Making Basketballs

People interested in making basketballs should learn to use a vulcanizing machine. High-quality rubber, thorough knowledge of the process and a little investment will make anyone a great basketball manufacturer. The business does not require a great deal of training. Professional basketballs are in high demand in the sports industry. The U.S. purchases approximately 3.6 million basketballs a year, according to Made How.com. It's a business that can give you high yield in a short period of time.

Things You'll Need

  • 1/2-inch black butyl rubber sheet
  • Utility knife
  • 1/4-inch sharp object
  • Punch press
  • Vulcanizing machine
  • Twining chamber
  • Nylon strands
  • Silk screen
  • Bond glue
  • Hot presses
  • Pebbling chamber
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Instructions

    • 1

      Take a black butyl rubber sheet 12 inches wide and a half-inch thick. Cut them into long strips using a utility knife and pile them on one another. Use a punch press to round the rubber into the basketball's interior bladder. Punch a 1/4-inch hole in the middle using a punch press or a sharp object.

    • 2

      Insert a quarter-inch air tube in the hole in the middle and mold it, covering one end with a round edge. Pass the bladder into a vulcanizing machine, fill it with air and seal the bladder. Check the bladder for air leakage during the next 24 hours.

    • 3

      Select bladders without leakage. Pass them through the twining chamber. Wind nylon or polyester strands on the bladders to make them spherical. Professional-grade balls have four strands, while other balls have two or three strands.

    • 4

      Take a 60-inch-long rubber sheet. Use a silk screen to mark the dimensions of the six panel seen on the outside of a basketball on the rubber. Cut out six panels using a punch press. Use a sharp object to cut a quarter-inch hole in one of the panels to leave room for the inflation tube. Remove excess rubber from the sheet.

    • 5

      Pass the six rubber panels through the vulcanizing chamber again. Coat the nylon- or polyester-covered bladder in bond glue and pass it through the same chamber. The cover should stick tightly to the bladder once passed through this chamber.

    • 6

      Place brand stickers and other decorations onto the ball using heated presses. Use extra hand-cut rubber to fill any gaps between the cover panels. Place the ball into the pebbling chamber to give the ball its tacky finish.

    • 7

      Ensure the ball inflates and bounces properly.