My test link worked. So I am ready to post more about creating gazing balls. There are many pages on the web about this. I have read a lot of them and found that many posts carry some information, but not all the information is necessarily in one place. Having created a few balls, I thought I'd post some of my experiences that might add to the discussion and try to help get the more information in one blog. This link is to a site where many people have posted pictures of their balls. Show us all your bowling balls!
Bowling balls are frequently used for the base. Clean your ball with soap and water to remove oils and dirt. Other spheres can be used, but consider the weight of glass and grout when choosing your sphere.
Plug the finger holes with aluminum foil and silicone.
Some instructions say to prime and paint the ball before gluing on the glass. I do not paint my balls. I cover them with a layer of plumbers tape. This is a shiny foil tape with a very sticky adhesive backing. This is not the foil tape that is used for taping dryer vents. It looks similar but it has a lot more adhesive. The tape serves two purposes: it waterproofs the ball, which will help it last longer, and the foil reflects light back up through the glass. When light hits the ball, it almost makes it look as if it has some inner illumination.
Use the right glue. Some glues will not hold at all, and some will lose their holding capability in an outdoor environment. I use GE II Silicone for windows, doors, attic, and basement. It dries clear and is sun and freeze proof. I wear gloves to protect my hands from direct contact with the glue. The glue does not set immediately, so it gives you time to shift the position of the glass if necessary.
The tube of glue is very stiff. Some people may have enough hand strength to squeeze a dab of glue onto the back of the piece of glass, but I am not able to keep it up for long. I use a paper plate for a disposable pallet and use a plastic knife to butter the center of the glass. If you choose to use do this, only squeeze out about an inch and a half of glue at a time because it starts to set and will get lumpy fairly quickly. I only butter the center of the glass because when you press the glass onto the ball the glue will spread to the edges and beyond. I remove excess glue by swiping it off with my curved tweezers and wiping the tweezers on a paper towel. I also wipe my gloved fingers on a paper towel between pieces of glass. Glue that gets on the top of the glass is going to have to be cleaned off. It is easier to clean your gloves now rather than to remove the dried silicone later.
Glass. You can buy glass tiles for your ball. It is less expensive if you cut the glass yourself. Wear safety glasses. If you cut glass, it is going to have sharp edges. To remove the sharp edge, I put my pieces of glass in a plastic container with a top and shake it for a couple of minutes. Don a dusk mask before opening the container. There will be powdered glass in the container along with your pieces. This is silica and is not a good thing to breath into your lungs. Next, I wash the glass in a plastic container. Do not do this in the sink! I rinse the glass off and pat it dry with paper towels. I strain the water through a coffee filter to collect the glass dust (called frit), then I pour the water outside. The frit can be saved to use in some other project, or disposed of tied up in a plastic bag in the trash.
Cut your glass pieces small. A sphere is curved, and the glass is flat. If your pieces are too large they will not be flat against the ball. Grout can take care of covering most of the edges, but large pieces of glass can stick out, and this poses a safety hazard.
Spheres roll. I set my ball on a cardboard ring left over from a roll of masking tape. It is about three inches in diameter and holds the ball in place. I have the ring inside a plastic baggie because sometimes the adhesive from the tape on the ball wants to stick to the cardboard. I use an inexpensive lazy susan under the tape roll. It makes it easier to turn the ball to check your work. It is important to check the placement of the glass from time to time. Since you are working on a curve, gravity can work against you and cause the pieces to slide. I find that working about forty five minutes to an hour is about as long as I can work before I reach a point where pieces start to slide. I let that set up for a couple of hours before I rotate the ball to work on the next area.
I use a pair of curved tweezers to place my glass. Tweezers make it easier to see where I want to place the piece of glass. I also use the tweezers to check to make sure I have left enough space between pieces for grout. (Some people make gazing balls with no grout, in which case you would not leave extra space.) I like the mosaic look, so I use grout. Also, not every piece is going to fit perfectly with no gaps.
I use sanded grout. Books and articles recommend this type of grout for outdoor applications. I also seal my balls with concrete sealer. This helps waterproof the concrete, which will help the balls last longer. The choice of grout color for the ball can be the most agonizing decision you make. I have included a link to a discussion on grout color here. Forum: Mosaics and Stained Glass .
I bring my gazing balls inside during winter. Rain can infiltrate the ball and when it freezes and may cause the ball to crack. I have read that leaving balls in direct sunlight can cause them to crack also, but that has not happened to the ball I left in direct sunlight all day. That may be due in part to the reflective tape I use. Also, I do not leave my gazing balls directly on the ground. Contact with the ground can allow moisture to seep into the ball. I have used various things items for stands. Some stands are low, others are high, but make sure that they are either well anchored or have a solid base under it to keep the stand upright. The loose soil of a garden can shift under the weight of the ball and cause the stand to fall over.
That is about my take on mosaic stained glass gazing balls. Experiment and enjoy!
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