I love this description. I also love the ProYo. I’m digging the craftsmanship and artistry of the TMBR’s but I have trust issues now, and I think we can all agree that’s an integral part of any relationship.
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I feel like I must be a moron then!
I mean I put several layers of super glue in the slot, and turned as hard as I could! I haven’t had any issues with the 20-EH-Teen; though I haven’t kept it in my pocket, and I haven’t taken it apart either.
I’ll get around to trying some other solutions, but as long as I have my Ballsy, I’m pretty content!
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I have carried a lot of wood throws in my pocked and never had this issue myself.
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Yeah and it’s fine and fun, but just no where near as good…
That’s funny, Jeff. Weight distribution hardly comes into it when you’re discussing fixed axle yoyos.
If anything, the ProYo II has a worse weight distribution with the steel axle through the middle.
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Well it is a “wheel” shape but note all the weight is in the rim, that’s one of the key ProYo innovations around that time period (1995-ish?). I suppose it’s possible to carve wood sufficiently to get the weight distribution you want.
I’m just going to throw this out there, not judging or anything, but… How tight are your pants?
If you’ve broken so many wooden yo-yos in your pocket then the issue may be just that - Your pockets. A tighter pocket will put stress on the outside edges of the yo-yo, similar to sitting on one, which is more likely to break them or cause them to separate at their weaker points. Maybe give holsters a try?
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I highly doubt you’re a moron. I’d love to tinker with your eH. I used to believe there wasn’t a No Jive on earth that I couldn’t tune to be playable (if not perfect), but have since learned that’s not quite true lol. I definitely know and am pretty confident with the axle system, but wood is wood, and it’s not like it’s inconceivable that you got a lemon.
It’s a weird dichotomy because on the one hand we want our yo-yos all to have the durability and predictability of the stoutest metal, but at the same time we want our wood yo-yos to play and behave like… wood. Regardless of pocket-tightness and relative humidity, I’m sorry you’re having this issue.
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You superglued your EH?! 
Same here. From January to April this year I’ve used my 2018 eH pretty much exclusively, I can’t remember it coming apart once.
Prior to this my Sullivan and 2014 eH have been constant companions, and it’s been the same, can’t remember when they’ve ever come apart. I’ve got a number of others as well, and after talking with Colin, or maybe it was Ed, after getting my first wood thread I’ve never had any of them come apart on me, with the exception of after hitting it on the ground. Even then, I’ve gotten to the point that when they hit something I just instinctively tighten it real quick and keep playing, no issues afterwards.
@edhaponik Maybe you and Colin should put out an official “TMBR Maintenance” video.
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Here’s what I mean: Simple Woodthread Axle Mod
@AaronW, as @edhaponik said these are made of wood, and so they are more subject to variance, and more susceptible to climate/climate changes than other common materials used for making yoyos. I will pull it back out and give it another shot. I have plenty of axles!
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Yeah I mentioned climate and humidity earlier in this discussion.
Your location in Hotlanta is probably causing the glue joints to fail. However, with the humidity you’re in, your TMBR’s should be swelling, not shrinking, thus making it a tighter connection, not looser. Bringing them in and out of AC will also affect them as well, but as thick as TMBR halves are I wouldn’t think they’re absorbing or releasing that much that quickly.
From what I remember, the 2016 eH’s axles are a little more porous than the body wood used. So the axles should be swelling quicker than the body, that’s why I feel it’s a setup issue more than a temp/humidity issue.
Maybe take up Ed on his offer and send it to him and have him set it up for you.
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I took apart my Sullivan to “re-tune” all the parts per all the descriptions Ive read here, not because I thought I was doing anything wrong but because it seems that the consensus is that if you TMBR comes apart it’s the owners fault and not the piece itself. New string, first throw it came apart and shot across the room. The picture is of what the half looks like right now. Also, if I shake this half I can clearly hear that this cap is loose, anyone else’s make noise when the thing is unscrewed this much and you shake it?
I’m not convinced I’m the problem, I hate the thought of using teflon tape but looks like I’ll need to.
EDIT: just did the process again right after posting, throwing gently it came apart on the third throw same exact result with the cap coming unscrewed.
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My first thought is let someone else have a go at it. Preferably @edhaponik if he’s willing (which it seems he is). If that doesn’t work for some reason it’s a last ditch thing but you could just glue the axle and caps in the Eh. It essentially just makes it a non take apart wooden yoyo. I mean a glued threaded wood axle isn’t coming apart.
I certainly never said nor suggested that users are to blame for TMBR’s coming apart during regular play. I’ve spent a considerable amount of time tweaking them and none of mine have persistent issues, but that doesn’t mean I’m an expert or anyone else is doing anything wrong.
I set mine up with the caps flush to the flat side of the yo-yo half, so the cap has maximum threading engaged. The caps I find can be fairly loose in the half (edit: on some halves/caps I can hear a light rattle when shaken) but when I tighten them up, no part of the assembly is loose or mobile. I start by screwing in the cap and the axle on one half, getting the axle/string gap flush to the half, and and using a coin to tighten the two together so that they won’t move. Then I screw on the other half, get the gap right, and tighten the cap. Generally I just need to use my thumbnails in opposition, but I can use coins to get a bit more twist. I’ll put as much into a little vid in a bit, but that’s the method I use.
Again, not saying anyone “just doesn’t know what they’re talking about” or that this phenomenon demonstrates user error vs design flaw. JUST saying this is not a persistent problem for me, and hasn’t been since we started using this axle setup with the 2014 eH.
Edit edit: Here’s how I do it.
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I don’t mean to imply that anyone is blaming the user and apologize if my verbiage suggests that. I came to this conclusion after reading almost every post that touches on this issue not just this post, overwhelmingly this product gets praise and support, so by process of elimination I’m saying the consensus seems to be user technique or any other factor other than the yo-yo itself. Your written instructions seemed simple enough but the video is super appreciated.
Now what’s your favorite charity?
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Hahaha we give regularly to Water Mission, Surfrider, and Nature Conservancy, but I’m sure you’ve got any number you support. I definitely don’t need you to donate on my behalf for a vid that took me 6 minutes (and may have been totally redundant for most folks). Give a kid their first yo-yo sometime - that’d be charitable enough for me! <3
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Thanks for the video.
That’s pretty much is how I’ve done it. I will also say that I am mechanically inclined.
As my post shows, I even strengthened the slot so that I could get more torque with the dime. I also tried roughing up the wood where the cap meets the axle on one of my axle sets.
I even tried licking that same area, thinking that the wood would swell and make the connection tighter. That actually worked until it dried out. @skitrz suggested making the wood swell with moisture, and then sealing it; which is interesting and logical.
I think I’ll give it a shot again, and try to make sure the cap is flush. It makes sense that that would maximize the amount of surface area for the threads to make contact. It’s possible too, that sitting around for a year or two, will have seasoned it, and it might be more stable now?
@edhaponik Have you ever picked one up after not playing it for a while and had it come apart?
I do remember the other issue with my 2016 EH, was that I seemed to have trouble getting it to respond well with close to neutral tension; which is strange since the 20-EH-Teen responds beautifully. I really do need to pull it out and give it another shot!
I’m currently underway with a design for a stream restoration/dam removal were doing in GA for The Nature Conservancy! Your donations are going to good use! 
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