Ball baking made easy (and cheap).

[swingset]

I've read an awful lot about ball rejuvenation, from the bath method to ovens to dishwashers, pros and cons and arguments for all of the methods.

I think the conventional wisdom is that 150 degree constant heat is what most pro shops and manufacturers seem to recommend, and the ovens in pro shops do just that.

I have some expertise in "sweating oil" because of a background in furniture restoration, where varying methods to baking out oils and finishes are approached with ovens or chemical/hygroscopic means.

Sweating a bowling ball seemed very straightforward to me, and one of the simplest wood "baking" ovens a person can assemble work on a very simple principle. Put your object in some duct work, and blow some heat in there. Vent for proper temperature, wait, wipe, repeat.

So, knowing this I tried to assemble the cheapest, simplest and most reliable ball oven I could so that others might benefit from it. Here's what I have and it works perfect.

Materials:
1 bucket or trash can, metal is preferable but plastic will work too as the temperatures are relatively low. Mainly you want to trap the blown heat around the ball, so anything in the shape of a bucket or box could work.

1 small electric heater. The kind you buy for an office or bedroom, typically very inexpensive. I think I paid $12 for mine on clearance years ago.

1 kitchen themometer. You can use just about any kind, if it has a range of 150 degrees....you can even use two to really control the entrance/back of the design.

1 towel or paper towels to soak up oil that drips off. Ball sits on this.

That's it! Observe:


Note, it can and will deliver a perfect 150 degrees:


So, how do you control the temp? Pretty easy. Put the heater on high, aiming into the bucket. When the temp gets to 150, move the heater a small way out of the mouth of the bucket until the temp stabilizes at 150. Might have to experiment at first, but that's all it takes. Viola.

You can measure the heat at any place in front or behind the ball to see if the temp is consistent, but I found it to be within a couple of degrees at the mouth or the back of the bucket, so it's good enough.

I baked the oil out of this Storm, took 3 sessions of 12-15 minutes in the oven until it stopped leeching oil.

After the last session, I wrapped the ball in some rags to catch any more that leeched out, then cleaned the surface with my patented super ball cleaner (citrus degreaser & 90% alcohol, mixed 50/50).

You can for sure let your pro-shop do this, but this works and works well...and won't foul your wife's oven or dishwasher. For marital harmony, and all that jazz.

[The Mayor]

Very cool, thanks for sharing! As long as you're careful with the temperature and make sure the hot air is constantly moving this should work great.

[bowl1820]

The only possible problem I see is that your ceramic heater is blowing directly on the ball. That side of the ball will heat faster than the far side and you'd have uneven heating of the ball. Which could possibly cause cracking.

I might would add a deflector of some type, to channel the heat to the sides or move the ball father back.

Another DIY is take a good size cardboard box, cut a hole near a upper corner and stick the end of a hair dryer in it. Put your ball in the box and close it and turn on the dryer.

[swingset]

The only possible problem I see is that your ceramic heater is blowing directly on the ball. That side of the ball will heat faster than the far side and you'd have uneven heating of the ball. Which could possibly cause cracking.

I thought about that, but the heater isn't cranking out a massive amount of heat, like a radiant heater might...and it's standing off the ball enough that by the time it hits it the air has dispersed pretty well. The air just blows around freely in the bucket, and seems to heat the front and back with equal effectiveness. When I first tested it I did so with an old plastic ball and moved the thermometer around in the front, back, top and bottom to see what kind of temperature discrepancies I might have, and it was negligible. If you were really worried about it, you could just reach in and spin the ball every couple minutes.

I suppose it's important tho, and you make a good point there, to clarify that the heat source should be one that works off of an element and a fan, not a radiant source. That's why your method of a hair dryer would work equally well and for the same reasons.

[striker12]

well this is a good idea and bowl1820 had a good idea too but the thing i did was way different i madea metal ball huge soo i can stick my hands in it to grab my ball i put some holder type things right in the middle of the huge metal ball with a far amount of openen on the top.

had my heater witch only went to 125 degrees which is why i kept it close and used metal soo it will create more heat from the metal got it to 140 degrees soo i has to make the time longer of 25 minutes per spin and i did each side 2 times to make sure its all out but after the first time all the way around turn it off to let the ball cool down abit.

but with the way i made it heat gose in at the bottome circles around the whole ball and gets it to a far heat the only part whih gets msot heat is the bottom cause of the metal heating up which is why i made it half way up soo it reduces the heat abit and prevents cracking works goo and a thing that is good to do is make alittle metal cup on the bottom for the oil to fall into.

soo if you think of it heat gose in circles around the hole thing then comes out the top which thats why it makes it abit longer also it only going up to 140 degrees

[DanielMareina]

If you really want to revitalize the ball, you should sand the ball down to 220 grit before using your heating process. That opens the pores up for the oil to easier escape the ball. I really like the idea though. I am going to try this myself.

[DaveAyotte]

I just throw them in my clothes dryer once a week. Loud - but works GREAT!

HAHAHAHAHAHA - JUST KIDDING!

[kev3inp]

I just throw them in my clothes dryer once a week. Loud - but works GREAT!

HAHAHAHAHAHA - JUST KIDDING!

You must be single. Nice hidden "just kidding." Bowl1820 made one with a food dehydrator and a 5 gal bucket. I put mine in a black plastic bag and leave it on the patio, periodically taking it out and wiping it off. But being in FL I can do that.

[Timmytomma]

Do you just put the ball in there, Dave, or do you wrap it in something?

[DaveAyotte]

Just the ball - right in. But don't forget the dryer sheet. A static-y bowling ball is no good.

and Kev - I am actually lucky enough to find the one woman that will put up with me and my crazy antics. Happily married for a year and a half.