How to Mod a Bolt Yo-Yo

How to Mod a Bolt Yo-Yo
Yo-yoing is a constantly changing sport. What started as a hobby dominated by slimline responsive yo-yos for looping is now full of wide-gapped butterfly yo-yos that don't respond at all.

This instructable will teach you how I mod my Bolt yo-yo for an unresponsive style of play that you can't get from most stock yo-yos. The Bolt yo-yo, made by YoYoJam in Florida, plays great out of the package, but it's highly responsive. There's nothing wrong with this type of play; it's great for looping tricks and regenerations, and it's preferred by most beginners.

However, the tricks that have popped up over the last 3 years usually require a yo-yo that can handle a good deal of slack in the string without returning. That's why I mod my yo-yos to return with a "bind", an unresponsive technique I'll discuss later.

For this mod, you will need a yo-yo, a tube of Flowable Silicone Windshield & Glass Sealer, medium grit sandpaper, shims, a plastic tipped syringe and mineral spirits.

I use a Bolt yo-yo (available from this site) for this instructable, but this mod can be done on almost any YoYoJam model that uses o-rings for a response system.

 
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Step 1A note about "Binds"

Since the purpose of this modification is to create a unresponsive yo-yo, I should probably give a brief explanation of the Bind Return method.

Binding is the method used to get a unresponsive yo-yo to return by creating a "bind" with the string. J's glossary defines a bind as "Intentional insertion of extra string segments into the yo-yo gap (usually a wrap around the axle) in order to get an unresponsive yo-yo to return."

It's a really useful technique to know, even if you play with responsive yo-yos.

I highly recommend watching Houdini's "How To Bind 2" to better understand the bind technique.



(Note: I don't recommend "the basic bind" (also known as the lindy loop bind) at all. Instead, study the Backspin Bind and the "Dave" Bind in the video.)
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33 comments
Aug 9, 2011. 6:02 PMDeadMau5User says:
this is an awesome mod i found something like this on youtube a year back and i did the silicone mod to it works alot better :D
Mar 6, 2009. 3:02 PMjoey2542667 says:
DONT USE PAINT THINNER OR ALCOHOL!! If you use this method, the chemicals actually eat away at the lubrication the factory put in. If you do this, the balls in the bearing grind each other away destroying the bearing. Even if you put in new lubrication, it will never replace the other lubrication. It may seem as if the bearing works better, but I assure you, it will destroy them.
Aug 9, 2011. 5:58 PMDeadMau5User says:
then you can just get another bearing lol??? they dont cost much just sayn just sayn
Jan 14, 2011. 9:35 PMJ_SCAP says:
as a person who owns multiple yoyo's that have bearings, it is the only way to get a dead response from a yoyojam, yoyofactory, hardcore series duncan, etc etc I've had my 1st yoyo (duncan freehand2) with its stock bearing after multiple good cleanings, for about 4-5 years now, true its not my regular throw, but when i clean bearings i clean all of them at once (got about 10 yoyo's near me at the moment all of them have cleaned bearings and work)

If your doing it for industrial work or a car, bike, anything else along those lines, don't clean it, if its for a yoyo or other hobby, go for it.
May 1, 2010. 7:40 PMtoogers says:
it still lasts about 2 years.
Jun 19, 2011. 3:56 PMbook54321 says:
can it be done with a Duncan Imperial
Jul 8, 2009. 11:47 AMbombmistro says:
may i suggest that once you cut the o ring you flip it over
Mar 18, 2009. 1:05 PMsplashy says:
what yoyo were you using in the vid?
Jun 28, 2008. 9:15 PMconrad2468 says:
i broke my yo yo when i tried to pull an est 100 g loop and the string broke off it about broke a window!
Aug 15, 2008. 2:13 PMJ_SCAP says:
replace the string that is all
Aug 15, 2008. 2:55 PMconrad2468 says:
lol i just won an ebay auction for some string...
Jun 17, 2008. 10:00 AMNinjaCat64 says:
how long do o-rings last?
May 14, 2007. 8:21 PMSgt.Waffles says:
When did yoyoing become a sport? At least its not pointless, like those stupid stacking cups.
May 11, 2008. 7:24 AMpyrokid says:
hahahaha! isn't that your birthday, doc? sorry for the late comment, but I just started going back to instructables.
May 15, 2007. 3:33 PMSgt.Waffles says:
Wow, now what. Are they going to consider chess a sport?
Jul 12, 2008. 8:15 AMFlumpkins says:
If they start playing on top of an airplane.
May 16, 2007. 6:33 PMmynameisrob says:
(removed by author or community request)
May 16, 2007. 8:28 PMSgt.Waffles says:
Ohhh, one point for the lurker! We are all entitled to our opinons. I have my onpinon about yoyos, and you have your own. When you start making an attempt at a commment thats NOT derogitory, give me a ring.
Nov 27, 2007. 5:40 PMicedog515 says:
ummm...cool
Sep 1, 2007. 1:53 PMthrowinintherain says:
can anyone tell me vvhat the music in that video is?
i dont get on this site often,so if you do knovv,please email me at;howitb@gmail.com
thanks.
btvv:
v'NIKE:'just do it'
(my brother thought of that!)
i thought of this:
d0.ob
later.
Jun 6, 2007. 9:30 PMplasma says:
Great mod doc... I just got my bolt, and finally put it down long enough to silicone it. Good idea on the syringe too. The Bolt plays EXACTLY like my dark magic... dammit, i spent $40 on that. Houdini lives.
Jun 1, 2007. 7:23 PMacaz93 says:
SO the bolt is a Modified Kickside Or They Sell it Like that ?
May 18, 2007. 4:36 PMtonkpilsmaggot666 says:
Dr. remember when you said "I forgot to show how to shave down o-rings for those who don't have access to flowable silicone..." could you post that? Unless you're busy. ~maggot
May 15, 2007. 12:16 PMPVC marxman says:
nice mod but i have a question, does it play any better than a konkaved yoyojam dark magic? because i love doing gyroflops whips lacerations and slack on my dark magic. is it any less reponsive than a completely broken in darkmagic?
Jun 7, 2010. 4:48 PMtoogers says:
that's why i like cen-trak bearings, they don't stoop all the way to the center, its only sides.
May 14, 2007. 10:08 PMwombat7 says:
solid vid
May 14, 2007. 8:55 AMHamO says:
Great instructable, well done. You are obviously a talented yo-yoer.
May 14, 2007. 8:02 AMschalicto says:
That music is so sad, it's so hard for me to watch that video :(

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Author:Doctor Popular
Craft mogul, yo-yo genius, comics illustrator, nerdcore rapper, and a Mission dweller. Self employed, so my hobbies are sort of my professions too.