Hi all,
I am a new member here, but just a basic yoyo player.
My involvement in the yoyo community started when
I was employed in a small yoyo shop called Yomega
yoyos in Fall River, Ma.
I worked in shipping, could see the demand worldwide.
Yomega introduced their Metallic Missle aluminum
yoyo after 3 years developement and it was nice, but fragile.
It was very unforgiving of an overlong string and a cement
floor. Chris Ciosek totaled one in the shipping area that way.
Anyway, it got me thinking that I could make a better metal
yoyo. Using round aluminum stock and my stepfather’s
South Bend lathe I developed and discarded several prototypes
till I had a very good one. This took me about 3 months in the early
90s.
People I showed them to, begged me to sell them one.
Anyway, I had 100 made by CNC from my prototypes as a first run,
intending to make any needed tweaks before full production.
I had a financial backer/partner who made some decisions
that I wouldn’t have. For instance, the colored O ring edge protectors.
My aim was to make these yoyos durable,fast and affordable.
I said “Use easily replaced black rubber O rings, available cheap everywhere.” (That’s what I have on my personal ones.)
Anyway, the project ran out of money, at the point of packaging.
At that point, I said, “Put them in a plastic bag with cardboard.”
Vetoed.
They said “It has to go in something nice.”
I said, “People ain’t buying the packaging, but the yoyo.”
Personally, if I wanted one, I would buy it in a paper sack, but
a gold trimmed velvet sack wouldn’t induce me to buy the turd
therein ."
A velvet bag was kicked around for a while , but the funding
dried up, and the end result was I was left with 100 custom
designed aluminum, roller bearing yoyos, 10,000 high
quality combed cotton Mexican strings and $10,000.00 gone from
my meager Life savings.
I am currently moving cross country and everything is packed,
but will post many more photos when I am settled in my new home.
Thanks for listening all, when I get settled, I will have good
quality yoyo string for sale, possibly some Joyos,lol.
God bless.
16 Likes