Fix a Dented Ping Pong Ball

A dented ping pong ball just needs a little heat to get it back to its round shape. But don't pull out that lighter — ping pong balls are very flammable. Try one of these safer methods instead. The repaired ball is usually a little weaker and less bouncy than a new one, but it should be fine for casual table tennis or beer pong.

Steps

Using Boiling Water

  1. Heat a cup of water. Boil a small pot of water. Pour the water into a ceramic cup.
    • You can put the ball directly in the pot of water, but don't leave it in for more than a couple minutes.[1] Ping pong balls can melt or burn when overheated.
  2. Drop the ping-pong ball on top of the water. The water will heat up the air inside the ping pong ball. This causes the air to expand, popping the ball back into shape.[2]
  3. Press the ping pong ball under the water (optional). To increase the heat and pressure, use a spoon to push the ball underneath the water. Hold it there for about 20 seconds, or until the ball is fixed.
  4. Take it out. Use the spoon or a pair of kitchen tongs to take out the ball. The water will be too hot to touch with your bare hands.
  5. Hang the ball in a tissue. Wrap a tissue or handkerchief around the ball, taping all the edges together to form a little sack. Hang the sack from a nail or clothes hanger until the ball cools, about 5–10 minutes. The ball won't be quite as good as new, but it will be round and usable again.
    • Leaving the ball to cool on a flat surface can cause it to slump and form a flat surface.

Using a Hair Dryer

  1. Set a hair dryer to a hot setting. Just like the boiling water method, this uses heat to expand the air inside the ping pong ball.
    • The fast-moving air also has a lower pressure.[3] This makes it easier for the air inside the ping pong ball to push outward.
  2. Hold the ping pong ball in the stream of hot air. Hold the ping pong ball in your bare hand. Ping pong balls are flammable, but the risk of burning is low as long as it's not too hot to hold. Blow dryer temperatures vary, but this will probably work fine at a distance of 6–8 inches (15–20cm).
    • Alternatively, just point the hairdryer straight up and levitate the ball in the stream of air.
    • The ball is very unlikely to burn if it is held in air. It might burn if you leave it on a surface, and hold the dryer too close.
  3. Wait until the ball expands. It may help to hold the ball so the dent is opposite the hair dryer. It may be wise to turn the dryer off and let the ball cool periodically, to help prevent deformities.
    • The repaired ball will be a little "off" in size and shape compared to a new ball.
  4. Suspend the ball in a tissue (optional). To avoid sagging as the ball cools, wrap it in a tissue and hang it from a nail for a few minutes. Since the hot air was not as hot as boiling water, this may not be necessary.

Tips

  • Don't put the ball down and let it sit on its side while it is still hot, or else it'll form a flat edge. Keep it suspended until it cools off.
  • Not all ping pong balls are made from the same material. The cheapest plastic balls are more likely to break. Celluloid balls are more flammable than other types.[4]
  • Don't expect the ball to be as durable as it once was. After each time of reviving the ball, it will lose its durability, until it is punctured or cracks. The repaired ball may be slightly larger and worse at bouncing too, though this is fine for casual ping pong.

Warnings

  • Ping pong balls are highly flammable. Don't be tempted by online videos of the "lighter method" — more often than not, this scorches your fingers and leaves a bubbling plastic mess on your floor.
  • Take the ball off the heat if you notice a bad smell. Ventilate the room.
  • These methods will not work on cracked ping pong balls. You can repair cracks with glue, but the cracked ball will still be weak. Replacing it is recommended.
  • Never put a ping-pong ball into a microwave oven. A few seconds of heating will cause spontaneous combustion at a temperature high enough to burn the interior.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://tabletennisland.tumblr.com/post/47097989211/stop-read-this-before-throwing-away-a-dented-ping
  2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a677OZKHCTY
  3. ↑ http://www.physicscentral.com/experiment/physicsathome/ping-pong-physics.cfm
  4. ↑ http://blog.paddlepalace.com/2014/06/the-new-plastic-poly-balls-q-a/

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