47080

Low friction finishes for aluminum and titanium [Orgeon] 

November 19, 2007

Ok, I'm a yoyo-er (yes that's a sport, a small one, but it's there) and yoyo makers are always looking for new finishes for grind tricks (where you touch the yoyo). The most common is anodized bead blasted aluminum. But I'm looking for something new. I need two finishes, one for titanium, and one for aluminum. They need to be strong, nice looking, and low friction. Keep in mind yoyos are light and spin at about 6000 rpm on bare skin, so a rough finish (like bead or sand blasted) is better while a polished finish is not too good.

Dylan Schink
Hobbyist - Ashland, Oregon, USA

I have seen hard chrome plated cone shaped parts that you can't pick up with your fingers because of the low coefficient of friction of the chrome together with a special fine knurled pattern of just the right size. It was years ago and I can't tell you anything more about the size of the knurling, but it can be done. It sounds like that's what you're looking for.

Ted Mooney, P.E.  finishing.com Brick, NJ