Yeah, so I don’t really want to pay the shipping on something as cheap as a counterweight. Is there any way I can make a decent one at home? Could I just drill a hole through a dice cube or something? What would be something I could use that would be the same weight?
yes you can actually just get a die around the same size and drill a hole in it and use that. some casinos even sell used craps table dice with holes already in them (thats what i use). or you know anything that weighs about the same will work. medium sized bouncy ball, die, little nicknack key chains. they all work.
You CAN do that, but you might not get the weight you need for best counter weight. Most standard dice are 19mm(I’m investigating having custom dice made, but CW was not the application!), and I measured the Duncan dice CW’s and they are 21mm. So, we’re not talking a massive size difference. One thing I would recommend is Rounded corners and edges. Why? OW! That’s why! But, you could hit a comic book stre as they tend to stock RPG supplies, which includes goofy dice in a large variety of sizes. This would probably be your best bet because size, style and variety will all be in your favor. I have no idea how these things are packaged for sale, but I bet you’d be able to see before you buy. In my experience(with 1 exception), those who run and work at comic book stores tend to be on the more laid back and mellow side and tend to want to offer whatever assistance they can.
I have no way of measuring weight here, I don’t have a scale for such small items. You could use a large wood bead. I know the Terrapin X bearinized CW’s are said to be around 17 grams. Some people feel that’s a bit heavy. I have no opinion as I don’t do 5A yet, but I do have quite a few Duncan CW’s in addition to the Terrapin X one I described above.
Superballs work good too. There’s some stuff elsewhere that talks about how to drill round objects. I suppose for a more “hardcore” approach, you could just find a decent sized hex nut and use that.
These are fun to make, durable, easily customizable, cheap, and perform very well.
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Thanks for the link; I made the counterweight last night and it’s amazing! 
There are many ways to make a counterweight, one way i did it was by taking a dice and drilling a hole in it. You could also do that with a small bouncy ball.
Okkay. I made a counterweight in the 5th Grade by poking a hole in my eraser with a pencil. Problem solved. haha
I like elepharks method of a d12 and a d6. Get them at any gaming store.
I’m thinking of using a mini beanie baby. Do you guys think it’s inhumane?
Too heavy.
Inhumane? Depends how you kill it. It could end up being kosher.
OP: if time is of the essence and money is tight then make your own following any of the ideas posted in this thread. If you have a little patience then you could order a freehand zero which comes with 3 different cw’s to try out. With a little silicone mod and a different/beefcaked bearing you can have an amazing 5a/1a yoyo for a very cost effective price. Or if you’re near a ToysRus and want to try a Freakhand they come with 3 cw’s as well!
Freakhands come with a color matching dice only. Not even extra spacers.
the FHZ is the better buy. Roughly $20, 3 CW’s, good deal. With inexpensive mods and/or beefcake kits, silicone stickers and other easy things, the FHZ is one heck of a flexible yoyo.
I have a link somewhere for delrin balls. But, you gotta pay shipping. There’s someone one Ebay selling bouncy balls for like $10 for a bunch of them and I think it’s got free shipping.
You sir are correct! good catch. Either way, the op can’t go wrong imo
Well I was gonna use those mini key chain ones and I don’t just want to wrap the string around the neck of it since I’ll be choking it. I actually thought it might be too light but I haven’t held one in years. I just want something less painful to do bounces and such
Out of the box the fh2’s at much better then fhz’s. Te only things you need to do are clean the bearing and replace the friction stickers with silicone stickers and you have an awesome player.
I believe the FHZ will be replaced soon withthe new version which also has the recess. Shame, because I love the FHZ with a sili recess but you can’t silicone the new version(flowable silicone, that is)
If you want cheap dice go to a game book store where they sell D&D games I have a 20 side die i drill through just to show off to the G33Ks. Gamer in the house.
Are these new versions sporting the silicone groove? If so, why can’t it take flowable? Is the recess too shallow?
I believe that it has the same recess as the FH2 therefore it can take silicone stickers but not silicone response.
At the dollar store you can by jax. They come with a bouncy ball. Drill a small hole in it. If it starts to crack, put some silicon on the cracks.
I prefer these to dice.