By the time Trevor Hirschi decided to make a fidget spinner, the market was already saturated with $2 plastic devices that covered the shelves of toy stores and bodegas. So Hirschi, a machine tool technology instructor at Bridgerland Technical College and men's jewelry designer, got to work on something a little more exciting.
After shuffling through a couple different concepts, he settled on an airplane propellor. He'd kept a World War II airplane model in his room as a child that would later inspire his first fidget spinner, the TiSpin Prop. To make it, he assembled a 3-D model and used a computer numeric control machine to carve grade 5 titanium into the shape of a propellor. That machine runs at up to 30,000 rotations per minute, which Hirschi says is necessary to create precise blades for his propellers.
You could call the TiSpin Prop a fidget spinner, but it’s not the kind you’re used to seeing in mall kiosks and convenience stores. The meticulously crafted device, made from premium materials, takes hours to design and manufacture. Oh, and it costs $425.
"This is a form of art that few others ever attempt to work with in the manufacturing industry because of its highly time-consuming nature," he says. That’s because Hirschi and others who are creating ultra-expensive “luxury” fidget spinners don't see their spinners as toys. They see them as pocket-sized works of art.
Anatomy of a Fidget Spinner
Most fidget spinners, which were initially marketed as a remedy for conditions like anxiety and ADHD, share the same basic anatomy: They have a three-knob design with a center piece that houses the spinner's bearings. You can find fidget spinners in different materials and colors; some even pack some flashing LED lights, or...