The Mystery of the Bowling Balls

[skiprat]

Anyone else noticed this? It's weird...I thought this was happening some time ago but now have the proof...bowling ball blanks are light sensitive!!
The first pic is a pen I made some time ago. Blue bowling ball blank and stainless steel. It has been in a display case since I made it. The pic was taken as soon as it was made.

I just finished 2 Barons, one with a grey/green/pearl bowling ball blank and one with the same blue one I used previously.
See how it the old one has faded? Except for the small section that was under the cap all the time.
The Barons look very boring in the pic, but there is some pearl that the pic doesn't show. I'm hoping that they will both fade to show the great swirls and colours. I'm going to put the old steel one in the dark and see if the swirls come back or if they have actually bleached out.

 

[maxman400]

I don't know about them fading, But all them look Great from here Skip. I really like the SS one.

 

[NewLondon88]

but now have the proof...bowling ball blanks are light sensitive!!

This is actually a feature.
As we age, our vision gets worse. The bowling ball fades to cast more of
a reflection on the bowling pins so you can see them, even at your age, Skip.

You're welcome. :tongue:

 

[sgimbel]

How do you originally cut the bowling ball? I have a couple balls that haven't been used in a long time and the would make beautiful blanks.

 

[snyiper]

There is a tutorial in the library good stuff..

 

[woodsofourlives]

Great looking pens, I like the first one

 

[jasontg99]

I have a couple balls that haven't been used in a long time.

:biggrin:

 

[jbostian]

Great looking pens.

Jamie

 

[hunter-27]

I have a couple balls that haven't been used in a long time and the would make beautiful blanks.

UH, ERRR, this IS a family site. :smile-big:

 

[rjwolfe3]

Skippy the pens are lovely but ignore the age cracks. You are still half the age of Ed and Cav!

 

[Rum Pig]

They are nice pens faded or not

What do you call the first kit I do not think I have seen this kit. It looks really nice I would love to get some

 

[leehljp]

I think I missed it the first time around. Bowling balls are about to make a comeback! Even if it is faded. I am not surprised at the light sensitivity of the material of BBs.

What goes around comes around. Will we see a resurgence of BBs again?

 

[skiprat]

They are nice pens faded or not

What do you call the first kit I do not think I have seen this kit. It looks really nice I would love to get some

Slimline nib but the rest is homemade. Stainless steel welding rod and an old bolt:wink:

I am not surprised at the light sensitivity of the material of BBs.

What made you think that it could, Hank? I've never heard of plastic that could fade unless it was outdoor in UV sunlight. I hope that the fade isn't permenant as the blue looks crappy as just a pale blue.
I left both pens under bright lights last night and the figure is a bit more visible than in the pic above. I haven't checked the old one in the dark yet.

 

[workinforwood]

Actually, UV light bounces around in the house all day long, assuming you have windows, and if the walls are white then you get a lot more bounce! I use a UV finish on my artwork, but I still put them in places that are out of direct sunlight. The bouncing light is less aggressive, but over time, it happens. To me the pens look great, especially the stainless one. If you want to brighten them back up, grab your dremel buffer and some McGuire's wet wax. I think the McGuires might have some UV protectant in it too, but not sure. It's vintage stuff for sure...if you are tired of that pen, I'll adopt it!:biggrin:

 

[skiprat]

Jeff, I'm pretty sure I got the BB blanks from you and you have already shown that you have conquered your metal lathe, so you sure as heck don't need anything from me!!! :biggrin: LOL, but I'll send you an old bolt if you want:tongue:

Also, haven't you heard of 'Window Tax' in the UK??. ( true, but historic ) and I live in a cave anyway:biggrin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Window_tax

 

[leehljp]

What made you think that it could, Hank? I've never heard of plastic that could fade unless it was outdoor in UV sunlight. I hope that the fade isn't permenant as the blue looks crappy as just a pale blue.
I left both pens under bright lights last night and the figure is a bit more visible than in the pic above. I haven't checked the old one in the dark yet.

I have seen this happen in apartments and houses with no curtains/drapes - and left unattended for two or three years behind double paned doors and windows. Carpet, curtains, wood in some places, plastic of different kinds, but not so much on metal or porcelain. It is sometimes referred to as fading and by other people as "bleaching out". While most people will say that glass "protects" from ultraviolet light, the perception becomes "Prevents", which is inaccurate. Being behind glass is great for a day - versus being on the outside. However, over a long period of time behind glass, sunlight can still fade / bleach many kinds of material, and one of the most susceptible is plastics and photos. UV "protection" is not 100%. The material itself determines the rate at which it will fade in a given time.

If a google search is done, there are many articles on this.
Why do colors fade?)
Why do colors fade in light (sunlight inside a house)
Why does sunlight bleach some items?
UV protection versus prevention.

While my answer is not based on any of those searches in particular, it is from experience and lots of observation, lots of reading over the years and my HS and college physics and chemistry classes, of which I have forgotten most. :redface:

Please keep in mind as mentioned above, UV protection from "glass" is not UV prevention, a big difference over time.

 

[wolftat]

Skip, did it fade on all sides or just the side exposed to direct light?

 

[workinforwood]

Jeff, I'm pretty sure I got the BB blanks from you and you have already shown that you have conquered your metal lathe, so you sure as heck don't need anything from me!!! :biggrin: LOL, but I'll send you an old bolt if you want:tongue:

Also, haven't you heard of 'Window Tax' in the UK??. ( true, but historic ) and I live in a cave anyway:biggrin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Window_tax

Yes, you got those from me for free...er I mean to borrow as photo props. I didn't say you could use them in a pen. That was a long time ago too, and now I think it's time you sent them back because borrow does not mean forever. I will forgive you for the alterations you made to them.:biggrin:

 

[skiprat]

Skip, did it fade on all sides or just the side exposed to direct light?

Neil, all around, but it was on a glass shelf in the cabinet. You can see the off cut of the blank that I pre-rounded ages ago had also fade and that was stacked in my blank rack in my shop

Yes, you got those from me for free...er I mean to borrow as photo props. I didn't say you could use them in a pen. That was a long time ago too, and now I think it's time you sent them back because borrow does not mean forever. I will forgive you for the alterations you made to them.:biggrin:

Free??? Borrow????? :biggrin: I had to buy loads of expensive Dragons just to get those so no, you ain't getting them back.:tongue:

 

[cnirenberg]

Steve,
I like the faded version, it has a bit more character.

 

[wdcav1952]

Skippy the pens are lovely but ignore the age cracks. You are still half the age of Ed and Cav!

Yep, total the ages of Ed and Cav and Skippy is about half of that. :biggrin: