How to Make a Polished Aluminum Foil Ball

Introduction

Making polished aluminum foil balls has become a popular online trend, with many people sharing their results. The idea originated in Japan and has quickly spread, with numerous videos demonstrating the process. This guide offers a straightforward approach to creating one.

The author found the process surprisingly meditative. The method involves an elementary approach using mallets, hammers, and aluminum polish, focusing on pounding, tapping, and polishing by hand, without the need for sanding.

Step 1: Materials

The following materials are needed:

• A roll of standard aluminum foil (approximately 285 square feet)
• Various mallets and hammers
• Mothers brand aluminum polish and several rags
• A 20 lb barbell weight to serve as a hard pounding surface
• A pounding stump (a log used in a workshop)

The image for this step shows a roll of aluminum foil, a 20 lb weight, a can of Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish, and various mallets and hammers, including a dead-blow mallet and a claw hammer.

Step 2: Unroll and Make a Ball

Begin by unrolling the aluminum foil onto the floor. Gather and roll the tail end into a ball shape. To prevent marks from the foil roll bouncing against walls, masking tape can be applied to the roll.

Special care is not needed to pack the foil ball tightly; the process can be done quickly. The initial ball was noted to be slightly larger than a basketball. The next step is to begin compacting it by smashing it with hands and body weight.

Images show a large, crinkled aluminum foil ball on a carpeted floor, with a roll of foil and masking tape visible in the background. Another image shows a foil ball on a weight with a can of polish.

Step 3: Start Pounding and Compacting

Place the aluminum foil ball on top of the 20 lb weight. Use a small dead-blow mallet to pound the ball. This process requires a hard surface, such as a sturdy table or hard floor; pounding directly on carpet is less effective.

Work around the circumference of the ball, applying small blows to pack the foil tighter. Initially, this may result in a marshmallow-like shape. Then, rotate the ball and work the foil into a roundish pillow shape. Finally, pound down the peaks of this pillow shape until it returns to a ball form, albeit smaller than before.

Images show the foil ball being pounded with a mallet on the weight, on a wooden surface and on carpet. The ball gradually becomes more compact.

Step 4: Keep Going!

Switch to a slightly larger mallet to continue compacting the ball, following the procedure from the previous step. You can pound randomly, knocking down high points, or follow a repeatable order: sphere → marshmallow → cube-ish pillow → back to sphere.

Wearing gloves is strongly recommended to protect hands from polish residue and potential sharp edges.

Experiment with different mallets, or use the same hammer throughout. The key is to avoid pounding too hard, which can create deep indentations. Each blow should compact the foil slightly without deforming the material into an unfixably non-round shape.

As the ball compacts, the process becomes less noticeable, turning into a more random sculpting effort of examining and knocking down high points. It is described as a slow sculpting process and a workout.

Images show the foil ball being worked with different mallets, including a 2.5 lb mallet, on the weight. The ball appears more dense and spherical.

Step 5: Keep Going Some More

For this stage, take the ball to a garage and set up the 20 lb weight on a waist-high log for easier pounding. A smaller 2.5 lb hammer is recommended.

As the ball gets smaller, it may feel heavier, which is a common perception trick. Cracks will begin to appear as compaction continues. Continue pounding uniformly around the ball, and the cracks will become smaller.

A hand covered in dark polish residue is shown next to the foil ball and the weight. Another image shows the ball on the weight with a 2.5 lb mallet labeled "2.5LB".

Step 6: Almost Done

As the end nears, the foil will compact less. Early blows produced a hollow thud, but later blows will sound more solid, and the ball will bounce as strikes transfer through it.

Switch to a smaller hammer to tap out high spots and irregularities, which will make the ball shinier. The author describes repetitive tapping sounds, like a woodpecker. At this stage, the ball measured 16 inches in circumference (approximately 40 cm) and looked satisfactory.

Images show the polished foil ball on the weight with a mallet, and a close-up of the ball's surface.

Step 7: Polishing

While some prefer sanding with increasingly fine grits of sandpaper, the author found the ball already quite shiny.

Instead, Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish was applied liberally. Rub the polish into the metal until it turns black, then buff it off with progressively cleaner rags. Initially, the surface may appear dull and grey, but it will become shinier with continued buffing and switching to cleaner rags. This polishing process was repeated 4-5 times.

A polished foil ball is shown on a black cloth with a can of Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish and a red rag. Another image shows a hand in a black glove holding the polished ball on a white cloth.

Step 8: All Done!

The finished ball's surface is reflective, revealing cracks and creases upon close inspection, which the author finds fascinating.

The project took approximately 4 hours of work and a small amount of polish to transform a $7 roll of aluminum foil into this shiny ball.

Readers are encouraged to share tips, photos, methods, and time spent on their own creations.

A close-up image shows the reflective surface of the finished foil ball, highlighting its texture with cracks and creases.

Community and Discussion

Comments from other users suggest similar projects like "dorodango" (mud balls) and using foil from chocolate wrappers. Historical context is provided, mentioning aluminum foil balls as a grade school project in the 1970s, possibly related to wartime scrap metal drives.

Discussions include questions about cracking, suggestions for using a dryer (with a warning about potential black marks), and advice on tucking edges to prevent cracks. One user shared a link to a stand design on Thingiverse: thingiverse.com/thing:2669780.

Users express appreciation for the meditative nature of the craft and the unique results, with some noting that the shine depends on the polish used.