thatCharlieDude Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 Has anybody tried turning golf balls? Not blocks of wood into something that looks like golf balls but putting an actually golf ball on the lathe? My son and I went to a presentation last night by a young lady (probably in her 60s) who turns 75 cent golf balls into $20 ring boxes. I've search google but I didn't find lots of results for this type of turning. I ordered 24 balls and once they arrive I'll turn a few and post pics for the group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 I have cut several in two mowing the college green space... They are thin skin over a dense core that I cannot imagine will turn well. They are relatively soft plastic covering something like urethane. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted August 7, 2018 Report Share Posted August 7, 2018 I was at the "Turn-On! Chicago" meeting this last weekend and someone was turning golf balls. I regret that I was not paying that much attention to this particular presentation, but I do recall his cautioning that some balls have a liquid core. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 I’ve turned several into water balls. Keep us posted Charlie. If you buy Nike and leave the emblem on your ring boxes, you could sell the heck out of them to Tiger. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatCharlieDude Posted August 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 3 hours ago, Tpt life said: I have cut several in two mowing the college green space... They are thin skin over a dense core that I cannot imagine will turn well. They are relatively soft plastic covering something like urethane. Watching the demo last night, the interior rubber compound turned like green wood. As a kid I remember golf balls having a rubber band like interior but according to the presenter balls today don't, they are solid. The cavity she hollowed out was just big enough for two rings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatCharlieDude Posted August 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 2 hours ago, Mark J said: I was at the "Turn-On! Chicago" meeting this last weekend and someone was turning golf balls. I regret that I was not paying that much attention to this particular presentation, but I do recall his cautioning that some balls have a liquid core. The presenter warned us about liquid cores but in this case the liquid came from used balls that have been submerged in a pond or two. I guess they're porous enough to allow lake water in. She said it smelled awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bankstick Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 They are either solid core like Topflite or rubber band wound like the Titlelist balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom King Posted August 8, 2018 Report Share Posted August 8, 2018 The construction varies a lot, not only between manufacturers, but different models made by the same manufacturer. Talking about cutting balls with a mower, I had one of our pastures we weren't using set up as a practice range. We had a ball picker that was pulled behind a riding lawn mower. A local guy, who we will politely say is not carrying a full load, thinks that cutting grass on a riding mower is the best job ever (remember Forrest Gump?), so I keep him busy cutting grass. I'd send him out to pick up the balls too. It all went fine, until one day he decided he'd save time, and pick up balls at the same time that he cut the grass. It might have worked a little better if the picker wasn't pulled behind the mower. Golfballs.com is a good source for cheap balls, if you find a model that works like you want it to for turning. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatCharlieDude Posted August 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2018 I found some balls today and was able to hollow out a couple. Next step is to turn a few lids to make them into ring boxes. Tom: Thanks for the suggestion. I'll check there! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted August 9, 2018 Report Share Posted August 9, 2018 And I guess a tee for a lid handle? Pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatCharlieDude Posted August 9, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2018 I had 5 minutes this morning so I turned a couple of hats (lids) from poplar and started staining them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted August 13, 2018 Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 Is the inside color what you got or did you do something to it? You flattened the bottom? Pretty cool. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Staehling Posted August 13, 2018 Report Share Posted August 13, 2018 Do you have a picture of how you chucked them? Just curious... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatCharlieDude Posted August 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2018 On 8/12/2018 at 9:38 PM, K Cooper said: Is the inside color what you got or did you do something to it? You flattened the bottom? Pretty cool. No, I didn't color them. Different manufactures use different colored materials. It's fun drilling into a new one and discovering the color. I did flatten them. Just a little turning with a carbine chisel flattens them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatCharlieDude Posted August 18, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2018 On 8/13/2018 at 9:45 AM, Pete Staehling said: Do you have a picture of how you chucked them? Just curious... I have a large pen chuck that will hold them. The presenter made a custom chuck out of MDF with a hole just big enough for the golf ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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