This blog post is a bit different to what I typically write...
It's going to be on just ONE particular topic (Titanium Balls).
But, before we dive in...
I do have some Sliders and Pens available at the very bottom of this post if you scroll down.
(Small) Titanium Ball
What started as a "quick, fun weekend project" ...has become a semi-fully-blown obsession.
It started with this:
I made a fairly crude screw-together titanium ball.
Weirdly, I never planned to screw it together - it was an afterthought (which is why it's so rough-looking).
Now, this is where things get weird...
Although this ball was just an experiment -- I really wasn't sure where I was going with it -- it really does seem to be a rock-solid product in and of itself (with a couple of more prototypes, better finishing, etc.).
It has a thin wall (around 0.8mm) ...and the size is small enough that it can fit in your pocket. It's hollow and weighs just 8 grams.
Here's the wild thing though - take a look at this video:
It bounces.
I had an inkling it would bounce - I just didn't expect it to bounce so well.
Now, don't get me wrong, it's not quite a rubber bouncy ball ...but it's pretty good.
The down-side to this design is, of course, the screw areas. If the ball lands on one of these - it usually goes off in slightly random direction.
Where now with this?
For this ball I'm not totally sure - because I moved onto something bigger (literally)...
(Bigger) Titanium Ball
Obviously, after making this initial smaller ball, a larger ball was what I wanted to experiment with.
Again, super-thin wall thickness (still around 0.8mm ...but I think I actually took it down to 0.6mm if I recall).
No screws on the outside this time.
Instead I experimented with screws acting as "pins" - and so the screw-heads on one half-sphere press-fitted into the other half-sphere.
The concept is good (I think) - but this first prototype fell a little short and didn't quite hold together how I had hoped. But, a couple of tweaks should sort this.
This one doesn't bounce - but I think it could be made to. When bouncing I think the energy needs to be absorbed by the entire sphere and then released. Because I press-fitted these two halves together (and not very well as it was the first prototype) it doesn't act like a one-piece sphere.
BUT, in saying that, it is incredibly light and just feels good to play around with. It weighs just 33 grams.
Again, even though this was another experiment, there is definitely something here in terms of being some sort of standalone fidgety-type design.
Titanium Balls - Part 2 (Coming Soon...)
I'm working on a third ball right now (and you really probably want to see this one!)
I plan to post about this one in the next day or so - so keep an eye on your emails.
"Sneaky Preview" of next Titanium Ball (very different to the last two!)...
9 comments
I WILL BE DISAPPOINTED IF THERE ISN’T A DEATH STAR BALL IN THE FUTURE!
I love the ball idea! For years I kept a ~75mm dia. carbide (very heavy) bearing on my desk as a fidget-great toy haha
I am still trying to get an Atom! Please don’t move on to balls without a solid run of Atoms. I have missed by seconds three times trying to buy one, and never had more competition for something you made before!
Titanium balls remind me if the Invixiball made by Degrees of Freedom. I had one recently. Maybe check them out.
I’ll echo Austin’s comment about the Invixiball. I just got the v1.1 last week too! It bounces quite well on concrete floors. Magnus’ design is clearly very different but I think the concept has merit cuz I’ve been having a lot of fun with the Invixiball… it’s a great desk piece. Holding & bouncing such a lightweight metal ball is an oddly fun sensation.
I was experimenting with 3D printing an also CNC-ing two halves of a ball, to be able to put a smaller steel ball inside. This is a fidget toy you could make… a light hollow big ball with a small heavy ball inside behaves cool in hand.
Makes me think of the Invixiball
https://enjoydof.com/products/v1-vixiv-incrediball-30-mm-titanium-lattice-toy
I would probably be into comparing the two as I recently got my hands on a v1.1 of these. Totally different manufacturing process but I’m interested in a machined bouncy ball too now
Magic Beans are still the best fidget of all time!
I’d love to see the Scalper come back!