# So, I made my first YoYo
**URL:** https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375
**Category:** General Yo-Yo
**Created:** [March 14, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375 "2015-03-14T16:57:19Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Fellhoelter](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Fellhoelter)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 1:15am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/41 "2015-03-15T01:15:18Z")
[quote=“”]
It sure can.
I blast Titanium all the time.
I use Silicon Carbide, but can use any available media.
Even invented a little machine to spin some pens that I make so I can blast them evenly.
I’d likely need to do something similar for YoYo’s if I wanted to do more than a few of them.
Unless there is already something on the market for that.
These are blasted and tumbled using a technique designed to make them dark.
100% titanium here too.
[http://fellhoelter.com/wp-content/gallery/tibolt/tibolt-map-02-standard-tibolt-left-and-decorated-tibolt-right.jpg](http://fellhoelter.com/wp-content/gallery/tibolt/tibolt-map-02-standard-tibolt-left-and-decorated-tibolt-right.jpg)
---
### Author:  [@Raigo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Raigo)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 1:23am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/42 "2015-03-15T01:23:10Z")
> [@Fellhoelter](#):
>
> So, can I just buy bearings from YoYo expert and use them?
>
> Or are some specifically only allowed to be used in certain brands?
>
> Meaning, Bob came up with this bearing, so only Bob can use them in his YoYo’s.
> Henry can’t make YoYo’s using Bob’s bearings.
>
> Right now, All I have on hand are some random bearings from an industrial supply house.
In the yoyoing world, a Size C Bearing (.250 x .500 x .187) is your “go-to” bearing, and is what is used most in 1a/3a/5a yoyos.
Any C sized bearing will do, but there a levels among the variety of bearings:
There are flat, concave(kk), CenterTrac(CT), and some others, but these are the 3 main types, I guess.
Flats generally give better “response”, but lead to less spin time due to the string being free to move anywhere(touching the yoyo on the side) a good example for this bearing is a "One Drop 10 ball"[http://www.yoyoyo.com.au/image/cache/data/onedrop/onedrop-10-ball-bearing-455x525.jpg](http://www.yoyoyo.com.au/image/cache/data/onedrop/onedrop-10-ball-bearing-455x525.jpg)
I hear they are very smooth, and quiet
KK’s are really popular, and are used often in competition, as it centers the string with its curve/ grooved profile, leading to longer spins. IMO, these are the besthttps://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTTl–Pj2jkse\_fLzpdNWfJZn8Fn1g8ZYJV7UWn15U6\_tqYa\_HFCheck out Dif-e-yo for these; I hear that their’s are killer. While way more expensive, NSK Bearings are considered the best bearings.
CT are kind of a mix with the above 2; and are commonly found and used in YYF yoyos. [https://nintendookie.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/bearing-types.jpg](https://nintendookie.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/bearing-types.jpg) While there are 8 ball and 10 ball versions, I like the 10 ball version a teeny bit more. Generally, 10 balls are smoother, but are prone to getting messed up. I also hear that 8 balls spin a little more compared to 10 balls, because of less friction(?). The best bearing for this type is YYF Gold Center Trac.
As for Response, many company’s have their own kind of response pad
I suggest using CBC(YYF)19mm slim pad response though. IMO, they are the most used.
---
### Author:  [@Fellhoelter](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Fellhoelter)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 1:26am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/43 "2015-03-15T01:26:56Z")
Very cool, thanks.
The real question, is can anyone use these, and bring a product to market, or does somebody have “claim” to them?
In the knife world, where I live, there are a few things that are proprietary.
They “belong” to somebody.
So, only that guy uses it, not everybody can.
I’m wondering if it’s the same in the YoYo world with bearings, and response pads.
---
### Author:  [@Raigo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Raigo)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 1:39am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/44 "2015-03-15T01:39:04Z")
> [@Fellhoelter](#):
>
> Very cool, thanks.
>
> The real question, is can anyone use these, and bring a product to market, or does somebody have “claim” to them?
>
> In the knife world, where I live, there are a few things that are proprietary.
> They “belong” to somebody.
>
> So, only that guy uses it, not everybody can.
>
> I’m wondering if it’s the same in the YoYo world with bearings, and response pads.
I’ve yet to see a company that started from these forums produce yoyo’s with their own response and bearing (actually maybe 1 made custom response?)
So, if u do decide to sell, just mention the bearings and response in the specs like:
Diameter: ??
Width:???
Reponse: CBC Slim pads (19mm)
Bearing: YYF Center Trac
---
### Author:  [@gijoey959](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/gijoey959)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 5:11am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/45 "2015-03-15T05:11:49Z")
I think if you were to bring a yoyo to market, you may want to get in touch with the company that makes the bearings, I think that should keep you safe on the legal side of things. For response, you could just make a flow groove and use flow able silicone for your response system to keep things easy and because (in my opinion) flow able silicone is easily the best feeling response system out there, maybe only beaten by CLYW’s snow tires since those pads feel pretty much exactly the same as flowable and are just peel and stick rather than having to cure. Only downside to using response pads is that they are less cost effective in the long run. I don’t know about if you were to buy in bulk, but a tube of MonkeyfingeR’s Monkey Snot flowable silicone is ~$5 and can pour multiple yoyo’s responses, but CLYW has a single set of snow tires up on YYE for ~$4. I imagine non-yoyo market specific flowable silicone is even cheaper, but I have the monkey snot since I’m a fan of MFD anyway.
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### Author:  [@Adhuck](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Adhuck)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 8:01am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/46 "2015-03-15T08:01:07Z")
Have you tried comparing thickness of the yoyo halves to similar yoyo designs? The walls on the recessed bit of your yoyo looks thicker than what I see on other manufacturers like Duncan.
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### Author:  [@Fellhoelter](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Fellhoelter)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 8:06am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/47 "2015-03-15T08:06:40Z")
I haven’t, no.
But, I am certain my wall thickness is thicker.
It was just all I could remove with the tools on hand.
I could have made the rim thinner, but that’s all.
It actually takes some fairly specialized, definitely expensive, tools to get in there and remove that material.
I have them on order, so I’ll get there, but this was just a “first draft”
These guys that make these things for a living have a ton of money wrapped up in their machinery and tooling, I assure you!
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### Author:  [@Adhuck](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Adhuck)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 8:33am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/48 "2015-03-15T08:33:08Z")
I only have one aluminum yoyo the Duncan Raptor, and am waiting for a Duncan Triumph in the mail. The one thing I do notice about the Raptor is when it spins, it almost sounds like a bell. In fact if I tap one half of the yoyo with my fingernail it has a high frequency pitch to it. Maybe acquiring some sample yoyos from the pros and testing them with a frequency counter/tuning meter can give you an idea as to what the “harmonic resonance” of a yoyo is, and in turn give you an idea as to the thickness of the walls.
I’m not an expert on this, I only have observed one of my uncles making violins, and his approach to figuring out the proper thickness for the top-plate and belly of a violin was to use a map that showed measured thicknesses at certain x-y points, and also to carefully observe the harmonic pitch that the plate had when gently struck.
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### Author:  [@Fellhoelter](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Fellhoelter)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/49 "2015-03-15T18:17:49Z")
I would think wall thickness here would be dictated by where I want the weight.
My instinct tells me I want as much weight as I can at the rim, though maybe that’s not true?
My plan anyways is to make the walls as thin as I can, and push the weight out.
We’ll see how that works when I make the next one.
---
### Author:  [@FullthrottleFRS](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/FullthrottleFRS)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 9:03pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/50 "2015-03-15T21:03:42Z")
> [@Fellhoelter](#):
>
> I would think wall thickness here would be dictated by where I want the weight.
> My instinct tells me I want as much weight as I can at the rim, though maybe that’s not true?
>
> My plan anyways is to make the walls as thin as I can, and push the weight out.
>
> We’ll see how that works when I make the next one.
Yes, you’re pretty much right. Here’s a cross section of the One Drop Sovereign, which is titanium: [http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8522/8581375626\_fd40142765.jpg](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8522/8581375626_fd40142765.jpg)
It has a 2", or 50.8mm, diameter, and 1.51"/38.33mm width (assembled with bearing) as to give you a sense of scale how thin those walls are. Definitely no easy feat of machining, but still shows how thinly you can push things with titanium.
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### Author:  [@Fellhoelter](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Fellhoelter)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/51 "2015-03-15T21:32:42Z")
Looks like they may have went even a but thinner than I currently have drawn up.
My current drawing has 1/16" walls, but those may be as thin as 1mm.
Looks like I am on the right track though.
Is there a particular reason the rims are undercut like that?
Something advantageous to play?
---
### Author:  [@Raigo](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Raigo)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 10:28pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/52 "2015-03-15T22:28:51Z")
> [@Fellhoelter](#):
>
> Looks like they may have went even a but thinner than I currently have drawn up.
>
> My current drawing has 1/16" walls, but those may be as thin as 1mm.
>
> Looks like I am on the right track though.
>
> Is there a particular reason the rims are undercut like that?
> Something advantageous to play?
Heavy rim weight attributes to more stability, spin time, and better horizontal-play capability
---
### Author:  [@Fellhoelter](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Fellhoelter)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 11:03pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/53 "2015-03-15T23:03:58Z")
I’m with you!
Just wondering if there’s a reason, playability wise, that the rims don’t come straight in, but instead curve back out towards the outside diameter (an undercut)
That’s a whole other expensive tool to do that! (Like $500 for the tool and a minimum 10 piece insert purchase)
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### Author:  [@yoyojoe](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/yoyojoe)
#### Post date: [March 15, 2015, 11:33pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/54 "2015-03-15T23:33:29Z")
The curved undercut makes it easier for thumb grinds.
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### Author:  [@Fellhoelter](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Fellhoelter)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2015, 12:15am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/55 "2015-03-16T00:15:39Z")
Aha, like this?
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### Author:  [@Yo-YoPro](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Yo-YoPro)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2015, 1:48am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/56 "2015-03-16T01:48:16Z")
> [@Fellhoelter](#):
>
> Aha, like this?
>
> [http://i.ytimg.com/vi/FFbnCpsKkR8/maxresdefault.jpg](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/FFbnCpsKkR8/maxresdefault.jpg)
Yeh, basically the sides these days have really good lip coverage for the Thumb Grind and a good Smooth Surfaced Ovaled Like Cup like inner outer half. Something between a YoYoFactory Shutter shape on the Inner Halves and Horizon on the Outer Halves is probably a good way to think of it.
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### Author:  [@Fellhoelter](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Fellhoelter)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2015, 2:21am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/57 "2015-03-16T02:21:23Z")
Man, I’m learning a lot.
This is great.
What does the step on the inner part do for you?
From a manufacturing standpoint, it would be a good thing for me, I could do more machining in one operation, increasing concentricity where all the mass is.
My lathe is too small to pass a 2" bar through, so I have to start with blanks that are close to size.
---
### Author:  [@sparhawk](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/sparhawk)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2015, 5:00am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/58 "2015-03-16T05:00:46Z")
Doing a step right after the response makes doing horizontal style tricks easier and reduces overall friction.
Also I would shoot for the 19mm pad response that’s generally used in more yoyos these days. Of course thickness is debated but you could try for that later.
[http://shop.yoyoexpert.com/product/725/IrPad-Slim-Pad-(19mm)---Standard-Pads-(Pair)](http://shop.yoyoexpert.com/product/725/IrPad-Slim-Pad-%2819mm%29---Standard-Pads-%28Pair%29)
Don’t know anything about using other peoples parts. I know some stores won’t sell the yoyo if it has a bootleg konkave but I would think if they’re ordered from frank directly there would be no issue.
Rim weight is definitely a very good thing for yoyos although too much rim weight can make it feel like a rock. Some people like that. More rim weight helps with stability and spin time.
Also your yoyo appears to be organic shaped:
> **[One Drop Yo-Yos](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/collections/one-drop-yoyos)**
>
> We design and build the world's finest yo-yos in our workshop in Eugene, Oregon, USA.That's right. In a world full of outsourcing, we are 100% committed our maker roots. It is no doubt the more challenging way to go and for sure a path less traveled....
Most people these days are shooting for a steeper V shape since it appears to give a better chance for increased rim weight from what I remember.
> **[One Drop Yo-Yos](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/collections/one-drop-yoyos)**
>
> We design and build the world's finest yo-yos in our workshop in Eugene, Oregon, USA.That's right. In a world full of outsourcing, we are 100% committed our maker roots. It is no doubt the more challenging way to go and for sure a path less traveled....
There’s also a pretty popular design that recently started of people using 2 different density materials to put as much rim weight at the edge as possible.
> **[YoYoFactory](https://shop.yoyoexpert.com/collections/yoyofactory)**
>
> YoYoFactory was born in 2004 with a focus on functional technology to improve the playing experience. This has been a goal of the company which relies on the experience gathered from over 30 years of demonstrating yoyos around the planet. The end...
Final bit that I wanted to note after seeing your website is if you know Jon Walker on the forum?
[http://yoyoexpert.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=30103](http://yoyoexpert.com/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=30103)
He’s also a machinist that makes knives and built his own titanium yoyo.
---
### Author:  [@Fellhoelter](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Fellhoelter)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2015, 5:34am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/59 "2015-03-16T05:34:46Z")
Based on the material on the knife in Jon Walkers profile pic, I’d say yes, I do in fact know him.
Known him, his wife Jessica, and the family for 7 or 8 years.
Just had them send me some material this week in fact.
I’ll give him a call tomorrow, didn’t know he was a YoYo guy!
Problem with a name like Jon Walker, is that I know 3 or 4…
That scale material on that knife is made by a Jon Walker though, it’s very distinct, so I am betting it’s the same guy.
I have some of it in the shop.
I’m just going to use o-rings for now.
They are 19mm od, and I have a gross of them!
Even on that heavy one I made, they work.
Comparing the 2 you linked, mine is indeed more like the organic shape.
Initially, I’m going to stick with it, it’s designed up, already.
Not sure who Frank is, or how to buy from him!
For now, I bought a few Buddha Bearings to see if I like the concave shaped bearing race.
Are those considered bootleg?
---
### Author:  [@sparhawk](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/sparhawk)
#### Post date: [March 16, 2015, 6:48am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/so-i-made-my-first-yoyo/73375/60 "2015-03-16T06:48:13Z")
The buddha bearing does not infringe on the difeyo patent from my understandings
Frank is the owner of difeyo and makes the KK bearing
The od response pads work perfectly
The organic should be more comfy for your hands. Figured I’d just let you know about all the differences.
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