My son has a side business of making martial arts practice weapons, mostly out of white oak, and often gets asked about other woodworking projects, like cutting boards, charcuterie boards, recently was asked about a tai chi ball. Since he doesn't do much turning and I mostly turn bowls, I said I'd give it a try.
The client wanted an 8-8 1/2" diameter ball, so I went to me supply of wood that hadn't found a project yet (AKA scrap) and glued up a blank (red oak, cherry, spalted maple, and hickory). This is the first time I've tried turning a sphere and it turned out better than expected. It's about 8 1/4" diameter of wood (solid, not hollow) and weighs about 8 pounds. A coat of shellac to raise the grain, light sanding, and two coats of paste wax.
Tai Chi Balls
The client wanted an 8-8 1/2" diameter ball, so I went to me supply of wood that hadn't found a project yet (AKA scrap) and glued up a blank (red oak, cherry, spalted maple, and hickory). This is the first time I've tried turning a sphere and it turned out better than expected. It's about 8 1/4" diameter of wood (solid, not hollow) and weighs about 8 pounds. A coat of shellac to raise the grain, light sanding, and two coats of paste wax.
Tai Chi Balls