Acorn Spinning Tops

[woodsorrel]

Hi Everyone!

I have been using acorns that are unsuitable for food to make children's toys. I make these spinning tops around the American Thanksgiving holiday and it always puts me into the “bushcrafty” holiday spirit.

You can see the weevil exit hole on the left-most acorn. I would never use it for food.

But it only takes about 10 minutes to make these into spinning tops

If an acorn is discolored or blemished, it creates a nice swirl pattern as it rotates. They spin remarkably well!!!


The steps are simple: Drill a hole, fit a stem (I use willow twigs), and then affix permanently. It is a simple project I do when I cannot go into the wilderness.


I have a tools-list and more detailed instructions online here: Make Acorns into Spinning Tops


But you can probably divine the general idea without the detailed information the link provides. As always, please harvest your acorns and willow responsibly and ethically.


I wasn't able to find a thread about using acorns for toys on the forum, so I hope other forum members will share the toys they make from them. I use acorns to make these spinning tops and whistles.

Does anyone have other toys they make from acorns?


Regards,

- Woodsorrel

 

[sandbender]

Interesting, I'm not sure if the acorns around here will be the right size or shape but I'll give it a go. Thanks for posting.

 

[boney gumbo mcgee]

That's a really good idea, thanks for sharing. They look fun.

 

[woodsorrel]

Interesting, I'm not sure if the acorns around here will be the right size or shape but I'll give it a go. Thanks for posting.

Let us know how it works out, sandbender! Even if it doesn't work well, that is worth knowing too.

- Woodsorrel

 

[Goatboy]

I like that, simple and fun. I like to see uses put to things that we wouldn't normally think of, a bit like FishFish's oak gall fishing floats the other week.
Cheers for posting.

 

[tylerjwhite]

This is very cool. Thanks!

 

[Coldfeet]

Thanks for posting. Are your acorns large, or is the knife in the picture small?

 

[woodsorrel]

Thanks for posting. Are your acorns large, or is the knife in the picture small?

Haha! It is a little of both, Coldfeet.

I don't like to brag, but I have very large nuts. The two acorns on the right are Tanoak Acorns (Lithocarpus densiflorus). They are not true oaks and are more closely related to the chestnut.

Unlike true oak acorns, its cap is spiky and not smooth. These acorns are very large and contain high levels of tannic acids. This makes them more difficult to leach. But they were prized by the indigenous people near me because they were high in fat. My pet theory is that they were also prized because they are so large. If you are going to the trouble to collect, store, shell, and grind acorns you want to pick up the large ones.

The folding pocket knife is also rather small. The blade is is only 2.5 inches (6.35 cm) long.

Regards,

- Woodsorrel