The performance of this seemingly simple, but in fact high-tech sports equipment, we learn through a trip to one of the largest factories for the production of tennis balls.
One factory can produce up to 300,000 balls per day. The assembly begins with a rubber blank weighing 900 kg, from which 2,000 balls are made.
At first the blank is hard as a stone. Then it is heated and treated with lubricants in order to soften it. The rubber itself may not bounce high and wears out quickly. Therefore, a chemical mixture is mixed into the material for good rebound and durability.
The plant has its own proprietary mixtures of more than ten ingredients. One of them is sulfur, which gives heat and vulcanizes rubber, that is, makes it harder. Next, the rubber is stirred and leveled, and air bubbles are squeezed out, which weaken the elasticity of the ball. Then, long strips are cut from the layers of rubber, which are sent to a press, in which balls are stamped from them. Next, the balls are treated with silicone and hot water to make them smooth and able to slide out of the mold.
If the balls were made of hard rubber, they would be so heavy that after several matches, tennis players’ hands would simply fall off. Therefore, they are made hollow so that they bounce better and become lighter. Each solid ball is placed in a hot mechanical press.
The half-core sheets move along the line, and a razor-sharp stamp pushes them out.
A huge number of ball halves are raked in the desired direction so that the polisher can cut the edges to the desired size. The edges are then coated with a layer of heat-activated adhesive.
Finally we are ready to give the ball a bounce. To do this, the halves of the balls are placed in a machine, which gives them the ability to bounce, creating enormous pressure inside the ball. The prepared ball halves are manually placed into molds.
After the press closes, air is forced into it under pressure. This increases the pressure to 1.5 bar, causing the two halves of the ball to stick together.
Nothing is visible from the outside, but inside this ball is charged with potential energy. When it hits the surface, it tries to immediately return to its original position. The molecules compressed inside the ball exhibit resistance, and the ball rebounds.
Now you need to think about ball control. The core is treated with a heat-activated adhesive in order to prepare for the coating of the most important component for any tennis ball - fluff. Now let's analyze one of the main components of a tennis ball - felt. During the game, the tennis player has to control the rotation and braking of the ball, which is made real thanks to the felt. A special feature of this material is its fleecy surface, which, when the ball flies, does not allow air to easily slide over its surface.
This makes the flight of the ball more leisurely than completely smooth balls, but allows the tennis player to control it more easily. Felt blanks for an individual ball are stamped using a special press.
Two such blanks are combined and create a covering for the ball. Glue is applied to the outside of each piece to secure the felt. After which the two blanks are combined together into a ball.
Then the ball moves along the conveyor. It is barely squeezed to ensure that the felt is perfectly fixed. The balls are placed in a heat press at 325ºC for 12 minutes to ensure the felt firmly adheres to the rubber core.
The final stage in the production of tennis balls is their treatment with hot steam. This is done in a special drum.
This drum performs one of the main functions. It is made with fluffy felt that provides excellent ball control.
The balloon can be widely used in everyday life. Is it hard to believe? Then look at the recipes collected in the new review and remember them. Surely some of them will come in handy in every home. It’s worth sharing the secrets you’ve received with your friends.
1. Ice scenery
Balloons filled with slightly colored water will help decorate your yard in winter. When the water completely freezes, take the balls out into the yard and carefully remove the rubber casing.
2. Bright vases
Using balloons of different colors, you can decorate ordinary glass glasses, turning them into bright vases for small bouquets of flowers.
3. Door handle
A tennis ball can be a great alternative to a broken doorknob.
4. Drying form
To prevent a natural wool hat from losing its shape after washing, dry it on an inflated balloon.
5. Towel holders
Tennis balls make fun and very convenient towel holders. To do this, you just need to make a small longitudinal cut in the middle of the ball and attach it to the wall in the kitchen or bath.
6. Key holder
Just one cut and a pair of toy eyes will allow you to turn a tennis ball into an original key holder, which will become an original and practical detail in the hallway.
7. Cooling drinks
Fill the balloons with a little water, put them in the freezer and use them to cool drinks on the beach or during an outdoor party.
8. Decor of cans
Decorate ordinary glass jars with colorful balls and use them to store various things and products.
9. Unusual invitation
Inflate the balloons, beautifully write invitations to the celebration on them, release the air, attach the balloons to cards and distribute them to friends who will be able to read the text of the invitation only by inflating the balloon. Such unusual invitations will amaze your friends and will be remembered for a long time.
10. Washing
To prevent the filling of a down jacket or blanket from bunching up when washing, place several tennis balls in the washing machine.
11. Marker hanger
A tennis ball suspended from the ceiling in the garage will avoid possible parking problems.
12. Protectors
Old tennis balls can be placed on furniture legs to protect the floor from scratches and damage and reduce noise levels.
13. Cover
A balloon will allow you to easily and airtightly close any container.
14. Crafts
The inflated balloon can be used as a mold to create beautiful vases, lamps and desserts.
15. Opener
Holiday decor.
Balloons can be turned into giant candy canes and used as unusual holiday decorations.
Video bonus:
Continuing the topic that everyone will appreciate.
Useful tips
Tennis balls can be found at any sports store. But they do not last forever, and after a few games of tennis they are no longer playable.
You shouldn’t throw them away, because there are many useful ideas on how else you can use such balls - from washing clothes to massage.
*It's worth noting that tennis balls can be dangerous for dogs. The yellow coating can damage your pet's teeth and your dog can also choke on these balls.
There were even cases when a tennis ball suddenly burst, and such a situation is very dangerous for the animal that took the ball in its mouth.
Useful crafts from a tennis ball
Here are the most useful alternative ways to use tennis balls:
1. Protect the floor from scratches.
Use a utility knife to cut small holes into which you can insert the chair legs. No more chair scratches!
2. Washing.
A couple of tennis balls can be placed in the washing machine along with clothes and laundry. Thanks to this, the down jackets will retain their shape (otherwise, after washing, the down inside the jackets will not be distributed evenly), and the towels will remain fluffy even after several such washes.
3. Assistance when parking in the garage.
This is especially useful for novice drivers.
Here's what to do:
Find strong thread or fishing line. Measure the length so that the thread touches the windshield. You can ask someone to help you hang the thread correctly.
Tie one end of the thread to the garage ceiling at a safe distance from the wall, taking into account the length of the car. If you have nothing to tie to, you can secure the thread with tape, plasticine or clay. You can think of other ways.
Tie the other end of the thread to the ball.
Now you can park carefully - as soon as the ball touches the windshield, stop.
4. Clean pool.
In the summer, when it’s hot, when you want to swim, some summer residents install small pools. Both adults and children swim in them, and the more people who want to swim, the faster the water becomes polluted.
Tennis balls can absorb some sticky contaminants left behind after swimming.
5. Getting rid of scuffs.
Scuff marks from shoes are common in office buildings, schools and universities. To get rid of them, attach (stick) a tennis ball to a stick and start rubbing it on the contaminated area.
To attach the ball to a stick, you need to use a regular or utility knife to make a small cut in the ball and insert the stick into the cut.
6. Massager.
After a long day at work, you want to relax and stretch your stagnant muscles a little.
Take a tennis ball and use it to massage the desired areas. If it is the back, legs and pelvis, then you should put the ball on the floor, sit or lie on it and start making slow circular movements.
You can also massage your arms and back against the wall, pressing the ball in the right place.
Useful crafts for home
7. Protect children from corners.
If you have children at home, it is important to protect them from impacts on the sharp corners of the table. To do this, you need to make one cut in each of the tennis balls and place these balls on the sharp corners of the furniture. It may not look very aesthetically pleasing, but the children will be safe.
8. Easy opening of the lid.
Each of us has at least once tried to open the lid of a jar, and it was not possible to do it the first time.
A tennis ball will come to the rescue. Cut it along the marking lines to get a certain shape that is convenient for gripping the lid of the jar. After this, squeeze this piece of the ball well and try to open the lid - the rubber inside the ball will help to do this, creating a good grip.
Useful DIY crafts
9. Holder for keys and other small items.
Make a cut on one side of the ball and a small hole on the other. Insert a suction cup into the hole and attach the ball to a flat surface.
You can insert keys, letters, small towels and other small items into the slot.
For beauty, you can glue toy eyes.
Ball crafts for home
10. What else can be made from old tennis balls:
Phone stand
Candlesticks
The candles are in a glass or metal container so that the paraffin will not fall onto the rubber surface of the balls.
This page describes how to make a Fight Ball simulator with your own hands at home. Making a simulator for practicing strikes is simple.
Option 1. Cheap and cheerful.
You will need: a tennis ball, an elastic band, a baseball cap.
Instructions
- Pierce the tennis ball with a sharp object (such as scissors). Be careful.
- Tie several knots at the end of the elastic so that it does not “slip” back.
- Push the knotted end of the elastic through the hole in the ball.
- Tie the other end of the elastic to the cap, choosing the length of the elastic so that the ball is at the level of the navel.
That's all, 10 minutes and the fight ball boxing simulator is ready for use!
Video instruction
Minuses:
- no effort is needed to make the ball fly away from the fist;
- There is no way to practice side impacts.
Option 2. Cheap, right.
- Fill a sock with rice, preferably a woolen one (it's ideal for this). You should get a mini pear with a diameter of 8 cm.
- Thread an 8 cm long cord through a large button and tie it into a ring.
- Insert the ring with the button into the neck of the sock (the ring should stick out from the neck). “Tighten” tightly with a nylon thread. Cut off the excess part of the sock with scissors.
- Take an elastic band, fold it two or three times (depending on the density of the elastic) and sew along the entire length every 10 cm.
- Attach the resulting “tourniquet” to the mini-pear.
Option 3. Correct, effective.
FIGHT BALL BOXING from company FIGHTMASTER This is an effective simulator for masters and beginners. It does not have the negative properties inherent in homemade exercise machines.
Strengths
- The shell of the ball is sewn with durable threads made of genuine leather.
- The exercise bag is filled with special granules to give shape and weight.
- Comfortable and reliable head mount with adjustable size and ventilation inserts.
- The elastic band for fastening the ball is optimally selected for elasticity, stretch and strength.
- The fastening of the elastic band is located on the top of the head, this makes it possible to practice not only direct punches, but also side punches, as well as elbow strikes.
- The simulator was tested and improved during the training process, taking into account the wishes of professional athletes of various types of martial arts and martial artists.
- You will have to “invest” in every shot, and not just put your fists under the ball. This makes the workout more effective.
- The FIGHTMASTER company has been manufacturing and improving the FIGHT BALL BOXING simulator since 2015.