype that spins great. I totally forgot about it! Some minor differences compared to the actual model. This is FREE! To enter respond with a 4 or more line poem but keep it clean. I will draw the winner this afternoon! 

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Michael Moore If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

Emily Dickinson

David Goldman In!
Round and round, spin spin spin,
Thanks for the SUS, I hope I win!
If I do, my jaw will drop,
As this will be, my first big boy top!

Aaron Jordan Nothing in life is permanent
dont stop and stare, keep spinning dont stop
great groups of people bring joy and comfort
for this, there are miracles to share from one to the next

Josh Lakenan Spinning, turning, round and round.
Copper and steel, perfectly bound.
Gliding, motionless, never stop.
Precision machined, Stadler top.

Willy Demis Machining is the envy of this garage tinker
Though budget constraints keep me a dreamer.
The beauty of worked metal resonates from within
From the earth to the lathe, that pretty thing spins!

Will Cutler How can a time be so preserved?
In copper and steel Rich Stadler did carve.
These moments in life that can be so pivotal,
often turn out to be the miracle.

Shaul Stone Set off like the wind,
You little metal made to spin
Like planets
and dust
the tides
and human lust
twirl, you top, twirl
and you will never see the bottom
of a heart
of a soul
of a small handmade universe by you kept whole

Peter Sand I’d prefer to enter a german one but here we go:

Life is fast and life is short
The bad things they come free to us
But sometimes there’s a glance of hope
Some people call it miracles

Ana Florencia Steindler Capture the time
in a spin.
Capture the essence of beauty.
it’s art
it’s essence of forever
encapsulated in a twirl
it’s calm and sweetness and letting the world
turn
as the turn comes
to a stop.

Kingston Scott Feil Psalm 144-1
Blessed be the Lord my Rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for Battle

Gavin Sexton Name poem
R- Ravishingly sexy face! Roll model!
I- Integrexy intelligence! Inspiration.
C- ‘Cause Corvettes, bro!
H- Has mad Mazakery skillz! Hearts and hugs.

Christian Unger Yeah, I´m IN:
“God of tops I call you,
my thoughts are with you now
choose my name, I´ll promise
I´ll spin it, yelling: WOW!!!”

William Piotrowski Oh Billett top, Oh Billet top!
You spin around and do not drop!
Until your spinning starts to slow,
Then to the ground your top will go.

Matt Woodrow This top is awesome
That they say
But I dont have one
So I’m here to say
If I don’t get this
And you do
I will come and take it from you you you! !

Randy Domingo In
Win
Grin
Spin!

Jon Wade With a flick of the wrist
my fingers twist
the faster the turn
the more lessons I learn

Marcus Young Roses are red
Violets are blue.
I only have 1 Rich Stadler top.
Let’s make it two !

Mike Gallwey I’m not a poem guy.
No I’m not.
But if I win this top,
My heart will stop.
I really like Stadler tops!

Pete Thompson Roses are red
Violets are blue
I’ve got a knife
Get in the van

Hunter Morera Roses are red violets are blue give me this top and I will love you!

Larry Gauthier OK Richie Rich.. Here we go.. I bought a nice top, made the others seem like slop. Spinning and spinning ..I’ll show it off at lunch. Your toy means joy, although it may sound coy. Thanks for the cool things you make, win or lose, a smile we will all take.

Jake Epstein Roses are black
Violets are black
Dogs are black
I think I’m Stevie wonder

Bryan Dickson There was a young man who could spin,
He would comment on posts with “in”,
He sent off his money,
And the postman delivered a shark fin!

Phil Blaszak III Haikus are dumb
Sometimes they don’t make sense
Refrigerator

But that was only three lines.

In the end
When someone says
It’s over
It gets better

Vincent Roney There once was a bit who admired all tops,
His wife had a baby and told him to stop,
He continued to look at each new top with desire,
Wondering if she would notice a new aquire!

Josh Batcher Until we find the reason.
The truth will have to do.
We can only know so much.
So there’s always something new.

Quoc T Ho Oh that prototype
Cause grown men to do things
As I’m about to wipe
Wipe away the effects of last night’s wings

Mike Coit Cold metal tube
Spun by the Rich-ster
Turned into magic
That makes us all Richer

Joshua Moreau Lettre a Maman

Ça y est maman , je suis au concert , ce dernier cadeau que tu m’eus fait avant que le cancer ne t’emporte
Je me suis abandonné au gré des nottes qui chatouillaient agréablement tout mes sens
Je dansais a n’en plus pouvoir , oubliant mes futiles soucis
Je te promets maman c’était un concert magnifique , j’aurais tellement souhaité que tu sois là pour l’apprécier autant que moi

Puis vint un moment où les notes se mirent à sonner faux
Des notes sourdes et répété suivit de chants stridents , un tout autre registre musical
Il s’agissait du registre que personne ne veut écouter et même ne jamais entendre parlé
Je n’eu pas compris ce qu’il ce passait maman , ces cris de joies se sont transformés en cris d’effrois
Cette magnifique mélodie s’etait faite remplacé par la mélodie de la violence et de la peur
Cette même mélodie qui se mit a se rapprocher devenant de plus forte et désagréable
Les instruments musique de mon groupe préféré s’était fait remplacer par d’autres instruments , des instruments mortels

Jusqu’à ce moment , maman tout est arrivé si vite .
Je n’eut jamais vu tel instrument d’aussi prêt , un long tube de métal creux , pointé en ma direction
Je n’eut pas peur maman ne réalisant pas ce qu’il se passait .
Alors j’entendis cette dernière note , je n’eus plus la force de chanter , je n’eus plus la force de danser , je n’eus même plus la force de tenir debout les yeux ouverts …
Maman je n’eus pas peur , je n’eus pas réalisé , mais je sais maintenant que je suis en chemin pour te rejoindre .

I’m sorry i’m almost bilingual but i couldn’t find the words that suits as well as in french … This is something i wrote for the Paris attacks .
Hope you’ll enjoy

Matt McCafferty Quick one,

‘Twas the day of delivery’

(or A Visit from the mail man)

by Matt McCafferty

‘Twas the day of delivery, when all through the house
not a top was spinning, not even 96.
The mailbox was clear and empty,
in hopes that the mailman soon would bring plenty.

When out at the mailbox there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my couch to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.

The sun on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the lustre of midday to objects below,
when, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but a postal truck as I shed a tear.

Brian Keith I was thinking a thought, which I that I was thinking, and something came to mind. If leaves were blowing away from their trees and one happens to fall in the gutter would it care that it was left behind? There’s a bum on the corner who sees this and worries that he has done the same. Yet, maybe he’s only a bum for now, but destined for fortune and fame.

Kiabod Afshar I need that top,
The lust won’t stop.
That beautiful copper
Is a show stopper!

Chris Dean Rich is the man behind the lathe
Rich is the man that works like a slave
He works hard for his family, that’s what I see.
Maybe one day he can give me lessons in CNC

Jake Coy Oh thy shinny spinning thing 
Far more than your hoodrat bling  
Offering solace in incremental time 
As the minutes pass me by 
I wonder if it is all a lie 
Surely we must not obsess over trivial thoughts 
For I have found what I once sought 

Toby Pardue I own several tops,
this I cannot deny.
But if I win this one,
I’d absoluetly die.

Kris Bex Haiku are simple.
String together sounds
Meaning can not always be found.
Stadler Tops, refrigerator.

Steve Heidemann Ode to the Top

Angular momentum, some call it spin
Is what is needed to make physics win.
some geometry and an eye for art
Makes these things break my heart.
But a firm grasp and a twirl
Will send my mind a swirl
Trying to make sense
Of all the nonsense

Yi Huang This outer shell carries no gild,
This outer shell is copper filled.
Bright and composed, this copper rim,
Like a steel crown with a copper brim.
This core of steel give it an iron will.
A reflection of its maker’s skill.
It dances in circles with clarity and certainty,
As it wishes to dance for eternity.

Cris Tarr Round and round and round it turns
Where it stops, only the patient learns
You set yourself up, and let your Stadler spin
Lose track, hear the clack, and start all over again

Rich Stadler over

S19-17

Congrats David Goldman!

Top #17 “Starfish”

Official order thread. I am making 15 double sided stemless tops with the same pattern on both sides. Copper over Titanium. $125 plus $5 domestic and $10 international. First 15 “ins” gets them. 1.45″ diameter.

Here is a pic of the first side

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10/24/15

SUS not sure how many I will have. 3-4 max. I will pick the winners at 2 central today. $125 plus $5 domestic and $10 international.

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Rich Stadler winners are:
Josh Lakenan
Scott D Reid
Josh Warren

4 Coins SUS

OK, SUS time!!

This SUS is for one complete set of designs 1-4 with your choice of anodize pattern or just plain Ti ($500 plus $5 domestic and $15 international shipping).

There are two sets available in this SUS so we will choose two winners. I will pick the winners at noon which is three hours from now. To enter just respond “in” to this post!

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Underside

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First number was 6, congrats Christian Kourgelis! I will message you shortly!

Next number was 4, congrats Kris Bex! I will message you shortly!

 

Design #1 SUS. Solid Titanium, 1.45″ in diameter.

You choose either solid color anodize, Plaque pattern anodize or bare Ti.

$125 plus $5 domestic and $15 international shipping.

We have 3 of these.

Winners will be picked by random number generator at 3:00pm central time.

Let me know if you have any questions. Respond below with a “in” to be entered. Thanks!!

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1st winner is #7! Trav Mullins

2nd winner is #6 Kris Bex again! You are on fire!!

And the last winner is………

#2 Aaron Jordan!

Design #2 SUS. Solid Titanium, 1.45″ in diameter.
You choose either solid color anodize, Plaque pattern anodize or bare Ti.
$125 plus $5 domestic and $15 international shipping.
We have 9 of these.
Winners will be picked by random number generator at 6:00pm central time.
Let me know if you have any questions. Respond below with a “in” to be entered. Thanks!!

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Winner 1 is #14 Marcus Young

Winner 2 is #8 Scott Hogan
Winner 3 is #7 Mats Andersson

Winner 4 is #15 Jared Schoenly

Winner 5 is #17 Jack Pessin

Winner 6 is #3 Aaron Jordan

Winner 7 is #9 Mat Ura

Winner 8 is #16 Jerick Pugal

And the final winner of Design 2 is #6 Dianne Alonsagay
Design #3 SUS. Solid Titanium, 1.45″ in diameter.
You choose either solid color anodize, Plaque pattern anodize or bare Ti.
$125 plus $5 domestic and $15 international shipping.
We have 11 of these.
Winners will be picked by random number generator at 9:00am central time 8/26
Let me know if you have any questions. Respond below with a “in” to be entered. Thanks!!
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The plague pattern is the middle one
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8/26/15
Design #4 SUS. Solid Titanium, 1.45″ in diameter.
You choose either solid color anodize, Plaque pattern anodize or bare Ti.
$125 plus $5 domestic and $15 international shipping.
We have 10 of these.
Winners will be picked by random number generator at 3:00PM Central time today!
Let me know if you have any questions. Respond below with a “in” to be entered. Thanks!!
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winner 1 is #8 Holly Spears Olson
Winner 2 is #1 Aaron Jordan

Winner 3 is #5 Jared Schoenly

Winner 4 is #11 Scott D Reid

Winner 5 is #7 Bruce Lum

Winner 6 is #10 Andy Yi

Winner 7 is #4 Christophe Lebreau

Winner 8 is #12 Cole Kudzu Palmer

Winner 9 is #14 Kris Bex

And the final winner is……. #2 Randy Becker

Top #8 “Four Winds/The Big One/Four Metal”

Well after about 20 hours of designing I get to start on the machining end of it. This will be my most complicated design yet. It is going to be a while but I will keep the pics coming of the build process!

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Finally get to do some angle milling 😀

1st side of first piece done, just wait until you see what i do with that!

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I am going to make sure this comes out to my satisfaction but so far so good. The best features are yet to come.

That is Bronze/copper btw

I am making all of the blanks up to that point tonight then start on the second end tomorrow. The second end of these is where the magic will start happening. Then we have to make the first end of the stem, refinish the copper and bronze so they spin perfect and then finish the second end of the stem. I am hoping by this time tomorrow to have them done. Stay tuned!

Once you go Mazak you will never go back. We do both here and Mazatrol is better unless you are doing 3D. Here is a cad pic of the second end of the bronze and copper parts:

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So cool to have these designs in your head then make them a reality. I have big plans for the stem, I just don’t know what they are yet. My focus is on making the collar as friggin cool as possible. There will be some nice polishing for sure on this one. Looking forward to tomorrow!

just a hair under 1.75″ Patrice Tenorio. I had to make it big to get all the detail I wanted into it. The inside of the collar is hollow and I will be milling out a lot more to reduce weight. I think this will be an easy spinner that will produce some of my best spin times yet.

7/11/15

Woke up early, ate some food and heading in to keep working on this thing. Had a dream about a design element I am actually going to use on the stem today! Stay tuned

This work?

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So that is the collar 75% done. It will take several hours to finish this stage due to the intricate machining but then we make the first end of the stem and attach this. Stay tuned!

Stem will have a brass cap that we are working on now as the collars are running

S07-12

Cap is roughed and cut off.

S07-13

Stainless steel for the stems. Another couple hours and this will really start coming together

S07-14

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Lol, I try to be as generous as I can but $50 I can’t do bud 😀 I have a ton of hours in this project. I know the price but just want to make sure they look as good as I hope they will.

S07-16

Two more collars the we start on the stems!

Btw, I will never make this design again so these are it!

I have to see how many I end up with. Still a lot of tricky stuff to do. I lost two already.

They warped a little. If it isn’t perfect it is junk on this one

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How do you like it so far?

S07-19

It is getting a 1/4″ ceramic ball

S07-20

To seamless. After polishing it is hard to see. Who knew bronze and copper looked that close when polished. Not me!

Thanks for joining me on the ride, I am happy with the result. I will post a spin video later

S07-21

Time for a nap 😀 I added a video to the group and made that the SUS if any of you are interested 

7/11/15

Here is the spin video. I will have some of these available in a SUS tonight. $150 plus shipping

SUS- I have 4 possibly 5 of these. 1.7″ (HUGE) Copper/Bronze over Stainless with a Brass knob over stainless. 1/4″ ceramic. $150 plus shipping. First spin was 8:32. I will draw tomorrow night and post the names. My first SUS so bare with me 🙂 Feel free to ask any questions!

This thing is a monster. Makes the BilletSPIN Pro look normal sized lol

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The collar is hollow so it is not as heavy as it looks but this is a beast.

I am just happy I can take a nap. I had dreams all night last night about it. I had one more cool design element I wanted to do but I ran out of time

Ok all, I have 9 of these limited editions. One went to my son and 4 went to my regular’s. This SUS will be for the other 4. Just wanted to be upfront with you all! Thanks for your interest!

Ok all I will list the four people picked via random number generator

Scott Hogan

Cole Kudzu Palmer

Cyrus McCandless

David Biggers gets the last one!

Thanks all again for the encouragement and comments. This was a lot of fun for me! I am looking forward to the next one!

I am curious as to what size you would want me to make next. I have never made one smaller that 1-1/4″ and with the types I enjoy I wouldn’t want to go smaller than 1″

Couple more picsS07-25

Before I pack them up to ship!S07-26