How do you put mini clocks in Golf Balls

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Dorno

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Hi I am just wondering if there is anyone out there who has had the fun job of putting small mini clocks into golf balls ? I am wanting to start doing a range of small clocks and really not sure what sort of varieties to do so if you have any ideas that you think I could do I would also be interested in hearing from you. I have purchased quite a range of clocks and themometers so I look forward to having some fun.

Thanks for your help

Ian
 
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jaywood1207

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I have done many before and your biggest challenge will be getting the hole exactly centred. You can either use your lathe with a chuck and jaws that won't mark the ball when you clamp down or a drill press. I chose the drill press. I use the hole in the drill press table to set the ball in then hold the ball with my hand and use a forstner bit going slowly. To centre the hole in the table, chuck up a forstner bit in your drill press the same size as the hole in the table. Once you get it so the bit is through the hole lock down the table and then drill away. If you put too much pressure on the ball while drilling or if your table has any little nicks in it you can still mark the ball so be careful.

I'm sure there are many other ways to do it but this was the simplest and easiest for me without making holding jigs.
 

papaturner

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I have done many before and your biggest challenge will be getting the hole exactly centred. You can either use your lathe with a chuck and jaws that won't mark the ball when you clamp down or a drill press. I chose the drill press. I use the hole in the drill press table to set the ball in then hold the ball with my hand and use a forstner bit going slowly. To centre the hole in the table, chuck up a forstner bit in your drill press the same size as the hole in the table. Once you get it so the bit is through the hole lock down the table and then drill away. If you put too much pressure on the ball while drilling or if your table has any little nicks in it you can still mark the ball so be careful.

I'm sure there are many other ways to do it but this was the simplest and easiest for me without making holding jigs.

Jamie`s way is very good. But I would add one caution make sure that you only drill solid balls if you drill a wound ball it is subject to explode. This could be bad.:eek:
 

sbell111

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Franklin, TN
I have done many before and your biggest challenge will be getting the hole exactly centred. You can either use your lathe with a chuck and jaws that won't mark the ball when you clamp down or a drill press. I chose the drill press. I use the hole in the drill press table to set the ball in then hold the ball with my hand and use a forstner bit going slowly. To centre the hole in the table, chuck up a forstner bit in your drill press the same size as the hole in the table. Once you get it so the bit is through the hole lock down the table and then drill away. If you put too much pressure on the ball while drilling or if your table has any little nicks in it you can still mark the ball so be careful.

I'm sure there are many other ways to do it but this was the simplest and easiest for me without making holding jigs.
I use the drill press, also, but I would not hold the ball in my hand. I use a vise with softjaws to hold the ball.

Jamie`s way is very good. But I would add one caution make sure that you only drill solid balls if you drill a wound ball it is subject to explode. This could be bad.:eek:
I've drilled tons of balls. While solid balls are the ones that are usable, I have occasionally drilled wound balls. Nothing happened except they got a (raggedy) hole in them. Some are full of a non-toxic liquid. Drilling those will make a mess, obviously, but that's all.
 

walshjp17

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I've drilled tons of balls. While solid balls are the ones that are usable, I have occasionally drilled wound balls. Nothing happened except they got a (raggedy) hole in them. Some are full of a non-toxic liquid. Drilling those will make a mess, obviously, but that's all.

Do you have any brand names you'd be willing to share as to which are better to drill than others?
 

sbell111

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I've drilled tons of balls. While solid balls are the ones that are usable, I have occasionally drilled wound balls. Nothing happened except they got a (raggedy) hole in them. Some are full of a non-toxic liquid. Drilling those will make a mess, obviously, but that's all.

Do you have any brand names you'd be willing to share as to which are better to drill than others?
Other than Titleists tending to have liquid cores, I don't have a list to offer.
 

SteveG

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I understand that if you drink the liquid from Titleists, your drive will increase by 20 yards, and your score drop by 3. UMMV :eek::eek:

I am not a golfer, just passing along what might be useful info. I'll stick with Wheaties. :rolleyes:
 

sbell111

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When I was srilling tons of balls, I would get mine either in the woods adjacent to the local golf course, from WalMart or a local 'big box' sporting goods store (washed and packaged used balls) or off ebay.

Used balls worked best for my use. For other uses, new balls would be needed. I would probably limit myself to WalMart for those.
 

KenV

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I understand that if you drink the liquid from Titleists, your drive will increase by 20 yards, and your score drop by 3. UMMV :eek::eek:

I am not a golfer, just passing along what might be useful info. I'll stick with Wheaties. :rolleyes:


Sounds good -- but the filling is salt water (cheap and effective) and other than being messy and needing careful cleanup (salt tends to foster corrosion) not a big deal.

I generally avoid them -

Golf balls make good handles on lots of things including key rings, such.
 

KenV

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Juneau, Alaska.
This is good info. I thought the golf balls with rubberbands would be hard to drill through.


Not especially difficult -- just leave a bit ragged inside hole.

There are a lot of "urban legends" about what is inside a golf ball. Most of the stories are just that -- storied.

Epoxy works in all the ones I have used (a good sized bag)
 
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