Broken Fixie Help

Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance
1

Hi all, so I just received a beautiful BC Apollo Pro in the mail, only to discover that the axle had apparently been broken in shipping (or was broken all along, considering it was actually packed really well).

IMG_20200210_163152199
IMG_20200210_1631521994032Ɨ3024 2.66 MB

I know I should probably return it, but I really like this laminate pattern and would love to salvage it if I could.

I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to remove the remainder of the axle from the body halves, or could point me in the direction of a post/site that might be able to help me as well? Thanks for your time!

-Bleu

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Drill press would probably be the most effective. I would cut the broken pieces off so you have a flat surface to drill into first.

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Ok, thanks! Iā€™ll see about locating a drill press then. Iā€™ll make a follow up post if itā€™s a success!

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Opportunity to have it modded, someone with a lathe could put in some threaded inserts and make it unscrewable.

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Did you buy it from a store or an individual? I would just send it back if you can. Might not be worth the hassle if you donā€™t feel confident in fixing it and donā€™t want to pay a modder.

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I bought it from eBay. It was super cheap though, and I feel like it would be more of a hassle to return than itā€™s worth. Besides, I think this is a good chance to try to fit this with an 8 mm axle to see if it improves response over my stock Apollo (which tends to behave semi-responsively).

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If you get yourself a drill press, it will work for installing a new axle. However, the yoyo will most likely spin with a bit of wobble after that. Itā€™s very difficult to reinstall a n axle in a yoyo dead center. Eleven using a lathe for it can present problems.

As I said though, it will still work. Make sure you glue the gap about 2.2mm wide if possible.

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Okā€¦ here is the problem>

Using a drill press will ultimately bring you the same level of success as dropping an ice cream cone off a 3 story balcony. And then running down and trying to bring it back to pre accident condition.

It would be a Christmas Miracle to have the yoyo spin ā€˜niceā€™ after a Drill press operation.

I will tell you why.

Drill presses are Superb machines for what they can help you do.

Unfortunately, most drill presses are not known or recommended for centering holes on objects that ā€˜spinā€™.

If you are experienced at using drill presses. Or you know somebody that is; thatā€™s a good start.

But you would have to use a drill press that can drill something dead center. The drill bed would have to have movable 3 or 4 jaw chuck; so you could move the clamped yoyo halves this or that way.

Ideally, you would need a centering set to indicate dead center and lock it there.(In this instance a centering set would be a perfectly round washer with a tiny center hole. And 1/4ā€ steel pin that has a machined pencil point on it).

The pin goes in the drill chuck and the pin hole washer gets fixtures to the movable base chuck.

You move the base around until the drill chuck pinpoint lands dead center in the washer hole. You lock down. The you open the jaws and replace the washer with the yoyo half. You clamp the half just snug enough so it wonā€™t move. Not so much that the chuck jaws dent the wood.

You have to use a drill press that has near zero run out bearings. Andā€¦ And> you have to use a very short drill bit to avoid any lateral drill migration as you bore the hole. It might even be preferable to use a a short end mill to get a perfect hole.

And you have to have a depth stop on the drill press so you donā€™t drill too deep and that both halves come up with the same finish depth.

One of the worst things about using a drill press is that you have ā€˜2ā€™ chances of failing. Not just one.

A drill press is better than a hand held drill. No doubt.

And going bear hunting with a slingshot and ball bearings is much better than going bear hunting with a plastic light saber. But using either of those options and you would end up as the Bear skin rug. Minus the bear partā€¦

With the right equipment and mad skills; you can do amazing things.(Glenacius_K)

But if your equation involves: a drill press, 2 yoyo halves, not much skill and ā€˜letā€™s do this it canā€™t be that hardā€™.

I would predict a slightly higher than acceptable level of vibe or wobble or both.

Good luckā€¦

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I was also thinking it would be pretty hard to get the hole dead center. Could it be possible to remove the axle fragments with steam, similar to removing a set guitar neck? Would that cause the laminated wood to separate? This was more along the lines of what I was initially thinking.
Of course, I could also just glue it together as is and try sanding the axle smooth too. It spun fine before I took it apart, it just doesnā€™t hold together.
I was thinking it could be a fun project/learning experience, but I definitely donā€™t have access to tools as sophisticated as @yoyodoc is describing.
If all else fails, though, Itā€™ll still look great on a shelf.

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Iā€™d just wing it. Iā€™ve had decent results just eyeballing it with a drill press. :man_shrugging:

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I wouldnā€™t use steam.

Sometimes it is possible to get the axle fragment out of the hole by first drilling with a smaller diameter drill bit in the hole first. Sometimes it can help tear away the old fragments, but not often.

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Did you intend on using the yoyo as a display item?

Or actually throwing it?

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Iā€™d like to be able to throw it, if possible. This one has a really nice weight to it, and I just feel like itā€™d be a shame to give up on it unless itā€™s really not salvageable.

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Do you know anyone with a lathe???
That would be better than a drill press.

Trying to pick out the axle pieces as you mentioned seems like an option to me.

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Still doesnā€™t work that great in a lathe. You need to perfectly centre the half on the lathe somehow. Scroll chucks in wood lathes just donā€™t have the accuracy needed for these kinds of repairs.

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