Bowling Ball blanks?

[hewunch]

I got a bag of goodies yesterday from a friend. He got them from someone who has been turning for a while. Included were some "bowling ball" blanks marketed by PSI. They are 1x7". Does anyone remember these blanks? Are they PR? Or some other flavor of acrylic or are they real bowling ball resin? Any info would be appreciated. TIA

 

[David M]

at one time people cut up bolling balls and cast them , yea some are real

 

[skiprat]

I got some real bowling ball blanks from Jeff Powell a few years ago.
They turned as easily as any other blank but I don't think they put any UV chemicals in the resin as it has faded completely now.
I was gutted as it looked really great.

I'll see if I can find a before and now picture

 

[hewunch]

Thanks, I am looking for info specifically about the ones marketed by PSI. Any skinny on them?

 

[bitshird]

If I remember right (which is doubtful) Birch Bark Bruce used to make some, they did look nice, but I never tried one.

 

[PTsideshow]

Remembered in PSI catalogs from years ago, that they were made from the same material as bowling balls, the colored swirly kind. Check with wiki as they will have what they are made of, and probably what they were made of in the past.
:clown:

 

[leehljp]

When I got started in late 2004 and into 2005, bowling ball blanks were popular and several small pen supply companies sold them.

 

[its_virgil]

Pens of Color (that dates me, huh) once sold blanks made from bowling ball material but not made from cut up bowling balls. They were marketed as made from real bowling ball material. Then PSI and others started selling them. Can't help on what the material actually is.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

I got a bag of goodies yesterday from a friend.He got them from someone who has been turning for a while. Included were some "bowling ball" blanks marketed by PSI. They are 1x7". Does anyone remember these blanks? Are they PR? Or some other flavor of acrylic or are they real bowling ball resin? Any info would be appreciated. TIA

 

[nava1uni]

I got bowling ball blanks from Bruce119. He used to make them and I have a pen made from them that is still vibrant with color. I never used any from PSI.

 

[leehljp]

Pens of Color (that dates me, huh) once sold blanks made from bowling ball material but not made from cut up bowling balls. They were marketed as made from real bowling ball material. Then PSI and others started selling them. Can't help on what the material actually is.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

That is the company that I couldn't think of. But it seems like a few others offered them too. Those were the blanks that distinguished POC from a few other small companies and vendors. That was before casting one own's PR blanks became common, although a few did at the time, IIRC. The bowling ball blanks were some of the first readily available that had the different colors and glitter and swirls that are common in todays resin blanks, both commercial and home cast.

 

[PTsideshow]

Bowling Balls Here is a listing of what they have been made out of and will give to a clue about what the blanks are.
:clown:

 

[ed4copies]

Pen of Color's blanks were fun to turn!!!

Similar to Alumilite--the ribbons would come off in one steady stream. Easy to turn, not easy to get a good shine.

Best answer I found was Hut plastic Polish, after turning and sanding to 1500 grit..

I sold a LOT of pens---"Bowling ball material" was popular in Wisconsin.

 

[skiprat]

These two pens were made with real cut up bowling ball resin blanks.
You can compare how much they have faded by being under 'daylight' lights in a display case. The remaining green bowling ball blanks haven't been out of my shop so haven't faded.
On the pen with the ellipse shapes, the cap was always displayed with it on, hence no fade.

The first one is my Bayonet Concept Pen and the other was called Five Ellipse pen where you can see how dark they were originally.

I'm not saying that ANY other bowling ball blank WILL do this but be warned that it might.:wink:

 

[ttpenman]

I had a few from POC. I loved them. I'm pretty sure they were urethane which would make them somewhat like Alumilite. A few months ago I happen to see some being closed out at Lee Valley. Contacted them but they told me they couldn't get any more. I asked about the supplier but they wouldn't share.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

 

[Whaler]

Here is a pen I did last year with a blank made by Bruce119. It was really nice to turn.

 

[Seer]

I turned pens from Bowling balls I cut up they were lanemasters and solid acrylic as yet none have faded and I was able to get a good shine on them.