Aluminum factory yoyo making

So I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on using a home furnace to melt aluminum cans and pour it into a yoyo mold, thoughts? If anyone has and experience with making yoyos or aluminum factories please let me know. :grin:

Most aluminum yo-yos are machined, not molded. That being said there are factories using molding or stamping, but with a home setup I donā€™t think youā€™d ever get the tolerances (in both size/dimensions and aluminum purity) to end up with anything more than a vibey mess.

^^^ Donā€™t let anyone discourage youā€¦go for itā€¦but please show us pictures after you do :slight_smile:

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Thanks for the input. I will send pics as long as it doesnā€™t end up a vibry mess

Even if it does, you will have had the experience of making it :slight_smile:

Pretty sure aluminium cans arenā€™t made out of the right type of aluminium
You could try it, but it isnt the aircraft grade aluminium they usually use

I once built a Yo-Yo out of LEGO. Was it as good as my other Yo-Yos? No. Was it a fun project? Absolutely.

I support this endeavor! Experiments are just that, experiments. Then you learn from them, refine your process, and do it again. Please keep us updated!

Shawn, would it not be easier to cast a block from the melted cans, then machine the block? Youā€™re right, I was being too negative to the OP and it would be fun to see the results.

It might be but then you add machining(an entirely different process) to the casting process. Maybe casting and then a simple drilling operation to make an axle hole would work? Iā€™m thinking old school Difeo/Anti-yo style setups where the axle is also the bearing post.

Yo mega wing force yoyos were cast aluminum. You just have to use a good mold and the other advice is that aluminum cans arenā€™t pure aluminum so your going to want to melt it and skin the impurities off the surface. I just remember from making an aluminum slammer back in the 90s.

Aluminum soda cans arenā€™t pure aluminum either, they are usually 3000 series alloy which is easily formable and relatively soft. Not the best for yoyos buy fine for experimenting with. In fact pure aluminum is pretty hard to find.

Thank you so much for all the responses. Yoyo community is the best community.

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Iā€™ve been wanting to try this for ages, really excited to see how it turns out.

My basic idea was to use a YYF Protostar to make a mould since that way itā€™ll have the space for the spacers (which can be taken from the Protostar in question), saving too many bearing seat issues. Still, I havenā€™t even begun to really think about the logistics of it, so your experiment will be very interesting to see. ;D

I was thinking about this the other day.
Great idea. If you where in my area Iā€™d start saving you cans.

Iā€™ll donate a box of 6061 aluminum chips to this cause. PM us your address. Or email us at onedropyoyos@gmail.com

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^ A true gentleman right there.

Thereā€™s been a strong Onedrop presence on these forums as of recently. I like it. ;D

LOL.

Here is the furnace nicknamed ā€œThe ALUMINATORā€ and the first soda can ingots produced.

Here is a the furnace nicknamed ā€œThe Aluminatorā€ and the first soda can ingots made.