Drilling hole in Pool Ball or Golf Ball??

[BKS]

 I bought some of the Lee case cutters and want to mount them in a ball (like the factory ones) anybody ever drilled a hole in a pool ball or golf ball? 
 
 I'm sure I will have to have a drill press but any other tips are appreciated.
 

[Cornbelt]

You might do it w/a ping pong ball and fill it w/acraglass or JB Weld.

[PowPow]

Haven't performed an autopsy on a golf since I was 9, but I would not drill into one if they are the same.
vinyl skin, layer of rubber band, rubber core with some gooey stuff in it, like mock orange sap.
the rubber bands will fight the bit.

[Bugflipper]

I have seen wooden balls at craft stores and lowes. They would probably be easier to drill. To make gear shifter knobs I use a drill press. Use a hammer and punch to get a pilot hole. Put a rag in the vise and tighten the ball up. Then get a couple of clamps to hold the ball on either side of the drill bit. So far it has worked. I imagine trying to hold the ball with your hands may get you bit by the drill.

[charles p]

Try using a range ball or a Pinnacle brand.  They used to be solid.  Something from a put put would be solid I think.

[tacklebury]

Wood definitely:  At $1.80 each, pretty cheap.  Think shipping will cost you more:
 
http://www.caseyswood.com/shoppingcart/zen-cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=159_157&products_id=501&zenid=sp69n9agiiadmq0nj9ov5ugb40
 
Course might check local craft/hobby stores, might have it also. 

[bilmac]

Our local hobby lobby has wooden balls in various sizes. You might also find wooden eggs or something else that would work.

[no guns here]

Brass balls would be good too...
 
 
I HAD to go there.  Sorry.  Anyway, really a solid brass ball would make it cool too.
 
 
NGH

[bilmac]

Have you priced brass lately? Around here guys are buying NEW brass fitting at auctions and selling it as scrap and making money at it.

[SHOOTALL]

Brass never sells high as scrap here. Copper prices are going down also. I would think an old file or screw driver handle would work well with a hole drilled in them. Also a wood dowel or end of a shovel handle would work.
I put the cutter in a vise and the shell holder in a batt drill 

[tallyho]

Came to this thread late, but here's my story. I acquired a bunch of used golf balls to use as targets. Here's what I did with a piece from an old/lost electric mixer to make a hand whisk. Just drilled a hole in the golf ball with a regular drill bit and stuck the beater thing in it. My wife thought it was a bit garish color wise. I s'pose I could have used a white ball to make it more kitchen appliance like, but whatever color, it works. I'm guessing it would be fine in a Lee trimmer... hmm... in fact I may just try that myself! Thanks for the idea BKS.

[bilmac]

You could always punch em with a 22. My bet is that a 22 wouldn't penetrate all the way.

Reminds me of a story. We were doing a LE qualification at our home base one year. The guys had put targets on Celotex backer boards and were planning to hang them on a wire. But they forgot to drill holes in the corners of the Celotex. Everybody was standing around waiting for someone to tell someone what to do when I had a bright idea, I was wearing a hole punch on my right hip. Everybody around me knew what was going on and everything was safe etc. so I just walked down the lone of targets punching holes in the targets,bang bang bang. But the firearms instructors were standing apart fom everybody else and were still debating what we should do. I guess I gave them a grey hair or two when they heard the gun start going off.

[geezerbiker]

Drilling a pool ball is easy.  I put one on the gear shift of my 49 Studebaker truck when I was a kid.

Tony

[ratdog]

i stick mine in my rechargeable drill. much easier.

[fishermaninjv]

i do know from experience that some times golfballs will blow when you drill through them i like to shoot them with a 22 that works great

[elkslayer4x5]

I've drilled and tapped a pool ball for use as a gear shift knob in my 46 Ford 1/2 ton. Hit it with a punch to get the hole started, and then used several drills to get the hole up to tap size. To hold the ball while drilling I used a a pair of 1 x 4's with a hole 3/4 the size of the pool ball, used a hole saw for that, clamped in a vise on the drill press, go slow while tapping.

[jhm]

Top Flight is another brand of golf ball that is solid without the rubber bands.   Jim