Hi Anne, you can use a can or I use a towel rolled up. I personnally like to use GEII for my bowling balls. They have faired well outside. Some of our members use thinset and that works well too. When I do mine using GEII the tess sets quick enough so that I can usually work right around the ball. Using a towel cushions the work side. Be sure to take pix of what the parents come up with.

Kat

I've learned the hard way that on round surfaces, I need a sticky glue. If you use a drippy glue, it will take you forever because you can always only work on one small area on the top. So I try to use silicone on them. I've never used the geii that everyone talks about here, but I think that is silicone. If you're unsure, you might want to practice on one first.

do you fill in the holes with thinset? that is my plan

I bought a few old wooden salad bowls from the local thrift store. I then place a hand towel on them and place the ball on that. I do have a turntable which the project goes on, but even without the turntable the students would be able to turn the bowl under the ball easily to access all sides.

I also use GEII Silicone. It sets fairly quickly.

I set mine on a roll of masking tape on one of those plastic turntables. If tiles get to slipping, I'll use a strip of masking tape to hold them in place until the adhesive tries.

GE Silicone 2 for Windows and Doors,Blue, white and gold tube. I use the small tubes, easier for me to handle..it's the best glue in my opinion for the balls.

OK. Well, I know you'all have answered so many of these questions before, but this seems timely. I did some bowling balls last year... scuffed them up with sandpaper; used thinset to put pieces on; used ssanded grout to grout them. Now both of them have pieces falling off. :* I have two friends coming over next week with BB's and I am afraid to have them use thinset. I see that several of you suggested silicone (which is easier to use anyway)...have any of you had the pieces come off? I just don't want to mess someone else up...I can handle my own failures.

I did a BB about 2 years ago w/ silicone and its fared very well my granny has it on her patio she loves it and so far so good no missing pieces.

I have about 5 bbs out in the yard... some have been there for 7 plus yrs. We get a little bit of snow each year and heat in summer up to about 100 deg. and every one of them have held up to the weather...on the other hand, I did try something like thinset on one a few yrs ago, and what do you know... everything fell off of it from the weather. I would not use anything but the ge silicone 2 for windows and doors on a bb... hope this helps.

I've only done 1 bowling ball, but I made it into a fountain so it's constantly wet. I roughed up the ball and then cleaned it really well with alcohol to get any wax or oils off. I used silicone and didn't even seal the grout. I've had no problems and it's about 3-4 years old now. I've moved from FL to IL so now I do bring it in for the winter.

There are some grouts that have sealer already in them. I think it says on the label. I did a backsplash last summer for son in Canada and it had it already in. Was nice to not have to seal.