65GTMustang
Member
Hello All,
My son is playing baseball this season and I had the idea of turning a wooden baseball with pyro marks for the lacings, then having each of the boys on the team sign the ball. I would then make a wooden base with a place for the ball to rest along with a holder for a pen. Most likely a cigar style twist pen using the teams colors. They are the Pirates - so that would be yellow and black. To keep everything in the "wood" theme I was going to use a piece of Boxelder or maple burl that has been stabilized and colored yellow.
I have already gone through about 24 inches of curly maple that is 3 X 3 square trying to get the right size for the sphere and each one keeps coming up a little small. My next thought is to use a large stock of wood since the 3 X 3 stock piece is right at the size of a baseball, which does not leave any room for a wrong cut.
I have a "jig" that helps me turn balls or spheres when I am doing round hollow forms to pierce and carve, it makes it a little easier but I usually get the basic shape started and finish with hand tools.
Does anyone have any idea where I could simply purchase wooden baseballs?
If I can't turn one myself, or buy a couple at a decent price then I will probably take the easy way out and make a nice turned stand to hold a real baseball that the team can sign and make a nice desk set with a pen.
Any ideas????
The more the better
Thank you in advance for your ideas, suggestions and comments.
My son is playing baseball this season and I had the idea of turning a wooden baseball with pyro marks for the lacings, then having each of the boys on the team sign the ball. I would then make a wooden base with a place for the ball to rest along with a holder for a pen. Most likely a cigar style twist pen using the teams colors. They are the Pirates - so that would be yellow and black. To keep everything in the "wood" theme I was going to use a piece of Boxelder or maple burl that has been stabilized and colored yellow.
I have already gone through about 24 inches of curly maple that is 3 X 3 square trying to get the right size for the sphere and each one keeps coming up a little small. My next thought is to use a large stock of wood since the 3 X 3 stock piece is right at the size of a baseball, which does not leave any room for a wrong cut.
I have a "jig" that helps me turn balls or spheres when I am doing round hollow forms to pierce and carve, it makes it a little easier but I usually get the basic shape started and finish with hand tools.
Does anyone have any idea where I could simply purchase wooden baseballs?
If I can't turn one myself, or buy a couple at a decent price then I will probably take the easy way out and make a nice turned stand to hold a real baseball that the team can sign and make a nice desk set with a pen.
Any ideas????
The more the better
Thank you in advance for your ideas, suggestions and comments.
