1,000 rpm hurricane balls for less than $7

this instructable has been entered into the gorilla glue make it stick contest so please vote!!

i have always been fascinated with air power and movement so when i heard about hurricane balls i was very fascinated cyclone balls are basically 2 spheres welded together so i did a little research and found that they were extremely  over priced (in my humble opinion) at approximately $38.48 online i was shocked i knew i could do better much better and so the quest for the epoxy began

Step 1: Parts list

the parts you will need are all easily accessible and are hopefully household items so here is what you will need....

1. your best most durable high strength adhesive
2. 2 ball bearings, marbles, anything spherical and hard will work
3. clamp

 

Comments

[Dreistein]

what is the point of this and by the way fritz is my dads name

[arpruss]

I just made a pair by using a 46-grit aluminum oxide cylindrical abrasive point (less than $0.30 from Amazon, with free prime or $25-order shipping) in my drill press to make a 3/16" flat area on the balls, and then just using a drop of super glue (cyanoacrylate). Unfortunately, the balls slipped in the home-made drill-press vise, so they got a scratch from the point. I may end up buffing them. While the super glue set as quickly as it's supposed to, I'd like it to cure for two hours before I try it at full speed.

[arpruss]

It might be a good idea to file a small flat on each ball, to increase contact area for the glue.

I'm trying with Shoe Goo. (The one epoxy I have is JB Weld, and in my experience that won't work well with a small contact area and smooth surfaces.)

[fidgety2]

my sincerest apologies concerning the delay in my response willabeast fortunately i have a solution for you. all you must do is spin the two marbles like a coin and THEN blow to one side take care not to blow dead center since this will accomplish nothing and produce no interesting results.
please give me a update


thank you
fidgety 2

[willabeast]

mine didn't work. i firmly glued two clear marbles together and blew through a straw but it didn't work any help?

[karossii]

I agree that they're overpriced; yet when you consider they're coming with 3 laser pointers, which each sell for $5 to $10 (to the public who doesn't know better), the $30 price tag seems more reasonable.

[ac1D]

it dont come with laser, it come with led, worth less than $0.25 each.
The ball are worth almost nothing too, you can get 100 for less than $4.00
This product should not cost more than a dollar, or two if the package is well.

[karossii]

laser pointers, led flashlights - regardless of the actual value to us, the makers, to the general public they retail for $5 to $10. As we know we can get the supplies for a small fraction of this cost, we're disillusioned as to the actual 'value' . . . but that doesn't change the fact that the general populace sees nothing wrong paying $5 to $10 each for the leds, and so it makes the price a decent 'value' for them. We'll just make our own - that's what we do anyway, right?

[ac1D]

flashlight retail at a dollar each almost everywhere..

Look:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3433
5 flashlights, for $4.25
and..
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.13502
10 balls for $2.97
And, you can get more cheaper.
The guy who make these in bulk will pay about $0.25 for the flashlight and $0.05 for the balls, if not less.

Lol, I hope everyone would know about instructables and other diy site.

[karossii]

You're "preaching to the choir" - I know where to go for deals like that, and I would never pay $5 to $10 for an led flashlight... but somewhere between 75% and 90% of the public aren't aware, don't care to take time to become aware, or just don't care about finding deals like that. So they pick up an led flashlight at a local computer store, walmart, grocery store, etc.; and they do pay $5 to $10 for it...

Just like they won't care to take time to make their own hurricane balls, and will order that set for $30 instead of spending $5 and 10 minutes to make their own.

[fidgety2]

my sincere apologies my internet was bugging out on me but now that it seems to be fixed i added a video via youtube link

also a few words...
1.@ dchall8 i do not recommend hot glue at all for high strength projects such as this the hot glue just doesn't cut it and could actually prove slightly dangerous if the balls separate while in use

2.@ andygadget congratulations!! i am very happy to hear that you have successfully made the hurricane balls. also you are quite smart to stay out of the line of fire until the glue has fully dried.

thank you,
fidgety

[SWV1787]

I would really like to see a video of your hurricane balls in action.

[AndyGadget]

I'd never heard of Hurricane Balls so had to go and find out.   HERE'S a link for more info - Watch the video at the bottom.  As Fidgety says, painfully overpriced for a pair of ball bearings spot-welded together.

I've already got a couple of peeled mouse balls (don't ask)  and I'm now reaching for the Gorilla Glue . . .

[AndyGadget]

Whooooo.....   She flies!
I used quick-set epoxy with a collar of Gorilla Glue and then buffed the balls up afterwards with a Dremel wire brush.  I'm getting a pretty good speed out of them on the ceramic cooker hob - I don't want to run them up to full speed on this and I want longer for the glue to cure fully.  I'll try again tomorrow on a mirror.

These things fly around prettty fast and as you're blowing from close range don't put your eyeballs in line-of-fire.  If those steely spheroids part company they're going to do it very quickly!  I'm using a bendy straw for blowing down.

[dchall8]

Wonder if hot glue would hold?

[21GeeOff21]

the video on that site is really cool
gonna go on a marble hunt

[Kiteman]

I'd love to see a video of these in action - 1000rpm just from blowing?!?

[Decepticon]

Not sure if these will work, but if you have older mice that use balls....remove the rubber coating and you have perfect metal bearings. Not sure if adhesive would be strong enough, but it's worth a shot and it's free if you have them just laying around.