Simple mod for OD flow groove pads to cut them to "standard" 1.1mm thickness

Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance
1

In follow up to this post, I have developed a rather simple mod to quickly and accurately trim down Onedrop flow groove pads (thickness 1.8mm) to make non-recessed “standard” ~1.1mm response pads that will fit flush in standard 19mm response wells.

What you will need:

  1. Some OD flow groove pads
  2. A high walled cheap plastic yoyo that you don’t mind taking a blade to. I recommend the YYF ONE, it has perfectly flat sidewalls, can be found at retail stores (I bought this one at Mastermind in Canada) and was only $12 CAD.
  3. A single bevel (chisel edge) razor blade - this means that the blade is perfectly flat on one side, this is crucial because it allows you to cut the pads perfectly flush with the surface of the wall. The easiest place to source a blade like this is from a basic pencil sharpener, be sure to get one that allows the blade to be unscrewed. I recommend using a brand new blade for best results. You can find these at the dollar store.

A. Remove the stock pads from the YYF one and be sure to clean up any left over residue. Pop in the flow groove pads and make sure they are completely seated. Note, as long as you don’t leave them in there for long, they should still be easy to pull back out afterwards.

B. Holding down the blade perfectly flat against the flat high (flat side down), gently press the edge against the protruding part of the pad and slowly turn the yoyo.

C. As you turn, the blade should be gradually cutting through the protruding part of the pad until you reach the the inner wall. Be sure to cut all the way through the pad all the way around. The top part of the pad will then come right off and VOILA! You have custom made pad! Use a toothpick or needle to gently pry it out and stick that puppy into your favourite standard pad throw.

If done properly, the resulting pad will sit nice and flush in most “standard” type 19mm pad response wells. I think they may be slightly thicker than 1.1mm, but the battery in my callipers died, so I’ll need to measure the thickness and update later.

Alright fellow throwers, I hope this is a helpful mod for some of you. I personally LOVE OD pads, so this allows me more freedom in setting up my various throws with them.

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