My bowling ball cutting experiment

[Seer]

Well as I mentioned in another post I was going to attempt to cut a bowling ball. No riser on the bandsaw so that was out but I did find something that worked my little battery powered circular saw. I was able to cut to the depth needed and then with a hammed and small prybar I split it and got some nice large, thick pieces as you can see below. I was able to cut the center stuff easily in the pieces and got a couple of blanks out of it but more on the way. More pics to come.

 

[PaulDoug]

I'm anxious to see some pens made. Looks like it would be pretty.

 

[bruce119]

You got some pretty nice chunks there. They are not the older alley balls they are the newer expensive ones. They should make some very nice pens. Don't forget keep all the same pieces and you can glue and segment them together so you don't get any waist and it looks cool.

Nice score

.

 

[Seer]

Finished products 2 pens they look a lot like Neils Photochromaics and a lot of chatoyance to them. Takes some work but I think it is worht it.
Also Bruce I may have an endless supply of these expensive balls.
Another thing also most acrylics have a slick feeling these actually have a grip feel, not sticky but when you hold them they do not slide easy in your hands.

 

[Padre]

Those are some really cool looking pens! They seem to glow, and they are just really nice looking.

Will you be selling/sharing any of the 'endless supply?' :biggrin:

 

[workinforwood]

You saying my balls are cheap???

Those are some great chunks, that's for sure! I had a few like that but different colors. Painting the tubes different colors can have a cool effect too.

 

[David Keller]

That's a cool looking pen from an interesting material. I know that bowling balls from different eras have different stuctures... Is there a source for more information on the topic as it relates to turned items?

 

[Seer]

More from the other ball I cut I really like the reactive resin in these the pen does not have a slick feeling like an acrylic and my customer is excited and ordered 8 more and gave me 2 more balls to play with, no pun intended lol. Should be fun.

 

[gr8danish]

Those look pretty cool! Ineresting idea... Now I have to try and scavange a few garage sales or something...

 

[JohnU]

Nice Balls! never said that to a guy before. Ive never seen any that thick with acrylic. The few Ive found were only an inch or less around the centers. Nice find and nice pens!

 

[PaulDoug]

Turned out nice. I thought they would be blacker. Did you paint the tubes? Different colors of paint may make for interesting also. When I first started making pens there was a guy on here that sold blanks made from bowling balls. I also wonder is all the BBs are colored all the way through like that. I have a red with black marble through it and a red white & bluse marbled one.... I wonder...