Bowling balls come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Some are made of metal, others of plastic, rubber, or even wood. If you’re looking to get rid of your old bowling ball, there are lots of different options.
You could turn it into a piece of art, a toy, or maybe even a lampshade.
Understand Your Bowling Ball
If the reason you are getting rid of your bowling ball is because you think it’s damaged it might be worth a rethink. For example, a cracked bowling ball might not actually be broken, but instead, it may be damaged due to years of wear and tear.
A bowling ball is composed of three main components: an outer shell, an inner core, and a filling material. A bowling ball’s outer shell is typically made of polyurethane resin.
The inner core is typically made of lead or tungsten carbide. Filling materials vary depending on the type of ball. Some balls contain glass beads, while others may contain sand or graphite.
Each material has its own properties and needs to be maintained properly.
Rubber balls tend to be softer and less durable than other types of bowling balls. Plastic balls are usually harder and sturdier than rubber balls. Composite balls are made of both rubber and plastic.
These balls are often used for recreational purposes and are generally cheaper than other types of bowling balls. These materials break down over time, causing the ball to lose its shape and become useless.
When this happens, it becomes necessary to replace the ball. However, since many balls are thrown away when they start to crack, there is an opportunity to repair them. How can you do this?
You could take it to a bowling alley repair shop. Repair shops will often replace the damaged parts with new ones. As long as the original manufacturer still produces the same type of ball, the shop will be able to fix your existing ball.
Donate
If you really want to get rid of your ball because you no longer have any use for it you could donate it to someone who will enjoy it.
There are many organizations across the country that help kids learn the game, and offer free bowling lessons and equipment. You could also donate it to a local youth league. If you have a family member who loves to bowl, ask them if they know any groups that they think would appreciate a gift like this.
Schools often have sports teams, and even if they don’t, they may still have students who participate in leagues.
Arts and science departments also use balls for various projects. Some schools offer craft classes, and they can use the balls as materials.
You could also donate to retirement homes. They often have an arts and crafts department that could use it to create interesting activities for residents.
Youth centers are always on the lookout for resources. These places usually have kids who play games, so they might have a kid (and many) that plays the sport and wants a ball of their very own.
How about donating to farmers? Animals need stimulation and farmers use a variety of objects to help keep their animals occupied. If the ball is in good condition, farmers might be interested as well as some zoos. You could also donate to charity shops, online, or bricks and mortar shops.
Get Arty
You may think that the best thing about bowling is scoring big points at the end of each frame.
But if you’re winding down that part and are wondering what to do with your bowling balls then how about getting creative? Why not give your old bowling ball a second life?
You can turn it into a beautiful accent piece for your house or yard. Just slap some paint on it and add some flowers or other decorations. Or, if you really want to go all out, you can even get some glitter and rhinestones and turn it into a unique holiday gift!
Another fun option is to create a gazing ball out of an old bowling ball using washers. Simply cover the inside of the ball with washers, and then place the ball in a sunny spot.
If you want to keep the ball safe from children, use a chain link fence to hold the ball in place. A gazing ball can also help deter birds from eating your crops. You can turn any old ball into a gazing ball simply by covering it with reflective tape.
This simple project will ensure that you always have something interesting to see when walking around your yard.
Bowling Balls are also awesome for making an edger for vegetable beds or flower gardens or even around a tree. Cut the balls in half to make them go further and then you can paint them or create patterns to brighten up the edging and make a great feature.
You could plant your bowling balls in colorful containers to make a lovely outdoor decoration that will never need watering. To turn them into yard art, simply drill out the thumb hole and slip them onto a fencepost. You can even paint them with graffiti designs.
For birdbaths, just place them in a shallow bowl.
Keep In Reserve
If you still enjoy bowling and have found the perfect balls may not need all your bowling balls right now, but you should always keep them handy.
A spare ball can help you if you miss an easy strike and you need to get back on track quickly. You could also use a spare ball to change lanes if you’re struggling to get strikes. And, if you’re just looking to slow down the pace of play, you can use a spare ball to bowl slower than normal.
Gift It
Your local bowling alley is always looking for new balls. Sometimes they just need a few extra pairs. If you happen to have any old balls lying around, why not donate them? You never know when they may need them!
Recycle
Unfortunately, balls made of urethane and reactive resins aren’t usually considered recyclable because they’re not made of steel.
Polyurethane is a hard plastic that doesn’t break down easily, so it will need to be disposed of properly. Most recycling services won’t accept it. Some states even ban it outright.
So, if you see a ball with a polyurethane outer shell, don’t toss it in the trash. Instead, call your local recycling center and ask them what to do with it.
Sell it
There are people out there looking for used balls. You can list your ball on sites like OfferUp, Craigslist, LetGo, Facebook Marketplace, GumTree, Decluttr, and others. This is a good way of making some money from your unwanted balls.
Pawnshops are everywhere, so finding one that will buy your bowling balls isn’t very hard. Pawnshops sell anything from jewelry to antiques to electronics, and they often specialize in those items.
If you find a pawnshop that doesn’t accept bowling balls, try another one nearby. You may even find someone willing to pay a higher price just because it’s an unusual item.
When selling your bowling ball, you will need to know which pawn shop is best, and there isn’t really a single answer.
There are many factors to think about when choosing a pawn shop, including location, payment options, and customer service. How much could you sell your bowling ball for?
There are many brands of high-end bowling balls. Some of them start at around $50, while others can go up to $200. Depending on the brand, it can range anywhere from $150 to $300.
Cleaning Before Selling
As we have seen, bowling balls are made out of polyurethane resin. Polyurethane resin is not water-soluble. So if you want to clean your bowling ball, all you need is a solvent.
Solvents come in many forms, including acetone, alcohol, methylene chloride, ether, etc. You can also use a solvent like ammonia.
But before you go ahead and use any of these solvents, you should test them first. If you use a solvent that doesn’t dissolve the material, then you will end up making the problem worse.
In Summary
As we’ve seen there are a plethora of ways to rescue your bowling ball, with a bit of imagination and research they could be serving a whole different purpose sometime soon.
I wanted to create my website to inspire others to pick up their bowling balls and get to their local lanes. There’s nothing quite like enjoying a friendly game of bowling with your friends and family, so what are you waiting for?
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