12/12/17
Hopefully I start the new design late today!! This new design will not go up for sale until next year. I am pumped, this ones going to be crazy. Lots of pieces, tons of machining and…big. I will post some teaser pics occasionally throughout the remainder of the year. Wish me luck 🙂
Don’t be offended if I don’t answer any questions about this new top… 🙂
12/13/17
We have not done much but not being able to take certain teaser pics is killing me. This part needs to be hidden as I don’t want you to know how I made this certain feature. I will make a GAW later for whoever can guess. Just know we have the 1st operation about 40% set-up and it looks cool
12/14/17
folks, here comes set-up #3 and this is where the real magic happens on this top. I always get excited when things start coming to life but this is sooooooooo different than anything else that I just can’t hardly contain myself. If everything goes well I will be able to post a excruciating teaser pic for you. Hopefully you can get as excited about this design as I am after that. Going to be a fun day hopefully!
Its a balancing act. Do I just unleash on this thing or make the most of a $250 price point. The writing is on the wall already. Cycle time is massive but this one has sooooooooooo much insane potential. I might have to do different levels of this one to accommodate all. I just really want to go nuts
12/15/17
This thing is evolving. It’s nothing like what I had originally planned already. I am liking the direction it is taking. If today goes well I might be able to post a teaser but don’t bet on it.
Here is the way this works, I get a rough proto done with no real detail. The proto proves out the assembly and ratio’s. Then I continue to make boring prototypes to get the assembly and ratios correct. Next I start adding detail to each component to make it look cool.
As of this moment, I am on set-up 5 out of 8 to make the original prototype. I can see the possibilities but pics at this point are hard because you won’t see what I do and it will be disappointing for you. BUT with that said, I have a creative idea to tease the crap out of you with pics. You will hate me by the time this design is complete lol.
can you tell I am having fun
plus I like making new posts so Cami Lewis thinks it might be the pics she is waiting for lol
trust me, it is just as excruciating for me. I want to see this come to life so bad. Been on this design for months
so some might wonder how I can be on here when I should be out at the machine. Well great question! At this moment I gave my son instructions to prep the machine for set-up #5. He is getting the tools in, telling the machine what kind of tools they areand “touching them off” on a sensor so the machine knows exactly where the tip of each one is located. Once he is done with that we start making the program. It has taken a few hours just to get this certain component chucked up in the machine. By “chucked up” it means the machine is holding onto it.
Since I have a little time while my son is getting tools in the machine let me share some random thoughts. As a maker, I seem to have found my style. I like certain features. I like spikes, fangs, dimples and see thru “rim style” components. Many of my previous designs have used these elements. I don’t see getting away from this style so people could accuse me of making a frankentop by just repeating similar elements.
This top is definitely different. My fear is that only those with machining experience will really be able to appreciate the work that went into this one. In this top it is not about what you can see, it is about what you can’t see. Similar to the 4 metal and PBC in that aspect. So yes, it will have sharp things that can draw blood. It will also have so many features it will take you a while to really see all of them. The current design will have a claw style ball set similar to the pro but that could change.
Just a bunch of random junk going thru my mind. I can’t multitask very well and my mind is focused on the top. I will be useless for a while lol.
the bottom of this one will be the most insane of any top I have made if this works like I am hoping
yup, I like it
the assembly of the hardest part is proven. The hard part of the prototype is over. Still a lot of operations to go but should be pretty smooth sailing now
12/18/17
This thing is eating away at my brain and sanity lol. It is like endless tweaking but we are making progress. I got one big component to make yet today hopefully. If all goes well, the only thing left to make after today is the stem. This is for the proto though so there will still be an insane amount of tweaking to get the final version. So far so good, I am very pleased with how it is looking.
I was not planning on revealing this much. Keep in mind, this has a LONG ways to go so please don’t make me regret giving you a little tease 🙂
Tomorrow’s project is the bottom. My original plan did not look as good as I wanted. What you see is not at all what the bottom will look like other than the claw.
Randy Gleckler Rich…..I was thinking you were doing something like this for “claw ball”. So disappointing. Lol j/k
honestly that is what I had pictured for the original claw. I tried it but it would not hold the ball well enough due to abuse.
12/19/17
Now we are getting somewhere… 🙂
1.37″
another proto just closer to the finish design. More changes have already been made. It is a beast 😛
Quick potato vid
its going to have a stem
took a few hours of pondering last night to come up with the bottom
No to interchangeable stems. Not sure on combos. Got to finish the design first
Back to work! So far so good today! Have a good one all
Made great progress today. This one is pretty photogenic 🙂 I start on the stem tomorrow!
Ben Pose Red, see trough ruby ball!
I agree if you dont plan on spinning it
Joaquin A. Ortiz Is the bearing ball the same size from BS Pro?
yes sir!
I get that a lot when I post pics of new designs without the stem. THen once the stem is in nobody wants stemless anymore. This one is quite tall for a stemless
Don’t everyone get too excited yet. The cycle time on these is atrocious. I ordered a bunch of tooling today to try to optimize the best I can but they are just going to take a very long time to make. Like a LONG time. This is an absurd amount of machining and a lot of components. I am not sure how I will handle sales. Once optimizing is done I will come up with a plan. Complicated is awesome and I would have it no other way but it comes with a price.
This top has 9 operations. Yes, 9. I got 4 machines. But man, its so freaking cool lol.
Edit: just so this hits home with you all, I could make about 4 K2’s in the time it takes to make one of these. I am guessing price will be $300 and I did and am doing all I can to keep the price down without sacrificing too much.
All SS. it will be an option for sure
This one was 80% art focused. I wanted to take it even farther but I already bit off more than I could chew.
It’s Machine time. I don’t want this design to take 5 months
5 with the stem tentatively
Optimizing is about reducing the cycle time of the machining
ok all, how many pcs is the proto so far and what does it look like inside? First person to get it all right will win a congrats from me and depending on my mood, something tangible. Going to need a sketch to win and the ball does not count as a piece
Well I am glad this is not to obvious! Makes all the time I spent designing it worth while
supper time, I will check in later
David Goldman Top down is SS, SS, Cu, SS, Ball. Both the SS and Cu are pressure fit against the inner wall of the top SS, kinda like how the PBC. Cu ring shown between top and bottom shells (aesthetics). Bottom Cu fits inside the bottom shell. Not shown, there are likely cutouts on the Cu piece, kinda like the SS piece above it, to line it up with the SS piece below. The stem will connect into the SS piece above the Cu.
I am going to give the congrats to David Goldman. Maybe someone else got close and I missed it due to communication but he drew it out pretty accurately
12/20/17
The stem design has begun. Sucks tearing down a machine to do it but we need to bring this thing to life!!!!
Willy Demis What does that mean? Chuck replaced with collet closer and bar feeder?
No, different jaws, tooling and filler tube and material
Well folks, it is done. I am so happy with this design. It has done everything I wanted it to do. I have to go home and get pics for you. I am beyond excited right now. THANK YOU for your support and encouragement to do a project like this. I sincerely hope you are as excited as I am once you see pics. This is a great day. Due to the intricacies hidden inside of this top, its name shall be Pandora. I will talk more about the guts of the top in a future video.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you…Pandora! We chose this name due to the intricate machining hidden in the core of the top. This new top from BilletSPIN is made from five pieces (not counting bearing ball) and measures 1.37″ in diameter. This SS/Cu combo weighs in at 84g. It features a 5/16″ carbide bearing ball for a contact point. The contact point can be replaced on this model! Price will be $300 plus shipping on standard material combinations. The release date will be mid-end of January.
Pandora spin video. It spins crazy good lol. I was not expecting that at all. Super easy to launch and stabilizes well!!
I am exhausted let’s talk(click to view in FB)
https://www.facebook.com/100009241864064/videos/1919156771735700/
Family time with Pandora
Pandora vid. Check this one out 🙂
12/21/17
Important Pandora update: Due to the nightmare of making the Pandora from timascus, I have only made two and those are for the people that we screwed up the shipping on the Omega top. So the Pandora will only be SS, Copper and Bronze combo’s. No zirc, timascus, SC, tungsten etc. I will keep you all posted on when these will go live but tentatively plan on mid-end of January. Thanks!
Really just want this design to showcase the machining
Bradley Turner Is it possible to flame half the SS components so you still get the contrast?
Not with this assembly. The all SS will just have an all machined finish
Working on the combos now. Hopefully know by end of next week
Just for you all, man the things I let you talk me into… 7-9 minutes Spin times
Oh and that’s on a hardened ball because my carbide is not here yet
This thing is a blast to spin
12/22/17
AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH carbide bearing contact point (lol) will not be here until next week 🙁
A little progress but a ways to go!
12/23/17
there are 3 tri-metals in that vid
much much much better pics coming next week of all of them!
Whatever is there is what the combos are. There are so many possibilities but these were what I liked best
it’s like anything, I would have to make 500 to appease everyone and that’s just not possible. The video will show these much better next week and I hope I did good on the pics
the problem is the amount of machining. Zirc cuts much more difficult and I don’t have a parts catcher on one of the machines. Due to that I have to do a tiny bit of machining with no coolant and had a huge fire from the zirc chips. So definitely no zirc on this one
I will tell you there is one combo that is by far the best imo. I will talk about it more in the next video
You will see a breakdown video next week!
Thanks all! I wish I could make every possible combo but keeping it to these 13 will allow us to make more and give everyone a better chance to get one. It will also make this less confusing for us to manufacture and trust me on this one we need all the help we can get. I am looking forward to the assembly process video
Steven Davila Which combo is the sturdiest, for the less graceful among us?
Bronze and SS are pretty durable
There is going to be 15 combos. I need to make two with SS outers and a SS stem for those non-patina folks.
But that’s it 😛
12/23/17
Been spinning this thing all day lol
12/26/17
Just chillin is sub zero temps
12/27/17
Pandora update: I should get the Carbide bearing balls in today or tomorrow. I will finish up the other combo’s tomorrow or Friday. I should have pics release date and release schedule by Monday.
I will tell you this much, I am going to release these in waves and more than likely 4 combo’s per wave. This will allow us to ship right away and not sit on inventory and will allow you to receive them faster after you paid. I don’t have all the details down yet as we just have to see how many I can make first. I appreciate your excitement and patience!
Thanks to a couple amazing people, I found a good supplier with them in stock and a better grade! They will be here next week so fingers crossed!
1/2/18
Pandora update: We should be good to go with the big contact points! This is a huge relief. I am working on all the combo’s now and the goal is to have pics up this week.
As of now, I am planning the first wave release to be 1/16 at noon central on www.billetspin.com in limited quantities. We will hopefully have 4 of the 16 combo’s available for $300 each plus shipping.
I will know more by weeks end. Thanks for your patience and have a great day!!
The How it’s made video is uploading…
It’s up
Here it is all, the How it’s made video of the Pandora!
Willy Demis I don’t know if you want to go down this path, but I’ll admit to two things: 1) I’m completely ignorant about CNC machining, and 2) I recognize this is apparently a pretty common misconception.
That said: are you able to shed just a little light on holding tolerances?? As a hobby machinist using a manual lathe- I know exactly what that means for my manual equipment where I physically touch the dials. But if you tell your craaaaaaaazy expensive CNC lathe/mill to remove .0001” does it not happily, and accurately comply?
I think you know by now that when I ask- no disrespect is intended; I am *genuinely* curious. 🤓 I know this question could be easily taken the wrong way.
I wish it was that easy. Tool pressure, tool wear, material variations etc are the issue. In order to hold tolerances this tight you have to make adjustments on nearly every part. It takes a very skilled operator with a very good setup to accomplish it in a timely manner. I could go much farther in detail if need be
One easy example is if I have a copper stem running at .44000 and put in bronze it will cut around .44060 just due to tool pressure from the material variation.
every fit has to be within .0005” OD to ID. That’s holding a .00025 tolerance on each piece unless you plan on fitting each part which we don’t. We strive to make all parts universal to each top. That’s not always the case but that’s what we try to hold.
George J Schaefer this may be a dumb question, but in the end, what keeps it together? Is it just the super tight tolerances? Or is there a weld done on the Stem from the inside? I know that may throw off the balance
It’s a couple of things and to be 100% honest it took me a very long time to refine these techniques. I don’t like to share that particular info. 🙁
1/3/18
Pandora questions or comments? I got a little time(click to watch in FB)
https://www.facebook.com/100009241864064/videos/1926364261014951/
The contact points are here. I just have to clean them and run home for the vid and pics! Should have it all tonight!
Pandora Wave #1 to be released on 1/16 noon central www.billetspin.com
Wave #2 date TBD
Wave #3 Date TBD
Wave #4 date TBD
That is all 16 combo’s. I might do one more of my choosing but I doubt it. Let me know if you have any questions!
1/4/18
All 16 Pandora combo’s!
No exotics
I am just really really excited
1/8/18
Going to be doing individual pics and a vid of Wave #1. Anything in particular you want to see? I should have it all done this afternoon
Pandora Wave #1! Available on www.billetspin.com January 16th at noon central. $300 each plus shipping.
Russell McKelvey I know this is subjective, and you may not have spun them all nearly enough, but any insight on which of the combos you think spins the “best” (not the longest)? Thanks for making so many combos available!
I could not tell any difference but my guess is any with copper prongs holding the ball will spin a microscopic amount better than the rest
1/10/18
Thanks to Alex Bueno, there are 81 possible Pandora combo’s if the outer collars are made from the same material (243 if they are different).
I have definitely never seen this many posts and messages asking for combo’s and I think that is because this is a special top. I love the interest and nobody would love to see all 360 more than me! Unfortunately a lot of the feedback I get contradicts itself and that is the predicament I am in. Can’t keep everyone happy, which is frustrating.
The main feedback I am following is less drug out designs which will equal more designs over the course of 2018. Doing so will limit the number of tops of each design as we can only make so many and the Pandora combo’s will all be pretty limited.
For those not getting the exact combo you wanted. I feel ya. Like I said, nobody would like to see all of them more than me. It is just not possible and I did my absolute best to give as much variety in the 16 combo’s as I could do. I hope you understand.
Have a wonderful day!
Rich
1/10/18
Deleted Charts, poll…watch this
Joshua Dawson One piece tops are less confusing 😜
calgon take me away lol
PLEASE READ ALL OF THIS POST: So here is my solution and your opportunity. Add your combo and vote for it. The combo with the most votes will be made as the 17th combo. There are only so many poll spots so please DO NOT add funny options as a joke!!!! Label them from out to in. SS/Br/Cu/SS for example. There are 4 pieces per top as both outer collars will be of the same material. If you want to go with 5 that is your choice but you will have to specify top and bottom. Please one suggestion per person. IF this goes bad, I will delete this poll and this option is off the table. Just trying to keep everyone happy as best as possible.
Here is a short vid explaining how the materials are designated:
Here is the official chart (THANK YOU Daryl Pritchard) less the 17th people’s choice combo!
1/12/18
We ready for Tuesday?
1/15/18
Pandora update: Due to some errors/scrap, 1.1 and 1.2 are much more limited that 1.3 and 1.4.
Also, the big contact point is very sensitive to any debris/dust on it or the spin surface. If yours has some shimmy to it, make sure you clean everything carefully. 100% of these were tested 
If you got any questions, let me know!
1/16/18
45 minutes to my most excited release yet! I can’t wait for these to start arriving
THEY ARE LIVE
THE PANDORA”S ARE LIVE
ITS ALIVE!!!!!!!!!
over 50% sold out on total qty. THANK YOU.
Well the qty survived the flood 🙂 Looks like I made enough! About 70% total qty sold as of right now. YOOZE ARE AMAZING!! Thanks again!!!!!
this was better than I had anticipated. That happens often in the group 🙂 I really did not want to start off the design with a super fast sell out so I tried to make enough. One of the combo’s has plenty left but the other three are down there. Good stuff
Ok all, I am heading home to work on pics and a vid for wave 2. Thanks again, it means more to me than you know. Have a wonderful afternoon!
Rich
Pandora Wave #2! Going live on www.billetspin.com on January 26th noon central! $300 plus shipping
1/17/18
Sue Stadler All shipping is completed! PLEASE, as a courtesy to me, if you have any concerns, questions or issues with the shipping or the tops – contact me first. If I need to get Rich involved, I easily can, but most issues I end up dealing with anyway. Sometimes things can get lost in the “translation” from him to me so it’s best if you contact me directly. You can PM me or email BilletSPIN@tds.net. Looking forward to the happy and excited pics of the Pandora! Don’t let me down! First person who’s (whom’s?) top I shipped out TODAY that posts a pic will win a free Thrust of my choosing.
1/25/18
Sue Stadler Wave 2 is all bathed and put to bed! They’re ready for tomorrow’s release, are you?
1/26/18
12 minutes all!!
Thanks again and have a great weekend all!
1/28/18
Pandora Wave #3 and BilletSPIN K9 crystal Top Stands!
February 2nd noon central
www.billetspin.com
Pandora -$300 plus shipping
Clear Top Stands- $30 plus shipping
Red/blue/black-$40 plus shipping
1/31/18
So which is your favorite?
Sue Stadler: This is my favorite combo! The subtle difference between the bronze and stainless offset by the contrast of the copper. Yummmmmmm!
Sue Stadler: Soooooo shiny!
Sue Stadler: How about these?
Sue Stadler: Here ya go, Tim Kowalik!
2/1/18
Sue Stadler: So pretty together…
2/5/18
Wave #4 Pandora!
-2/13 noon central
–www.billetspin.com
-$300 plus shipping
IG Pandora GAW happening now!!
Follow BilletSPIN on IG, copy the photo and post it on your feed using the hashtag in the pic and copy/paste the rules
2/13/18
Two hours until wave 4!
Thank you as always for your continued support of BilletSPIN!! I think you all know what is next, THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE! I will do pics and a vid of it tonight with all the details. Have yourselves a wonderful day my friends!!
2/14/18
Live video here in BS at 2 central to talk about the people’s choice(click to watch on FB)
https://www.facebook.com/100009241864064/videos/1949258578725519/
Just a heads up our driver was in an accident while taking today’s BilletSPIN shipment to the post office. More than likely a lot of the tops will be junk. We will rectify this as soon as possible and keep you posted. None of the tracking numbers that were emailed today will be correct.
Driver is fine
People’s choice Pandora! Going up for sale on Feb 17th noon central www.billetspin.com This will be a 24 hour sale and we will make as many as are ordered.
$300 plus shipping
84g
2/15/18
Pandora Wave 4 packages have safely made it to the post office today!
2/16/18
Stressful week. Busy week. Weight loss is going well though. Down 1-1/2lbs on the week so far.
Aaron Chapman Did you have to scrap many Pandoras after the accident?
yes, 19 I believe
2/17/18
Peoples choice is up now a www.billetspin.com! 24 hour sale
2/18/18
You got 1.5 hours left on the people’s choice Pandora!!
The Pandora is now officially retired! At this point it still is in second place for amount of standard sales but still amazing! Thank you for encouraging me to undertake such a design. It was a lot of fun!
Stay tuned for the biggest announcement ever for BilletSPIN! You can expect to see it sometime in the next 1.5 weeks. Have yourself a wonderful Sunday my friends and thanks again for all you do!
3/3/18
Sue Stadler: Quick update on the international packages shipped out February 14 and 15. First, that wave was the one that was in the accident so if you are tracking a label made the 14th, it’s an invalid label and won’t track anywhere. The ones printed on the 15th seem to be having some tracking issues and most still show the package in Illinois. Just had one member tell me his has made it to him but it still tracks only to Illinois. I’m guessing the tracking is off on those packages and I ask for your patience in waiting for those packages. They are on their way, although it doesn’t look like it in tracking
😆
4/3/18
Sue Stadler: Ok, it’s been almost 6 weeks since we shipped out the last big orders of Pandora and I’m wondering where they all are?! International Peeps: there were major issues with tracking. In fact, most still say they are in Carol Stream, IL. 
😂😂 I know that’s not the case for most of them but if you still haven’t received yours that shipped out in February, can you message me and let me know?
Stateside Peeps (and international that have received yours): where are all the amazing pics? I NEED MORE!