Heath's+Yo-yo+Project

Back to Heath's page

=Yo-yo Project=

I am working on a project that involves string length versus the spin time on a yo-yo. In the end I will attempt to make an equation for this, but the first part only requires graphing.

I have chosen to work with a specific yo-yo called Two Fat Ladies, which features beefcaked bearings. This means that it has two ball-bearings instead of one, which will center the string after a drop. If I was using a yo-yo that had only one bearing, the string would not always center, which will lead to a larger spin-time variation.

Things to keep in mind:
In order to keep an accurate measurement the string will have to be wrapped equally tight every time. since there is no way for me to measure this, I will wrap it as tightly as I can every time.

The equation that I will make in the end will only work for this Two Fat Ladies because of its unique shape, diameter, string size and thickness, and bearing condition. There are many different varying sizes, shapes, and weights that make yo-yos spin for longer or shorter amounts of time without the power of a throw.

The first graph is a measurement of the spin time with a 41 inch string. Graph #1 (In Inches) ||= Spin Time (In Seconds) || Average: 26
 * = String Length
 * = 41 ||= 25 ||
 * = 41 ||= 19 ||
 * = 41 ||= 25 ||
 * = 41 ||= 28 ||
 * = 41 ||= 31 ||
 * = 41 ||= 28 ||

Graph #2 (In Inches) ||= Spin Time (In Seconds) || Average: 24
 * = String Length
 * = 36 ||= 23 ||
 * = 36 ||= 28 ||
 * = 36 ||= 20 ||

Graph #3 (In Inches) ||= Spin Time (In Seconds) || Average: 24
 * = String Length
 * = 28 ||= 26 ||
 * = 28 ||= 21 ||
 * = 28 ||= 25 ||

Graph #4 (In Inches) ||= Spin Time (In Seconds) || Average: 24
 * = String Length
 * = 24 ||= 24 ||
 * = 24 ||= 25 ||
 * = 24 ||= 23 ||

Graph #5

(In Inches) ||= Spin Time (In Seconds) || Average: 24
 * = String Length
 * = 20 ||= 25 ||
 * = 20 ||= 35 ||
 * = 20 ||= 13 ||

We are Experiencing Some Minor Difficulties
At this point, I can see that there are too many problems with my current string-wrapping method.

The only way I can see myself proceeding is finding a way to wrap the string around the yo-yo so that there will be less of a variation in the spin time with the same string length.

I have noticed that when the string length is shorter, the yo-yo spins longer sometimes. Picture a yo-yo sitting on a string without spinning. The yo-yo will not spin out of control, because there is no energy to push, or force it to spin "out of control." My thought is that since the yo-yo doesn't have the spin energy that one on a long string does, it is not forced out of its spin as easily. The shorter the string is, the closer the yo-yo is to sitting on the string without spinning at all.

If you have any questions or comments about this reasoning, discuss it on the top of the page where it says __Discussion__.

For now, this is the graph that I have. It is a list of all of the string lengths and the average spin time. (In Inches) ||= Spin Time (In Seconds) ||
 * = String Length
 * = 41 ||= 26 ||
 * = 36 ||= 24 ||
 * = 28 ||= 24 ||
 * = 24 ||= 24 ||
 * = 20 ||= 24 ||

As you can see, this is not enough to make a graph, so I have to create a string-wrapping method that will create more of a consistency between string length and spin time.

Back to Heath's page