Bowling Ball Pen Blanks

[oranmorgan]

Any suggestions on the best way to harvest pen blanks from a bowling ball? The fancy colors are only about 1/2" of the outer cover of the ball. So, I will only get (if I'm lucky) 3/4 x 3/4 half blanks after I consider the curvature of the ball and the thickness of the cover material. I'm planning on making a sled to hold the ball while I saw it on my bandsaw. Any comments and suggestions are welcome.

--Rusty

 

[THarvey]

Take a look at Alice's tutoral in the library. It includes suggestions for straightening blanks.

http://content.penturners.org/articles/2005/cuttingbowlingballs.pdf

 

[its_virgil]

There was a tutorial in the library at one time. I've done one and will not do another. It's a lot of work, dusty, and dangerous for the end product. Fun...yes, just to say I've done it. Bowling ball blanks are available...or they once were. Have fun. Be safe. I think bruce119 has some experience with cutting bowling balls into blanks. Hey Bruce, give oranmorgan some advice and pointers.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Any suggestions on the best way to harvest pen blanks from a bowling ball? The fancy colors are only about 1/2" of the outer cover of the ball. So, I will only get (if I'm lucky) 3/4 x 3/4 half blanks after I consider the curvature of the ball and the thickness of the cover material. I'm planning on making a sled to hold the ball while I saw it on my bandsaw. Any comments and suggestions are welcome.

--Rusty

 

[Paul in OKC]

I have done them as well. But I hae the advantage of being able to cut them in half first at work in a saw that I can clamp it in place. Once sawn in half the band saw works well. I saw the inner stuff off, and then wrap in foil and put in an oven (old toaster from a thrift shop) at about 200 degrees for about 15 minutes. Then straight to a vise or something to easily press flat, and let cool. Not all balls will work, some material cracks when straightening.

 

[bruce119]

Have fun. Be safe. I think bruce119 has some experience with cutting bowling balls into blanks. Hey Bruce, give oranmorgan some advice and pointers.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Buy lots of saw blades

Chop saw, band saw, scroll saw, and about 4-5 days. Oh don't' forget your haz-mat suite and respirator. It's FUN

The oven works on some not all. Best thing I would say to do is cut the balls up get your outer layer and think segmented. Cut them into smaller 3/4" +/- and glue them together you can get a nice colorful pen. Don't forget to paint your tube and inside of the drilled hole. Most all are transparent.

6 or 7 different balls glued together / other pen is and old fishing rod handle

the bottom pictures are about 15 balls chopped up and cast in ploy resin

Have Fun
Bruce

 

[Robert Taylor]

bowling ball blanks

i'm kinda glad to see this come up. just yesterday i drilled and glued a tube in a BB blank that i got from Bruce119. did a wall street last summer and it came out great. i gave it to my nephew to celebrate his ninth 300 game. gonna get another turned today or tomorrow for stock/fall craft shows. the first one that i did is the bottom pen in the pic.

 

[workinforwood]

I cut up two balls last year. WOW...what a mess. You couldn't see or breath in the shop and the blades where completely trashed. One of the balls had a ceramic ball inside the center which you can not cut through, it just sparks and destroys your blade if you have one of those, so I suggest cutting off center. The ceramic ball was about the size of a hardball. I used older balls, which are much thicker skinned than the newer ones, so I had some blanks big enough to make stoppers with, but it was not worth it in the end. I won't do it again unless someone offers me access to a water jet laser thingy like the GM uses to cut their frames.