Can I make my own counterweight? If so, how?

Optimally you want it to be about 9-10 grams, or between 1/6 and 1/7 of the yoyo’s weight. A bouncy ball is the cheapest thing you can find lying around, 1" dice would work but you’ll have trouble finding one.

If you don’t have a drill, get some clay, find out how dense it is, and get creative.