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Redster · Joined: 03 Nov 2024 Posts: 59 Location: Lincs, UK

I'm willing to admit I might just be going utterly insane here, but I figure I'll ask...

Anyone heard of those heavy, rigid practice balls warping? I picked mine up last night to play with, and it was kind of... wibbly when I was rolling it. You know, how if you try and roll an egg, it's all wibbly and bumpy? It's kind of like that, though obviously not that extreme. I was kind of shattered last night, so put it down to me being really tired and needing to sleep. Played with my acrylic today, no problem, smooth as usual. Picked the up the practice ball tonight, same problem again.

I can't actually see anything wrong with it, it just feels off, ya know? I've had no problems with it before, but there's just something about it that's wibbly where it wasn't before that makes me feel it's not quite spherical. I honestly don't know if my brain is buggered or if the ball is.
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grateful juggler · Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2024 9:30 pm Post subject:

if it is a clear acrylic, and you could have left it in the sun, that could warp the ball. I had a 4" acrylic last year that i left in the sun shine, and it heated up so much that it slightly melted its self. I don't know if that is what happened to yours, but it is a possibility.

Colin · Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2024 9:50 pm Post subject:

I can image its possible to warp one. It would have to be something extreme , they are pretty sturdy.

Maybe it was just slightly off to begin width, playing with acrylic may just sensitized you to finally notice. Mine is pretty round. But not perfect.

:shrug:

*still wants a shrug smilie *hint
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Redster · Joined: 03 Nov 2024 Posts: 59 Location: Lincs, UK

grateful juggler: it's a plasticy/rubbery heavy stage ball. My acrylics live in bags in a drawer when not in use - I've read the horror stories and they made me paranoid.

colin: I'm starting to think you may be on to something there, mainly because despite the ball feeling weird, my practice session tonight was one of the best I've had. I just seemed a lot more controlled and coordinated than before. I had a couple of nights of little/no practice, so maybe the break gave my brain time to catch up with my muscles and something just clicked so now I'm able to notice it being off. Very odd. But yeah, it would have to be something extreme, and it's cold in this house, but not that cold.

Looks like it's probably my brain after all.
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Spazzle · Joined: 21 Oct 2024 Posts: 139 Location: Sunny UK

Theres something fishy bout the sphericity of one of my aqua 2.5s. Its just a niggling feeling that its a bit off even tho it rolls as nice as the others. Its a tad spooky.
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Look!_This_Chånges! · Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2024 5:25 pm Post subject:

fluctuations in temperature will change the shape of your ball.

If it's squashed for any period of time, it'll 'remember' the squashed shape.

with the lighter balls, sunlight warps them.
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Drew · Joined: 29 Jun 2024 Posts: 1024 Location: Bristol UK

Just a crazy idea, but there might be a chance that putting it in the freezer might help.
BUT that might be an old wives tale, or it might be the product of a deranged mind
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Drew · Joined: 29 Jun 2024 Posts: 1024 Location: Bristol UK

Just a crazy idea, but there might be a chance that putting it in the freezer might help.
BUT that might be an old wives tale, or it might be the product of a deranged mind
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Look!_This_Chånges! · Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2024 5:42 pm Post subject:

Also heard something about hot water returning them to their normal shape... again, might be an old wives tale too...

But then, it would make the air inside expand, and push outwards nice and evenly... so i guess it kinda makes sense.

Drew, I see you're gettting the debug message too... not just me then.
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Redster · Joined: 03 Nov 2024 Posts: 59 Location: Lincs, UK

Freezer?! In this weather, I might as well just stick it outside the back door.

This isn't a squishy ball, so the chances of it getting squashed would only be likely if an elephant sat on it. Though in seriousness, my balls are kept in a bag without anything squashing them down. Temperature, however, is another matter, because it really gets cold here. No central heating, so maybe the ball just doesn't like being cold. Might try the hot water thing and see if that does anything. Thanks muchly.
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Look!_This_Chånges! · Posted: Mon Dec 17, 2024 7:56 pm Post subject:

I made a dent in my head, by sitting a ball on top of it for ages.

Think about it.

if there's an acrylic on top of your ball over night, it'll change the shape of it. Contact Balls can be squished. I can squeeze mine in my hands, and feel it change shape.
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Redster · Joined: 03 Nov 2024 Posts: 59 Location: Lincs, UK

Heh, it's one of the rigid buggers - I can squish it a bit with my hands, but it takes a lot of pressure to do it. Though yeah, an acrylic living on top of it wouldn't do its spherical integrity any good. As it is, my practice ball and stage balls sit on top of the acrylics (which are in bags), so they've not got pressure bearing down on them for above. Though I guess gravity could have an effect, though not sure how much of an effect in this instance. Might be an interesting experiment.
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Spehar · Joined: 13 Dec 2024 Posts: 118

LTC, probably you read one of my entries about hot water returning balls to spheroid. It's true for 100mm Mr B.s. I've done it to 3 of them. One of which had a huge flat spot from being crushed in a case for a while. Boil some water, stick you 100mm Mr. B in a big bowl and slowly pour the water over the ball. Spin it and such as it floats on the water in the bowl, all the while pouring more over it. I then let it and the water cool together giving the ball some turning every now and then (seemed to make sense but who knows if it's necessary. You may just be able to yank it out).

Redster, It's really easy to find out if a ball is either out of balance or not spheroid. Toss it up in the air and give it a good spin by snapping you thumb and middle finger together as you release. It'll show some wobble in the air if it's out of whack. You can also spin it on a surface if the ball isn't too sticky.

Drew. I reckon the freezer idea is in fact the product of a deranged mind.

Spehar · Joined: 13 Dec 2024 Posts: 118

Bah! Dern double post! Make-a me crazy.

StreetMage · Joined: 12 Dec 2024 Posts: 23 Location: Staunton, VA

I've heard the best way by far to deal with a warped ball/scratched/tarnished is found in the vast Congo rainforest. What you must do is camp on the edge of it for three days with a fire going at all times. On the third day, scatter salt about the camp, and in a few minutes a small tribe of gorillas will appear. Hand them the warped ball, then camp for three more days, again with a fire going at all times. On the third day, scatter salt around the camp and roast six chickens; one for each gorilla, except for the last, who is the immortal gorilla sage and consumes only spirit energy and starlight. Once they have received the chickens, they will return your ball, which will now be perfectly round and without a scratch. Ignore the smell. It will pass.
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