This post is the official announcement of the newest line of spinning tops from Scovie Precision Turning: the Cheaha.
The Cheaha spinning top is small but packs power. It is about 1.5 inches tall and 1.5 inches in diameter, so fits nicely in your hand. It has good weight to it. It has smooth surfaces and pleasing curves. Even if it wasn’t a long-lasting, precision spinner, it would still make for a great fidget toy.
But it is a precision spinner, so it’s almost like a 2-for-1 deal. It’s something you want to hold and touch and something you want to set down to spin.
I feel confident that recipients of this top will be pleased. Read on for more details.
How the Cheaha top is made
Like my last line of tops, the Cahaba, this spinning top is made on a CNC lathe. This allows its weight to be perfectly balanced around its diameter, which is what makes it spin for such a long time.
The Cheaha is made from 3 different pieces of metal:
- An aluminum core
- A stainless steel body
- A hardened and ground ball bearing tip
The core includes the stem and knurl that you hold onto while spinning the top. The body is what gives the top the physical properties that allow it to spin so well. Compared to aluminum, stainless steel is heavy. As a result, most of the weight of the top is concentrated at its largest diameter and toward the bottom. The hard tip minimizes friction between the top and the surface it is spinning on.
Cheaha top performance
The short video below shows the Cheaha in motion.
Novice spinners will find that it spins at an angle for a bit before straightening out. More advanced top users may be able to spin it so that it levels out right after the launch. Either way, a powerful spin should set it in motion for 7 to 9 minutes on a smooth, hard surface.
A spinning disc, like the one shown below, can help to contain the top if your space is small.
The origin of the Cheaha name
This top is named after Mount Cheaha, the highest point in the state of Alabama.
Cheaha Mountain is part of the Talladega Mountains, a final southern segment of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is 2413 feet in elevation at its summit, making for an attainable and rewarding day hike.
In Muskogee, Cheaha means “high place.” The high place that most hikers head to on Cheaha mountain is known as Pulpit Rock. The view from here is one of Alabama’s most popular and well-recognized overlooks.
The Cheaha spinning top is a “high place” in the world of tops, beating out much of the competition when it comes to looks and spin time.
Get a Cheaha or give a Cheaha
Like all of my tops, the Cheaha has limited availability. You can get one while they last from our web store or from Etsy.
This spinning top makes a great gift. I think it’s especially fitting for any of the following:
- Hostess gift for a host who has everything
- Birthday gift for friend with ADHD
- Congratulatory gift for coworker who just got a promotion
- Engagement gift for a nerdy couple
Thanks in advance for making an addition to your top collection with the Cheaha. Stay tuned for Scovie’s future precision spinning top designs!
