Hi my dear friends! These days I wanted to buy a few foam plastic balls in the shop for creativity to show you a few nice ideas of what can be made with such balls. I was very surprised by the price of one ball, because a medium ball of a fist size costs 3-4 dollars. I think that it’s too high price as for a small foam plastic ball. So let’s try to make a hand made ball of a bigger size.

In order to make a foam plastic ball we need stationary knife, emery paper, polypropylene pipe. The diameter of the ball will depend on the pipe’s diameter. The bigger its diameter is – the bigger ball we will get. Then, we need a borer with a cutting disk. It’s not a problem, if you have got no borer, it may be substituted with a hacksaw. Also, we need foam plastic, which you may take from old packages, as it’s often used as the sealer. For instance, you may buy a foam plastic sheet of any size and density in a tool store. If you have got a thin foam plastic sheet, you may stick together a few sheets with a hot-melt glue, like a sandwich.

First, we have to cut a polypropylene pipe. I’m going to draw the contour with marker for you to see how I cut it. We need to cut out the upper part with borer. We don’t need a top part any more.

Then, stick an emery paper in this semicircle.

Well guys, a lathe for foam plastic balls is ready. Let’s try to make one ball. Put the lathe on foam plastic, draw the line around.

Then, cut two circles with stationary knife. Stick these pieces together. Now we can start forming foam plastic. Polish foam plastic this way: move it to the left and to the right, turn it a bit, and do the same till this side becomes flawless.

Then, turn foam plastic this way: to the left and to the right, turn it a bit, and do it again. That’s all, guys. Foam plastic ball is ready.

It took approximately half an hour to make it. Thanks a lot for your attention. Bye-bye everyone.

Do you know?
The main compound of foam polystyrene is monomer styrene, which is present in many food products, including strawberry, nuts and green beans.