I’ve got a lead on a pretty good powder coater. If we have enough interest with 20 to 30 throws it could end up being pretty cheap.
Anyone interested in having their yo-yo powder coated white? Single color runs so the color is up for debate. I thought white would be clean.
Disclaimer, he has never powder coated a yo-yo so any and all advice would be welcomed. Obviously I can’t make any guarantees. I’m specifically wondering how you mask the Bearing seat if that’s a thing.
If it were me; I would design and manufacture a powder coating fixture in conjunction with your finisher to create a plug that you can bolt through to the axle and mate with the bearing seat/pad seat. This limits you to a single bearing/pad size per fixture but it would save you (the customer) money and your finisher a lot of time masking. It can also act as a racking fixture (two birds one stone) and it would also look better masking wise.
I fully realize this isn’t very viable for some open source hobby finishing, especially since it’s a small run and not production, but I wanted to write out a good process.
Alternatively: high temp masking tape or foil, wrap it around your racking bolt. Liquid masking would probably look the best but I don’t know if it can handle the temperature of the bake cycle.
I would be super down to throw in a raw YYF Popstar I’ve wanted finished. White, black, or purple would be my choices, but honestly just having it would be awesome so I won’t be picky.
Also: Paging @yoyospirit for tips and tricks if he has the time.
Oof. GitD Popstar would be a tremendous win!
I’ve always thought a white powder coated yoyo would be sleek. depending on the price, I’d be interested.
I’ve got a Raw Showpony that I’d like powder coated. but I would like to know how much?
oh my god thats insane!! glow in the dark powder coat?!
Ok! Glow in the dark is def cool.
@Marioyo thank you for that valuable input. That was my fear really with all kinds of different throws. Obviously a fixture is out of the question. Could we use scrap bearing with some masking?
All, this is totally new to me so I’m just putting the feelers out at this point.
@pinhead pricing will really depend on how many folks we can get on board and what kind of work it would talk to get them all masked properly. I’m willing to do the work but really have to know what all involved up front.
I’ll talk to my guy week after next to ask him about his masking strategy for so many different layouts. He might tell me that it crazy. I don’t know.
Let’s keep the conversation going for sure. I’m on vacation next week but will be watching the thread.
Hopefully we can make something happen.
Anyone going into this should assume that their yoyo will come back with some vibe. Maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised but even runs by people with experience doing yoyos have this happen.
Many people don’t care much about it, but if you do, it’s a consideration to make.
Thank you for that! Coating thickness could do that. We’ll have to assume it will be slightly heavier too.
Hey! So just some advice for ya. I would definitely ask the powder coater to mask the bearing seat area. Powder is easily thick enough to throw off the tolerances on the bearing seat. The response area doesn’t really need to be masked off, if a little gets in there it’s fine. You can use scrap bearings to mask the bearing seat. Some powder will cover the lip of the bearing seat, but as long as the post is kept clean then the bearing will still fit.
Depending on the anodizing on your yoyo, you may not need to request the finish to be blasted off. For example, a clear coat anodize can just be cleaned and powder coated over. A dark color may need to be stripped off to prevent the color from being seen through the powder coat. The powder coater should know this already. The bearing seat should be left untouched and not stripped. Stripping the anodize from the bearing seat can throw off tolerances.
Expect some vibe from the coating. I used to promise a smooth finished product, which I don’t anymore because it is exhausting stripping the coating and re-doing it. Yoyos are fairly high precision toys, powder coating is not so high precision. Some vibe from the coating is pretty normal.
Hope it works out for ya! Be sure to post some pics of the throws after!
Ok… here is the can of powder coated worms you are opening>
Let’s say you can get 30 people willing to ‘go for it’.
Enthusiasm is always a plus. But enthusiasm has little value on questionable parameters.
Agree on a color… white, alright. (+1)
The guy is pretty good with most things he does. (+1).
Ok, now on the other side of the number line>
‘All’ 30 guys aren’t going to get the same yoyo model powder coated. (-1).
There is a learning curve in properly powder coating various yo-yo shapes. Unless the coating is applied very evenly, the results are going to be all over the map. There is no way for a guy that has never powdered a yo-yo to dial in the right even layer of dust. (-1).
All the yo-yos will come out white, alright.
……But they won’t all come out ‘right’. (-1).
…I am not suggesting to not take a chance. Just make sure you don’t donate your favorite yoyo for the guy to ‘practice on’.
No kidding
Good luck
Hence the disclaimers in my original post.
Maybe a better approach at it would be… “who wants their Shutter powder coated”.
Again, I’m just putting the feelers out there. The idea is in all probability, as you allude too, not feasible. And yes, I too would not recommend sending your prized possession in.
Who knows though…. Maybe we’ll end creating a bunch of prized possessions!!
@yoyodoc what is your experience with anno and powder coating. Do they have to be stripped or prepped in any way?
The question you asked was already addressed by yoyo spirit in a previous post>
