Looking to get long thin hole drilled through bowling ball in Sydney NSW

[robobowl]

Hello,
I wonder if anyone can direct me to someone who is able to drill a long thin hole straight through the centre of a bowling ball (as tiny a diameter as possible down to 1mm. I need this done to install the bowling ball in a sculptural piece I am producing,
Thanks Rob (Sydney NSW)

 

[jason_doust]

You're not going to be able to find a drill bit that thin and that long easily. The smallest I could do is 1/2", taken from each side. Perhaps an engineering shop can provide an alternate technology like a water jet cutter? (Might not make the cleanest entry though.)

Good luck.
Jason

 

[mongoliantreesloth]

Could you do as Jason suggested then have the ball plugged around whatever it is that you wanted through the middle?

 

[jason_doust]

Good thinking Fred!

 

[robobowl]

Thanks for the great advice..if I was to get the half-inch hole then have it plugged - excuse my ignorance but how would the plug work ie. could it be like a tube that I could pass the fine wire through and remove as needed (this is what I need to do) or would I need to seal the wire inside with the plug?
Thanks rob

 

[safadao]

Assuming that you miss the weight block, the drilling I would think would not be very hard going. A sharp edge on a bit of mild steel (something rigid) might get you there.

Depends on the ball a little i guess. A red hot length of wire might do it. Actually, i have no idea if bowling balls are flammable.

If you could direct the path of some thermite, you might be able to melt a hole through it. I doubt very much that it would give you what you wanted, but i'd love to see the result.

Water jet i would think would be the cleanest/easiest method

 

[robobowl]

Thanks again..does the weight block (is this the same as core?) mean that the hole could never go straight through centre?

 

[safadao]

Yeah, the core of the ball. It will depends on the ball what it made of and where it is.

if you drill or water jet i assume you could get through the centre.

 

[jason_doust]

Thanks again..does the weight block (is this the same as core?) mean that the hole could never go straight through centre?

I could get you a ½" bore through the centre of nearly any core. As long as it's not ceramic. (Like an old Cuda-C or Critical Mass) I can then plug the piece of plastic tube in place with a bit of fiddling.

Shouldn't be too hard, but would take a couple of days as I'd need to use some sort of filler in the middle like expanding foam, pour the plug in one end, let it cure, cut it back, then pour the other end.

The ball would never be good for competition play unless the foreign objects were drilled back out and it ws re-plugged.

Trouble is, I'm in Canberra.

How heavy is the ball, btw?

 

[robobowl]

Hi Jason..thanks for all that and the offer of taking on the job..Canberra is probably an issue timewise as need to get a solution by next Thursday. Thanks anyway. The ball is a heavy 15-16lb old ball the bowling alley gave me - the brand is Columbia - not sure of model - perhaps "300" - ball is not nearby at the moment. Doesn't matter if playable again. Perhaps there is another solution as I really just need to hang the ball by one single filament line with no distracting surface disruption where the line attaches..that's what got me thinking of passing the line right through the ball..but perhaps a plug that only went on an inch or so in with a set-in black topped screw down within it could grasp the filament?

 

[RobbieB]

OK.

1/8" drill bit & good vacuum cleaner, drill into ball @ 45 degrees about an inch or so. Turn ball 180 degrees, drill 45 deg other direction into same hole. Saw the bit back & forth until you have an inverted 'V' shaped slot cut into the ball. Tie filament off onto middle of 1 inch piece of 1/8" steel rod, slide into hole, punch to bottom of 'V' slot. Fill with 5 minute araldite. Wait 2 hours, hang ball as desired.

 

[robobowl]

Thanks very much Robbie,
a nice solution.

 

[mongoliantreesloth]

Just been to Supercheap Autos. Whilst there I noticed a drill bit long enough to get right through a ball. It was a masonry bit though so I don't know how well that would work. It was approx 5mm in diameter so size-wise should suit your purpose.

Having seen that there is one long enough I suggest maybe a visit to your local Bunnings or Mitre 10.

 

[robobowl]

Thanks very much Fred, I will also check that idea out