I’m on my way back to my childhood home this week and will get to see my grandmother. My grandmother grew up during a time of poverty and learned to make many of her own toys. She made me several yoyos over the years, using the same method but the yoyos always varied a bit. I hope to find one still lurking in a box at my parents.
I’d like to describe the process and the result for no real purpose other than to share my appreciation for my Grandmother. You might find it interesting.
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Find a tree branch with a nice diameter.
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Cut the end of the branch making a vertical smooth surface.
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Drill a hole, the diameter matching a wooden dowel. Make this hole several inches deep.
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Cut cross sections of the branch in the same thickness so you have discs of wood with a hole in the center.
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Sharpen one end of the dowel to a point using a knife or pencil sharpener, and slide it through two discs. Adjust the gap and cut the dowel so that you have about a half inch extra protruding from each side.
This was kind of a unique set up because it was both a yoyo and a spin top. You could snap start it as a top or you could wrap the string like an off string yoyo throw it sideways and spin in on the pointed tip. My grandmother always tied the string to the axle when using it as a yoyo.
Hurray Grandma!
