# can plastic(derlin,polycarb and ect) can be good or better than a metal yoyo? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Yo-Yo\ **Created:** [February 19, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/can-plastic-derlin-polycarb-and-ect-can-be-good-or-better-than-a-metal-yoyo/49741 "2013-02-19T20:14:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bcmaddog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/bcmaddog/32/1170_2.png) [@Bcmaddog](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Bcmaddog)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 9:34pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/can-plastic-derlin-polycarb-and-ect-can-be-good-or-better-than-a-metal-yoyo/49741/21 "2013-02-20T21:34:35Z")
The Severe Protostar Northstar are the best Delrin and Plastics out there. The Quest shouldn’t count, it’s Hybrid. ---
**Author:** ![Yonut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Yonut](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Yonut)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 3:33am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/can-plastic-derlin-polycarb-and-ect-can-be-good-or-better-than-a-metal-yoyo/49741/22 "2013-02-21T03:33:42Z")
> [@Bcmaddog](#): > > The Severe Protostar Northstar are the best Delrin and Plastics out there. > > The Quest shouldn’t count, it’s Hybrid. The Protostar and Northstar are hybrid too. ---
**Author:** ![ratfacedudeguy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/ratfacedudeguy/32/273_2.png) [@ratfacedudeguy](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/ratfacedudeguy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 12:57am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/can-plastic-derlin-polycarb-and-ect-can-be-good-or-better-than-a-metal-yoyo/49741/23 "2013-02-22T00:57:21Z")
> [@IdleHands](#): > > Let ask a different question. Why is metal better than plastic for making yoyos. Scientifically-wise. I personally do favor metal yoyo for longer spin but I don’t get why it comes out better if it made by metal. Well, this can be explained on a couple different levels. Number one is that metal has a greater uniformity in substance than plastic does, meaning if you were to take numerous small but equal volume samples of each material, you’d find that the metal samples would be much more likely to weigh exactly the same as each other. The plastic samples would be slightly more likely to have small variances of weight from one tiny sample to the other. If you expand this into enough mass with which to construct a yoyo, you will find that this variance in weight will cause the plastic specimen to be much less likely to have all of its mass distributed in perfect concentricity than the metal counterpart. That is why plastic tends to vibe more than (well-machined) metal. The second is structural integrity. A piece of metal is able to maintain its structural integrity while cut far thinner, and therefore less massive, than a piece of plastic. So this means that metal allows the designer to use far less mass in undesirable areas than plastic would allow. We all know that yoyo design is all about weight distribution, so by allowing the designer more freedom to put virtually as much or as little weight wherever he or she should choose, metal emerges as the indisputable winner in this aspect as well. Man I hope that made sense. I haven’t slept in about 36 hours so I’ll be glad to clarify if any of this came out unclear. ---
**Author:** ![yoyojamben](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/yoyojamben/32/289780_2.png) [@yoyojamben](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yoyojamben)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 1:03am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/can-plastic-derlin-polycarb-and-ect-can-be-good-or-better-than-a-metal-yoyo/49741/24 "2013-02-22T01:03:21Z")
> [@iYoyo58](#): > > > [@jhb8426](#): > > > > > [@IdleHands](#): > > > > > > I’m just curious as the reason behind it. Would the same yoyo made out of two different substances play drastically different? > > > > yes, take a look at the YYJ Hitman and the Lyn Fury. Same shape, Different design/material/construction. Play radically different. > > > > Also a few years back someone made a metal version of the Hitman (very limited run). They also payed different than the HM or the LF. > > the Eneme? the eneme is a metal version of the x-convict. ---
**Author:** ![jhb8426](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jhb8426/32/631_2.png) [@jhb8426](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/jhb8426)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/can-plastic-derlin-polycarb-and-ect-can-be-good-or-better-than-a-metal-yoyo/49741/25 "2013-02-22T01:52:28Z")
> [@yoyojamben](#): > > the eneme is a metal version of the x-convict. Hardly… Eneme ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/1/c/e/1ce5fd9fd5dd8fa7f9191a7bc4ff9a1a22cfcbb7.jpeg) Xcon Pro ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/d/5/c/d5c6515ec7024e75ffc9203072e4d9207e1aeb11.jpeg) Xcon ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/4/e/7/4e7704e30324c1bb467cf39a00a93b00c919ef1f.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Nemyo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/nemyo/32/14407_2.png) [@Nemyo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Nemyo)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/can-plastic-derlin-polycarb-and-ect-can-be-good-or-better-than-a-metal-yoyo/49741/26 "2013-02-22T02:00:42Z")
To answer the OP’s question simply… Yes, a plastic can play better than a metal. ---
**Author:** ![patrickcondon](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/patrickcondon/32/619950_2.png) [@patrickcondon](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/patrickcondon)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/can-plastic-derlin-polycarb-and-ect-can-be-good-or-better-than-a-metal-yoyo/49741/27 "2013-02-22T02:54:07Z")
> [@jhb8426](#): > > > [@yoyojamben](#): > > > > the eneme is a metal version of the x-convict. > > Hardly… [quote=“”] ---
**Author:** ![Bcmaddog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/bcmaddog/32/1170_2.png) [@Bcmaddog](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Bcmaddog)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 4:00am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/can-plastic-derlin-polycarb-and-ect-can-be-good-or-better-than-a-metal-yoyo/49741/28 "2013-02-22T04:00:18Z")
> [@Yonut](#): > > > [@Bcmaddog](#): > > > > The Severe Protostar Northstar are the best Delrin and Plastics out there. > > > > The Quest shouldn’t count, it’s Hybrid. > > The Protostar and Northstar are hybrid too. Is the severe? It’s hubs are something aluminum. ---
**Author:** ![PlasticWhip](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/plasticwhip/32/896_2.png) [@PlasticWhip](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/PlasticWhip)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 12:42pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/can-plastic-derlin-polycarb-and-ect-can-be-good-or-better-than-a-metal-yoyo/49741/29 "2013-02-22T12:42:37Z")
> [@Bcmaddog](#): > > > [@Yonut](#): > > > > > [@Bcmaddog](#): > > > > > > The Severe Protostar Northstar are the best Delrin and Plastics out there. > > > > > > The Quest shouldn’t count, it’s Hybrid. > > > > The Protostar and Northstar are hybrid too. > > Is the severe? It’s hubs are something aluminum. Hubs don’t count. I can’t believe no one here has mentioned 3Yo3. ---
**Author:** ![3yo3](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/3yo3/32/144_2.png) [@3yo3](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/3yo3)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 12:07am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/can-plastic-derlin-polycarb-and-ect-can-be-good-or-better-than-a-metal-yoyo/49741/30 "2013-02-27T00:07:34Z")
Being that most of my stuff is plastic, I’d say it really just depends on the situation. haha. I’ve got several different plastics I machine from: -Delrin -Acrylic -Teflon -HDPE -Micarta ( I guess that counts lol) -Some others I haven’t released yet 😛 There’s advantages to it, as well as disadvantages. We’ll start w/ the advantages first: -Looks you can’t get w/ metal (crazy colorways of acrylic, awesome dye jobs, white as a color (powder coated metals in white don’t count… as powder coat IS plastic lol), and best of all, CLEAR!) ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/5/e/6/5e6d06cbea0bcc72fb48f3362d17d66ff58a15b0.jpeg) [http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/media/catalog/product/cache/3/image/600x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/c/o/cosmo13.jpg](http://www.yoyostorerewind.com/media/catalog/product/cache/3/image/600x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/c/o/cosmo13.jpg) -Simpler to machine: Plastic just peeeeels off the main piece of material when it’s being cut. I mean, so does metal with the right type of cutting bit & speed, but man, you have to really not know what you’re doing to not cut plastic. I can cut a lot more out, much quicker than I could in aluminum (hence why I don’t have any hand made aluminum yoyos lol). It’s also less dense, so I don’t have to pull out as much material to hit that sweet mid 60s weight 😛 -Doesn’t hurt as bad when it hits you in the hand! -Grinds just as well as metals (I did a 9 sec long grind on a Teflon yoyo, the GrindKing, and still got it back to my hand. Vid on youtube!) -Cheaper cost (sometimes) than metals -Machined yoyos can be very smooth On to the disadvantages: -It’s less dense, so by nature, it doesn’t spin as long as a metal. So combo’s can’t be as long, but with the right rim weighting, and knowing how to regen, it doesn’t bother me that much -Not as smooth ( I know, contradiction): You can hold crazzzzy tolerances with alum, if you know how to machine it. Try holding the bearing post to .0002" diameter & keeping it concentric w/ the rest of the yoyo within even less… can’t do it. It’ll “move”, or just deform after machining from stress relieving/moisture absorption/etc a great deal more than metals. And when you get to injection molded stuff, well actually I can’t say this because a lot of the newer molded plastics are very very smooth. There’s probably more, but just figured being a plastic aficionado that I should weigh in here. & since I was basically just mentioned in the post above hahaha ---
**Author:** ![n00bbeginner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/n00bbeginner/32/1109_2.png) [@n00bbeginner](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/n00bbeginner)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2013, 12:11am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/can-plastic-derlin-polycarb-and-ect-can-be-good-or-better-than-a-metal-yoyo/49741/31 "2013-02-27T00:11:28Z")
> [@3yo3](#): > > Being that most of my stuff is plastic, I’d say it really just depends on the situation. haha. > > I’ve got several different plastics I machine from: > > -Delrin > -Acrylic > -Teflon > -HDPE > -Micarta ( I guess that counts lol) > -Some others I haven’t released yet 😛 > > There’s advantages to it, as well as disadvantages. We’ll start w/ the advantages first: > > -Looks you can’t get w/ metal (crazy colorways of acrylic, awesome dye jobs, white as a color (powder coated metals in white don’t count… as powder coat IS plastic lol), and best of all, CLEAR!) > > [http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/media/catalog/product/cache/3/image/600x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/o/m/omnicron36.jpg](http://www.yoyostorerewind.com/media/catalog/product/cache/3/image/600x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/o/m/omnicron36.jpg) > > [http://www.■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■.com/media/catalog/product/cache/3/image/600x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/c/o/cosmo13.jpg](http://www.yoyostorerewind.com/media/catalog/product/cache/3/image/600x600/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/c/o/cosmo13.jpg) > > -Simpler to machine: Plastic just peeeeels off the main piece of material when it’s being cut. I mean, so does metal with the right type of cutting bit & speed, but man, you have to really not know what you’re doing to not cut plastic. I can cut a lot more out, much quicker than I could in aluminum (hence why I don’t have any hand made aluminum yoyos lol). It’s also less dense, so I don’t have to pull out as much material to hit that sweet mid 60s weight 😛 > > -Doesn’t hurt as bad when it hits you in the hand! > > -Grinds just as well as metals (I did a 9 sec long grind on a Teflon yoyo, the GrindKing, and still got it back to my hand. Vid on youtube!) > > -Cheaper cost (sometimes) than metals > > -Machined yoyos can be very smooth > > On to the disadvantages: > > -It’s less dense, so by nature, it doesn’t spin as long as a metal. So combo’s can’t be as long, but with the right rim weighting, and knowing how to regen, it doesn’t bother me that much > > -Not as smooth ( I know, contradiction): You can hold crazzzzy tolerances with alum, if you know how to machine it. Try holding the bearing post to .0002" diameter & keeping it concentric w/ the rest of the yoyo within even less… can’t do it. It’ll “move”, or just deform after machining from stress relieving/moisture absorption/etc a great deal more than metals. And when you get to injection molded stuff, well actually I can’t say this because a lot of the newer molded plastics are very very smooth. > > There’s probably more, but just figured being a plastic aficionado that I should weigh in here. & since I was basically just mentioned in the post above hahaha The king of machining has spoken! [Previous page](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/can-plastic-derlin-polycarb-and-ect-can-be-good-or-better-than-a-metal-yoyo/49741.md?page=1)