Would a Dremel tool be useful to smooth out tooling marks in acetal?

Yo-Yo Mods and Maintenance
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I’m looking for a way to smooth out the tooling marks and shine up the cups of my acetal yoyos.

The problem is that it’s difficult to do it by hand with sandpaper because of the limited space for me to get my fingers in there.

Would a Dremel tool be useful for this? Are there attachments for them that would work for this?

I’m also wondering whether simply different grades of polishing compounds on a cloth would do the trick.

Those workshop minded, please let me know.

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With a dremel you run the risk of taking some of the material away. I’d try different polishing compounds if it was me.

Or get a small low pressure sand blasting setup, or a tumbler and tumble them. Would give them a grindable surface, and get rid of the small tooling marks.

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Isn’t this what I’d need to do to remove tooling marks?

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I think the easiest and most effective way would be to use different polishing compounds for cutting back and shining. Thanks for your input @AaronW.

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Right but you can use a dremel to polish as well… so these are not incompatible statements… just need the right attachments and rubbing compounds or whatever

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That’s right. But one involves spending over $100 and the other one uses a cloth.

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I bought a Draper, Dremel like tool for about £30 and it works just as well. Accepts all Dremel like attachments.

If I’m understanding you correctly, could you make a hook shaped tool to get into cup? Just cut it out of some 2mm steel and wrap it in sandpaper.

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Hand polishing is EXTREMELY labor intensive. And clone Chinese Dremels are cheap.

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Not so bad when the half is mounted on the lathe. It will require much less effort when it’s spinning at 2350 rpm.

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I had though it this, but it won’t really work properly

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I think it would be easier using a custom made chisel while the yoyo is still chucked on the lathe then using a Dremel tool to try and get in there, I just don’t think you’d be able to maneuver it in there, but I might be wrong.

Do you use a mandrel to turn the halves or do you chuck each half individually? If it’s on a mandrel then you would be very limited on space.

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I have made my own custom tools. It’s not turning the halves that I have a problem with, it’s getting a perfect tool mark free finish on the inside of the cups only. Plastic shows up absolutely everything. Even the tiny teeth on the end of a freshly ground scraper.

I won’t use a Dremel, I’ll just use cutting and polishing compounds on a cloth. I think this should work perfectly well.

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Finishing can sometimes take longer than construction, but tends to pay off in the end.

Best of luck man!

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I like the compound on the lathe idea personally! Or some really fine sand paper. 600+ grit

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Yes, but a Dremel spins much faster than a lathe. I think at a low setting a Dremel is 5000 RPM. I’ve accidentally melted plastic with them in the past. Even with their buffing wheels they spin so fast, and plastic being soft, you run the chance of melting areas, or taking more away than you think.

This is for sure. I can build up a guitar fairly quick, finishing takes weeks!

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Off topic: It would be cool to see some pics of guitars you’ve made! If you have some, please put them in “Unrelated Discussion”.

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When Photobucket changed everything I lost all the photos :disappointed_relieved: If I come across any on hard drives I’ll post them.

Finishing up my new workshop. Electrical is almost all done. Then an epoxy floor. After that I’ll be on to building my new workbenches. Then I’ve got a banjo restoration, two guitars to restore, then I’ve got a couple guitars, and a uke that I’ll be starting for myself. Will most likely document them when I start on instagram :+1:

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I think you’ve already decided to not use a Dremmel, and from personal experience I would say good call. You’ll probably find it equally as difficult to use while the yoyo is mounted to a lathe, and it’d be incredibly hard to buff or sand machine marks freehand without messing it up (it’d be possible with much practice of course).
Plus there’s the learning curve of even using it, finding a working technique for the finish you want, having the right tip, refining technique, precautions for material properties (melting), etc.

Random idea: What if you took some form of cast of the cup, put a handle on it, mount sand paper or polish cloth on it, then presto custom buffing tool perfect for that yoyo. Finishing will take a long time anyway from what others are saying, so it doesn’t seem like too much of a stretch.