Turning a flat disc into a pop top

[marklar]

I wasn't sure what forum to post this in but are there any fans of domey & pop top drivers here? I've seen a method for flattening discs, but I've never seen any methods for turning a flat disc into a domey one.

In general, domey discs tend to have more glide and are harder to get up to speed so they tend to be more speed stable. In other words, you can turn a disc that's too flippy into a stable bomber by making it domey following these steps.

Materials needed:

1. DRIVER: I used an icon cannon for this "how to".
2. BOWL: A cereal bowl with a 7 3/4" diameter rim is what I use, but it depends on the width of the disc rim and diameter of the disc. A 7 1/2" to 8" diameter bowl should work for most wide rimmed drivers.
3. HOT WATER: Simmering hot is best because you can still work with the disc a bit and not burn yourself. If the water is too cold, the process will take longer or the dome will not hold at all.

Instructions:

1. Bring water up to a simmer
2. Fill the bowl with simmering hot water. Fill the bowl just below full because the water will end up splashing out in step number 4.
3. Center the disc upside down on top of the hot water filled bowl.
4. Apply downward pressure to the flight plate to create suction between the disc and bowl. The more downward pressure you apply the bigger the dome will be.
5. Fill the bottom of the discs flight plate with hot water. This step is optional but it helps speed the process up.
6. Leave the disc suction cupped to the bowl for 10-20 minutes.
7. Remove the disc from the bowl and immediately cool the disc with cold water.
8. Throw disc and be stoked.

You can overdo it so it's best to start small and repeat the process again until you achieve the dome you want. Once you stretch the flight plate out too far, it's almost impossible to flatten it again without creating a puddle top or a clovered/rippled top.

This technique works best with new/slightly used premium type plastic. If the disc is too scratched or if the hot stamp is too big, you'll hear air leaking into the bowl and you'll lose dome you are trying to create.

 

[jjmiller]

Funny for me that you posted this at this time. I just added a little dome to a couple discs last night. My method was:

Put disc bottom-up on top of another flat disc(also bottom-up) with the same rim width.

Put a few coins(for weight) in the middle of the flight plate.

Fill the underside of the disc(which is now facing up) with boiling water.

Leave it alone until the water has cooled back to room temperature.


This added just a hint of dome to a couple of discs that I bought with the intention of being glidey, backhand-only bombers. Haven't thrown them yet to see if it made any difference...

 

[ru4por]

Hmmmm....ingenuity. The clever search for that perfect disc. I am not sure though. Much like my take on cycling discs, I would ask, why not just by the perfect stable bomber out of the box. With the thousands of mold available, I am confident one would fit your needs and be more easily reproducible than this method.

 

[marklar]

I hear ya ru4por and agree for the most part but I don't think I've come across that many molds that have had a consistent flight or shape from run to run. The fact that people pay a premium for their favorite run of destroyers etc. pretty much confirms that.

I do most of my disc shopping online and it's a crap shoot on what you'll get. I'm a fan of the star shryke and the first few i bought online had a nice dome to them and fly amazing. When I bought a couple more online, they were flat and way too flippy for my liking. The above technique allowed me to get the flippy ones identical to the first two I bought. The technique is more consistent than one might think.

 

[tylerc]

I have done that before in a few different ways, it typically doesn't hold well. I always over domed it and in a few days it would flatten out. Just remember this can effect the PLH of the disc, which will also effect the stability. In OPs it looks like the PLH lowered, therefore less stable and more glide + the dome glide. The PLH could go either way more or less stable, it all depends on the bowl diameter.

 

[DoWork]

That's a wormhole I simply can't go down. Repeatable results will likely be TOUGH to attain because there are so many factors at play, I simply don't have the time nor the OCD resources to appropriate to an onion layer of obsession like that haha

 

[Hampstead]

I throw the discs that I have and learn to work with what they do. I have no desire to play mad scientist and create something different from what I have. To each their own.

 

[marklar]

Tyler, the shrykes I have done with this technique have held their shape for 3 months now. The discs I have done so far haven't been less stable for me.

PLH hasn't changed as much as the pictures make it out to be. In the "before" pre-domey picture, the disc is hanging out over the towel exposing the bottom more. Also, the angle of the before and after pictures aren't exactly the same. Like you said, PLH might be affected by the bowl diameter, but I don't have any other size of bowl to test it out. With the bowl size I use, the rim shape doesn't get affected much if any. if you don't add hot water to the bottom of the flight plate, the disc rim will stay cooler and be more resistent to change.

 

[MANBURGARLAR]

Same is true if you want to create a puddled top Disc. Did this with an old esp zone. Laid it flat on quartz countertop. Pressed centre of Disc down to create a suction-like effect. Then poured hot water out of my kettle into the puddletop. Let it sit and cool. Voila.

Never tried making something domier though! I could see the benefits for distance drivers for sure.

 

[Hyzflip10]

I like the discs I have and don't have the interest to tinker with them. Plus you wouldnt be able to use this during a tournament.

813.01 B. "A disc which has been modified after production such that its original flight characteristics have been altered is illegal,... "

 

[marklar]

It's not for everyone obviously. I don't play tournaments so the pdga rule doesn't mean much to me.

 

[ILUVSMGS18]

Tyler, the shrykes I have done with this technique have held their shape for 3 months now. The discs I have done so far haven't been less stable for me.

PLH hasn't changed as much as the pictures make it out to be. In the "before" pre-domey picture, the disc is hanging out over the towel exposing the bottom more. Also, the angle of the before and after pictures aren't exactly the same. Like you said, PLH might be affected by the bowl diameter, but I don't have any other size of bowl to test it out. With the bowl size I use, the rim shape doesn't get affected much if any. if you don't add hot water to the bottom of the flight plate, the disc rim will stay cooler and be more resistent to change.

I hear ya on the Shrykes. I've had 2 Stars and 3 Champs. The only flippy one is board flat, and was the first I bought. Flat Shrykes should just be re ground in Echo Shrykes that are domey. Those would bomb.

 

[Hyzflip10]

It's not for everyone obviously. I don't play tournaments so the pdga rule doesn't mean much to me.

That's cool. Would be nice if disc were the same from run to run so you wouldn't need to do this. The manufacturer I throw is fairly consistent so I don't have any worries about what the discs are going to do.

 

[ru4por]

That's cool. Would be nice if disc were the same from run to run so you wouldn't need to do this. The manufacturer I throw is fairly consistent so I don't have any worries about what the discs are going to do.

Not sure any one company is more consistent than others. The experience is pretty individual. MVP has been the most inconsistent company for me. I think they all struggle from time to time putting out reliable disc molds.

 

[Hyzflip10]

Not sure any one company is more consistent than others. The experience is pretty individual. MVP has been the most inconsistent company for me. I think they all struggle from time to time putting out reliable disc molds.

I've had very good luck with consistency of my MVP discs, for the most part. Only issue I have had is that plasma plastic is sometime flippier, sometimes more overstable depending on the mold.

 

[gstenger]

I just don't get the whole domey vs. flat-top thing. The most overstable Firebird I ever had was a Champion flat-top one and it was just stupid overstable. I lost it and wasn't even upset about it. The domey Champion Firebirds I have are less overstable and much more to my liking.

Also, I like the Boss in Star plastic. I've have domey ones which just bomb and are perfect for my long distance shots. I have another flat top Star Boss which is probably the most overstable disc I've ever thrown with the exception maybe of the flat-top FB.

 

[mark996]

I just don't get the whole domey vs. flat-top thing. The most overstable Firebird I ever had was a Champion flat-top one and it was just stupid overstable. I lost it and wasn't even upset about it. The domey Champion Firebirds I have are less overstable and much more to my liking.

Also, I like the Boss in Star plastic. I've have domey ones which just bomb and are perfect for my long distance shots. I have another flat top Star Boss which is probably the most overstable disc I've ever thrown with the exception maybe of the flat-top FB.

I think you do get it. FAF Firebirds are typically the more stable ones and more sought after, domey Firebirds....just feels wrong typing it. No one throws a Firebird for its glide or to hyzer flip it. And on the opposite end pop top bosses bomb, have more workability for slower arm speeds and glide for days, as to where flatter ones become more stable and more brick like if you don't have the arm for them. Seems people are just trying to produce that pop top, less stable more glide from their home.

And as far as the rules go, "hey did you boil that disc bro?" "Nope" "Ok cool"

 

[MANBURGARLAR]

Exactly. I get paint or stickers on a disc being illegal. But a little extra dome or a flatter disc? Those inconsistencies happen out in the wild anyways. Plus how would a TD or any other players know / be able to prove it?

Technically my jawbreaker banger-gt that is busted up and warbled has been "illegally modified by tree hits".

 

[ru4por]

Exactly. I get paint or stickers on a disc being illegal. But a little extra dome or a flatter disc? Those inconsistencies happen out in the wild anyways. Plus how would a TD or any other players know / be able to prove it?

Technically my jawbreaker banger-gt that is busted up and warbled has been "illegally modified by tree hits".

Oddly, I don't really get stickers or paint as a violation. There is little to no willful volition in those acts. You don't really know what kind of impact those things will have on the disc. I do understand the idea of intentionally modifying a disc to do a very particular thing. This is an intentional act to gain a competitive advantage......the VERY thing the rule is designed to prohibit. I believe the spirit of the game is for competitors to demonstrate skill in learning and apply athletic prowess on a set of approved discs.

As a student of the try to do the right thing school, I am confused by the it is only wrong if you get caught thought process.

I guess it is no more wrong than throwing your disc against a wall a bunch to change the flight characteristics. But, I don't really get this either. Maybe it is just me?

 

[Doofenshmirtz]

Oddly, I don't really get stickers or paint as a violation.s

Paint isn't a violation unless it has a "detectable thickness" or unless the flight characteristics are changed by the paint or it makes the disc easier to find.

Stickers that do not alter the original flight characteristics of a disc are not illegal, at least not pursuant to 813.01, unless it makes the disc easier to find.