balls

[Keef]

Any ideas how to make wooden balls ?
I need to make quite a lot of about 1 or 2 inch diameter. How would a real factory turn out such a product, presumably not by hand?
I await your collective wisdom!
Keef

[Neo]

Keef,
I'm not a turner YET but I noticed something in one of the links on Template Tom's website. This may give you something to think about until the wood turning gurus give you the best info around.

Here's the link: http://www.jeanmichel.org/boules.htm

Here's a pic

[Keef]

Thanks Neo....I think that link is for the old Chinese balls again unfortunately. I don't really need Chinese balls! Just plain ones.

[Taffy]

Tried sawdust on your cornflakes???:D

[Jim Carroll]

Give Timbecon in WA a call they sell them cheaper than you can make them. The other way is labour intensive even with all the jigs.

[Keef]

Thanks Jim but I need to make em myself out of various timbers and also I am now curious to know what sort of process would be used for industrial production of such products. Searches on internet have come up blank thus far.
Any ideas?
Keef

[rsser]

I seem to recall some material on this on the US site World of Woodturners (but don't bank on my grey matter).

This is a membership site; if you can't get access let me know.

And have you tried a google search on newsgroups?

Ern

[Gino]

We had Giulio Marcolongo come and visit our club room for a demo and if I remember correctly he roughed out the ball useing a chisel but then used a cutoff piece of pipe (preferably stainless steal) and applied the end of the pipe to the ball and made it perfectly round.
He then parted the ball off from the rest of the wood with a chisel.

I hope this helps.

regards

Gino

[Keef]

Thanks ern..followed your advice google-groups.....bingo ....how to make em is explained!
Thanks to all involved and I shall keep up the sawdust on my wheaties.
Keef

[mikmaz1]

hi keef,
so are you going to let us know?please.
seeyasoon mik.

[Keef]

OK Mick here tis

This is the full quote from FWW's Proven Shop Tips (p.102):

Making little wooden balls

Faced with having to reproduce a number of 1/2-inch diameter
wooden balls (to replace missing ornamentation on an old
fireplace), I discovered a virtually painless procedure using a
large belt sander. Build a box frame, open on the bottom, and
clamp it to the stationary part of the sander so it sits just off the
belt. For 1/2-inch diameter balls, cut 1/2-inch cubes and toss them in
the box frame. Put a cover on the box (Plexiglass is best) and turn on
the sander. The sanding belt will throw the cubes around in the frame
like dice on a game table, knocking off their corners and edges until
they are perfect spheres.

Sounds good to me, I am nearly ready to try it out!...Keef

[mikmaz1]

ta keef
ill try tomorrow and let you know how i get on!
seeyasoon mik.

[mikmaz1]

hi all,
tried it but havent finished them yet,(to busy out of the shed today). had to first make a jig for the belt sander to sit upsidedown! put some 25mm rainbow camphor blocks in and they are going to take a while. not to sure whether it will be quicker to put 2 or 8 in at the same time? let you know the next time im here.
seeyasoon mik.
p.s. its easier if you radius the edges.

[neilkearns1]

Bruce Leadbeatter in Sydney makes a Ball Turner
Try this link to his site.
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~kjeeves/leady/leady1.html