I’ve been thinking the same thing. Last night I decided to scrap the magnet idea, simply because I only want one method of securing the axle, not two. I don’t want to create an 8 legged dog here, which is what I have done with the need to use both magnets and plumbers tape.
Plumbers tape is also rubbish stuff to work with as I decided when I was using it to secure the axle in a KNack I made. It’s messy and difficult to manipulate. It isn’t a product created for using with any precision. Plumbers jusy bung it on haphazardly to threads which works great in that circumstance, but not with carefully wrapping around an axle.
Adding 6.2g of weight with the magnets is just unacceptable, I have decided. That is far too much weight. The magnetic KNack I made yesterday would have been a perfect 52g without the magnets which transformed it into a 58.4g beast. No thanks.
Another big problem is the precision at which I need to turn the axles for them to have a firm press fit, but not so firm that it can’t be installed without strain to the axle. I found that if I turned it .005 on a mm too large or too small, it wouldn’t fit properly. This sort of margain of error with wood is too difficult to work with.
This brings me to my latest idea. I had already considered embedding O rings in the axle to stop it slipping, but I think that would likely be all I need. It will add far less weight, secure it firmly and won’t require me to turn axles with such extreme precision.
I’m skeptical if this will work for two reasons. First is I wonder how long of a shelf life rubber o rings have when sandwiched between wood. This may not end up being a problem at all but it’ll take time to tell. The second reason I think is more substantial. When you throw a butterfly yoyo and it returns to your hand your throw finger lands in the gap. With magnets the yoyo halves will have a force pulling them in, with rings they won’t. I think the yoyo will slowly open its gap if you don’t push the halves together after every catch.
The O ring system will work to make a yoyo stay together, still allows a little play and is not precise enough.
I think it’s time to give up. I can think of no way to make my current models take-apart without there being seroius compromises in precision or performance.
I’m actually thinking about taking a break from making yoyos for a while. This has got me pretty bummed.
