Lip based thumb ring from white billiard ball or Plastic

[orange]

More then year ago I start experimenting with making lip based thumb rings and arrow release rings from white (Ivory) billiard ball, so I will share 12 steps how to make them here.

Credit: Based on Instinctive Archer procedure here How to Make an Archer's Thumb Ring Using Simple Tools

Here we discuss making a Asian lip based thumb ring such these are:



Source: ???

You can also see some in Museum of Anthropology here Thumb Rings Image Gallery

Here are couple threads here how to use such rings including a users gallery thunb rings

The Plan

Because lip based thumb rings are asymmetrical in shape, material need to have some angle to better stick to, we need to cut ball into 3 thirds, drill in right place, form lip, cut outside around the hole and make a final shape.

1/3 of ball will limit ring size, if you need larger (or longer) lip, you can use procedure for can in 2 half used here:
Cylindrical thumb ring from black pool ball No 8 or Plastic

PS: I will try to use tools you or your friend can have, no big machinery as turning lathe - machine which can make precise cylinders.

Ring need to fit, for beginners is better to have some ring you can simple clone first.

I will make a 2 clones of my horn Korean lip based thumb ring (one with larger hole for use when thumb is swollen), third piece I will use for this ring like Osimu recently post:



This flat arrow rest ring is much easily to make then lip based one, I will demonstrate on it all techniques first.

Step 1: Get right pool ball

Billiard/Pool balls have different sizes, you need to get large enough one

WiKipedia - Billiard ball

As bigger you get is better, I select a while ivory Carol / Carambole sized one 61.5 mm (2+7⁄16 in), but it was too expensive, so I get PUB poll while ball sized 60.4mm , I can get it as single ball cheap enough about $5/piece. PUB pool use normal sized color balls 56-57mm and this slightly larger white one. I have best experience with polyester based balls.

I pickup while ivory color, because it look better and it can more easily polished, plus you can easily mark white surface with variety on markets for more easily removing just right materials.



Why again billiard ball as thumb ring material ?

Original billiard and similar balls was made from Elephant IVORY Wiki Ivory, but as time go Ivory material start to be too expensive, so it was soon replaced by modern plastic.

Because thumb rings was also often produced from Ivory, balls look like logical choice as source of Ivory supplement.

However there are more possible Ivory supplements, which can be used as material for thumb rings , I will list then in conclusion.

[orange]

Step 2: Make a ball thirds marking tool

We will to make on ball 5 marking point to be able to divide ball to thirds

2 pint will mark center of ball, 3 will mark thirds, lets calculate loccation of this points:

60.4 mm *3.141592653 = 189.8 mm

1/2 = 94.9 = 95 mm

1/3 = 63.3 = 63 mm

Here is an resulted a marking tool (Make a hole in center for marker with nail/pin)

[orange]

Step 3: Mark the thirds of ball

I use a cheap soft CD/DVD markers which can be easily removed with alcohol (get multiple colors, we will use them later)



I fix marking tool with tape and make 5 marking points , I use piece of hared and flex paper to connect pins to needed lines:

[orange]

Step 4: Divide ball into thirds with saw


You need to get right saw, it must be not too big and with right cutting band-saw blade, blade is for metal and for wood. Because our plastic is hard I recommend to use carefully a one for metal

Also I use a transparent power tape (with textile) to fix ball during cutting.

Warning: Ball is very slick, use protection glove while cutting.



Fixing ball during cutting

First I try full bottle as an holder, but after I found then empty pipe will be better


I found at home this part from broken flushing toilet device, you can make similar with unit with larger plastic pipe:



You can hold it by hand or mount it





Cutting phase:

Holding ball during cutting



First cut slowly using this angel after slowly cut near final line, left few material there (about 3 mm), so you can cut other 2 lines before ball breaks.



After you cut all 3 lines, I hold ball with hands and move it with hand very slowly against saw to cut final 3 mm of material on all 3 lines, when only very few material left, I crack ball into peaces using large flat screwdriver



Cleaning Phase:

Cleaning with alcohol at the end



Here is an resulted thirds:

[Daniel T.]

When I first read about thumb rings from thirds of a billiard ball, I was puzzled how this works. I am very curious to see how it is done. Thank you for showing!

Daniel