A Multi-Use Holder for Yo-yo Assembly

This tool was something that I made to make it easier to hold yo-yo's when I am assembling them. It is designed to work with most normal-sized yoyos, including my 3d printed yo-yo and my 3d printed square yo-yo that I designed. See my square yo-yo design and learn how to design your own yo-yo with this other instructable I made: https://www.instructables.com/Designing-and-Building-a-Square-Yo-Yo-Using-Tinker/. This holder is used to hold a yo-yo above the surface it rests on for easier assembly, but the top fixture can also be removed to set it down flat on a table, desk, etc. It uses a rubber band to hold the yo-yo tight and a piece of tape to hold it onto the table for maximum support and strength. This tool was designed with Tinkercad and was printed using Hatchbox PLA filament on an Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro 3d printer.

• 3d printing filament (I used Hatchbox PLA, but any stiff filament should work) (link)
• 3d printer (I used an Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro, but any will work) (link)
• Rubber band (link)
• Tape (I used Duck Max Strength Duct tape) (link)

First, I designed an adjustable apparatus that can hold a yo-yo. I decided to design a sliding mechanism so that once the two pieces are slid together, they can be adjusted to the size of the yo-yo (see images 1 and 2). This sliding mechanism uses a prong that goes into a space that is slightly larger than the prong (around 0.4mm on each side).

The yo-yo is held by 4 circular prongs (see image 2), which can hold almost any shape of yo-yo, including the circle and the square yo-yo I designed. Each prong is around 40mm apart. I also designed it to be held together by a rubber band, as it would hold the yo-yo tight and the apparatus together.

I also added a prong sticking out from one of the pieces so that it could be held by the base using the same mechanism to attach the two pieces that hold the yo-yo (see image 2). I then designed a base with a wide bottom (see image 3) to keep it balanced. Additionally, I added a place in which the piece with the prong could slide into (see image 4), holding both of the pieces that hold the yo-yo (see image 5). All these pieces were designed using Tinkercad.

Then, I exported each file on Tinkercad by clicking export at the top left of the screen (see image 1). Then, I clicked STL under "For 3d Print" (see image 2).

Next, I imported each file into a slicer (I used Ultimaker Cura) and I rotated each object to make most parts printable without supports (see the part circled in red in image 3).

Then, I sliced it at 20% infill with a 0.2mm layer height, a brim for bed adhesion, and supports on (see image 4) (this is used for the middle piece with the 2 prongs (circled in blue in image 3). Then, I clicked slice (see image 4). This results in a GCODE file that can be used on a 3d printer. Then, I clicked "Save To Disc", saving it to my computer (see image 5).

After slicing the file, I sent it over to my 3d printer via Octoprint, but it can also be sent over using an SD card or any other method to transfer files to a 3d printer. After transferring it to my 3d printer, I printed it, resulting in these 3 parts (see image 1).

Then, to assemble the yo-yo holder. I took the two non-base pieces (see image 1) and inserted the longer prong from one piece into the space in the other piece (see image 2).

Then, I put the rubber band around those two pieces (see image 3), pushing it down as far as I could while keeping it around the four prongs (see image 4). This creates the yo-yo holder part of the tool.

Next, I took the yo-yo holder and I inserted the small prong into the space on the base for the yo-yo holder (see images 1 and 2).

Then I ripped of a square of duct tape (see image 3) and I used it to tape the base of the yo-yo holder to the table (see image 4). This allowed the multi-use yo-yo holder to stay attached to the surface strongly and it still allowed the top of the holder to be removed and set down flat on a surface.

To use this yo-yo holder, lift the top part of the holder (see image 1) and insert the yo-yo (see image 2). Then let it down, and the yo-yo will be held by the 4 prongs and the rubber band (see images 3, 4, and 5 for different examples with different yo-yos). This yo-yo holder can also be used to hold one half of the yo-yo and to assemble the other half on to it (see images 6 and 7).

Additionally, this yo-yo holder can be used flat. To do this, remove the top part that holds the yo-yo and set it flat on the table (see image 8). Then, expand the holder to make room for the yo-yo (see image 9). Then, place the yo-yo in the holder (see image 10) and let the holder snap shut with the rubber band (see image 11). By using it flat, it can also be used to assemble yo-yos (see image 12).

I have attached the files to my yo-yo holder in this step. I also have included links to my design on Printables if you want to download it from there.

Printables Link:

https://www.printables.com/model/893612-yo-yo-holder-for-assembly