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Fidget Spinners?

That's what I hear.
Having rec'd one as a give-away, I am not
impressed.

Transformer toys had more going on.
The Fidget Spinner itself is heavier than I expected
and does one thing. You hold it in one hand and.....
you can spin it.

It's not as interesting to me as a pinwheel, but
I suppose it's more "socially acceptable."
 
Being both a machinist and a mechanical engineer,I have been commissioned to make some out of high quality ceramic bearings and heavy rimmed flywheels so they remain spinning for a very long time.

The biggest challenge so far is coming up with a method of keeping grit and debris out of the bearing assemblies.
Sealed bearing have entirely too much friction on the seal lips to be practical,and a shielded bearing won't stop smaller debris.

The mass produced plastic ones that are sold in retail shops are garbage.
 
The most disappointing thing to me about the
spinner is all it does is spin. I thought the indentations
that I'm supposed to hold it by, that they would be
controls.

Like for slower, and stop, and reverse.

And that I could make the spinner be rhythmical.
But all it does is just spin.o_O
 
I think they are just a fad for the masses now,but do believe they hold some weight for the autistic community.

I have a keyring item that I have used as a fidget toy long before I knew I was autie.
Believe it or not,it is a tiny model of a top fuel dragster hemi engine piston and connecting rod that squeaks as it is flopped from side to side on the wrist pin :p

piston rod.JPG
 
tree said:
all it does is just spin.o_O
Click to expand...
I will admit, that doesn't make it the most interesting toy, but as a fidget that is pretty much all that is required. I have also seen footage of people doing fancy tricks with them, the trick being to flip them and pass them from finger to finger without destrubing the momentum. I suppose the spinning would also generate a gyroscopic effect, which would be interesting.

I know they have been marketed as beneficial for autistic and ADHD students as fidgeting can actually help with focus in these demographics. Something like a spinner is perfect for this purpose because it doesn't require the student's full attention, and still allows for self regulation of inputs. Something like a transformer, on the other hand, would require much more attention and likely detract from the lesson.

Unfortunately, for those who benefit from them, fidget spinners are being banned in many schools. Their fad status, and a focus on style and tricks, has made them a classroom distraction. I wonder if this is a potential downside to the visibility of autistic culture, that the things that help those on the spectrum will be popularized and ergo trivialized.
 
Since my last post my parents bout be a fidget spinner, as I am always fidgeting with things. I like the resistance that is produced when you shift the spinners axis while rotating. Under electric lights it also produces interesting band-like patterns that change spacing and direction as the spinner slows down. It isn't the most satisfying fidget I have ever tried, but it's not bad.
 
I have a fidget cube and I think that it helps me. I've always been huge into flicking light switches off so it fills that need. The spinners just make me ill to my stomach if I look at them too much.
 
For stim toy: I buy a piece of smooth chain from the hardware store. I cut it to a good length, use plyers to open one of the links, then connect it as to make a loop. Fits in my pocket. And it can hook onto a little (non-climbing) carabiner or any number of other clips and fasteners. Very satisfying. :)
 
I got a fidget spinner for Christmas and actually like the thing. Surprised me. Not going to satisfy all my fidget needs but it's still fun to play with.
 
I've got one, but I kind of forget that I have it and forget to pick it up, so I still end up playing with my hair.
 
Progster said:
I've got one, but I kind of forget that I have it and forget to pick it up, so I still end up playing with my hair.
Click to expand...
Hair is handy, though. I fidget the most with my bottom lip and my thumb. It's just easier with things that you can't lose.
 
I have one, but I'm not sure what it's supposed to do besides make you look like a hipster and bother everyone else in the room. I'll stick with my IsoFlex stress ball as a fidget toy. Or twist and untwist the hair in my goatee. Hair is indeed handy.
 
I have one I use at work - it stops me tapping my fingers or pens on the desk which is a good thing at least for my work colleagues. I think they are quite tactile even when not in spinning mode and I think it does help me focus on something so I like them.
 
I would prefer a cube, but I do have a quality spinner to keep my hands occupied otherwise I start playing with my hair or my beard and end up pulling it out so yeah the spinner is good for my scalp haha.
 
It's just a way to distract yourself... could do the same thing with twirling a pen between your fingers moving from pink to index and index to pinky.

And, well... there is the internet too. jam packed full of distractions lol
 
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