Need a sphere. please help

[Cheesemoo]

My wife teaches drawing at the local college and she needs a sphere that she can paint matte white for a still life setup. She tried spray painting a 24" diameter bouncy ball, but the paint reacted with the plastic and would not dry. It just became sticky. We need an idea for a smooth 12 to 24" sphere that we can paint white. And fairly cheap too. Styrofoam won't work due to the texture and cost. We are thinking of papier-mâché on the bouncy ball. Any suggestions?

Edit: to clarify on the previous attempt to paint the bouncy ball, she used a spray paint that was meant for all plastics. (Krylon Fusion, which did not work)

 

[deadlyapp]

find a cheap globe?

edit: lol nevermind cheap globes don't exist.

 

[BoomerD]

http://www.wholesalefloral.com/Floral_Spray_Paint_and_Dyes_s/44.htm

Floral paint SHOULD be safe with plastics like the bouncy ball.

 

[Cheesemoo]

Awesome, I am going to look into the floral paint. And we thought of using and old globe we have but they aren't smooth either, darn you Mount Everest.

 

[clamum]

Beach ball?

 

[IronWing]

Make your own.

 

[Cheesemoo]

Make your own.

that was awesome. I guess I could try and tie that into my blacksmithing somehow.

 

[DrPizza]

An old globe. Or, use the bouncy ball - AND use the right type of paint. There are special spray paints for plastic.

 

[Jeff7]

Here we go. Geocities from 1998 has some.

An old globe. Or, use the bouncy ball - AND use the right type of paint. There are special spray paints for plastic.

Definitely.
I've used Krylon Fusion already, and it does a decent job, at least on ABS. Its product page says that it bonds to PVC, so it might work with the bouncy ball.

Some plastics won't take anything though. Polypropylene is just short of Teflon on the "nothing will stick to it" scale, except for special adhesives that are specifically designed to adhere to low-surface-energy substrates.


Other: The bouncy ball, then coat it with heavy varnish? It may or may not react with the vinyl in the ball, but it might be something to try.

 

[Cheesemoo]

Here we go. Geocities from 1998 has some.



Definitely.
I've used Krylon Fusion already, and it does a decent job, at least on ABS. Its product page says that it bonds to PVC, so it might work with the bouncy ball.

Some plastics won't take anything though. Polypropylene is just short of Teflon on the "nothing will stick to it" scale, except for special adhesives that are specifically designed to adhere to low-surface-energy substrates.


Other: The bouncy ball, then coat it with heavy varnish? It may or may not react with the vinyl in the ball, but it might be something to try.

Kylon Fusion is what we used. Still not dry. Made a mess. And that website truly is a 98 geocities site. I laughed when I clicked.

 

[Chaotic42]

Here we go. Geocities from 1998 has some.

Go Weblord!

 

[Jeff7]

Kylon Fusion is what we used. Still not dry. Made a mess. And that website truly is a 98 geocities site. I laughed when I clicked.

Hm...I guess the plasticizers in the vinyl meant to keep it flexible are acting on the Krylon spray.

Checking.....a suggestion I found for painting shower curtains says to use a latex-based paint. I think the two materials (shower curtain and bouncy ball) should be somewhat similar, likely both some manner of flexible vinyl.

Go Weblord!

Damn straight.


I think....

 

[phucheneh]

beach ball + paper mache + bondo + sanding.

no one said having giant smooth balls would be easy, chief.

 

[Sluggo]

I would use the styrofoam ball ball and smooth it out with drywall compound. Dries quickly, and easy to sand and paint.

Really dusty, but you can sand it outside.

 

[coldmeat]

I'm pretty sure they sell balls like this at craft stores.

 

[Raizinman]

balloon.

 

[Soccerman06]

bowling ball?

 

[DrPizza]

Hah! I have a different idea: beach ball - fill with great stuff foam. Then, remove the vinyl from the beach ball (if the vinyl proves to be unpaintable.) I'd think that the porous foam remaining would be able to hold drywall compound fairly well. So, coat it & sand it, then prime it.

 

[edro]

Here we go. Geocities from 1998 has some.

No animated gifs? I am disappoint.

 

[edro]

Just try a different spray paint.

 

[xanis]

http://www.save-on-crafts.com/styrofoamballs.html

paint should adhere to these.

 

[Jeff7]

No animated gifs? I am disappoint.

You have to go to the main page for that.



And check out the "animated" browser title block as well.