10th May 2006

Rubber Band Ball

Rubber band ball

Making a rubber band ball is a complete experience. The powdery red of the rubber bands which the Royal Mail use these days; the almost leathery feel of them; that distinctive rubber smell.

And the sound! The creak as you stretch a recently collected band over the ball, and twist and stretch and twist and finally the snap! as you let go of the final loop—or it breaks under the strain.

Then there’s the pleasure of collecting, of the glimpse of red in the gutter as you’re walking home after a long day and suddenly your spirits lift because you have purpose.

It’s something to do, I suppose.

15 responses

Haha, rubber band balls are really cool and are fun to make…especially on a rainy day :)

~ Nick

Does it bounce?

~ SquidDNA

Extremely well. I throw it at the wall when I’m bored.

~ Benedict

Someone needs a better hobby. ;-)

~ ceejayoz

I want one too. I want it now actually. I may well go out and buy lots of bands and have a blitz. I want red ones too. I wish I worked for the Royal Mail. I can only find 2 in my desk drawer atm :(

~ soop

When you throw it at the wall, does it leave red marks?

~ eric

No marks. Buying them is cheating. You have to collect the ones the postmen drop…

~ Benedict

Rubberband balls are the ultimate stress balls because if you walk around with one, everyone comes over to you and gets so excited, which tends to lift your spirits. Sadly though, people also tend to steal them, i started one a few days ago off a bag of 454 rubber bands i got for my birthday….i’m an addict! but dont go just red, use colours, their cooler. XD I know of one guy who only uses bands he found, stole, or people donated to him, well, used to anyway! Buying them is just cheap though! Oh, and dont through them too hard, I think I broke someone’s leg today.

~ Ruhn

Rather down to hear buying my own is frowned upon. But overjoyed to find that gifts are a “go’er”. Is begging for gifts from loved ones also a no-no?

Ruhn, love the fact that you know how many were in that bag :)

~ soop

I once had a 1 pound bag of rubber bands and I made a huge ball out of them…but I think my little brothers stole it and destroyed it…

~ Nick

Little brothers can be pretty evil, although so can older ones… I must confess that the whole idea for collecting the rubber bands and making a ball came from my little sister (a far more talented person than I).

~ Benedict

yeah, knew additions to mine, i got these the old fasion way, i stole them from my job XD i’m not quite sure how begging for rubber bands works, lol, but a lot of people do start web pages asking for people to send them rubber bands, that tends to work, plus you get really odd bands, and some with messages!

soop– who could forget a number like 454, its a cool number.

~ Ruhn

you want to give your little sister a rubberbandball as a present?
she must be like 5 years old, all other (little) girls become these screaming, bitchy, girls, who color their eyes black, wear thongs at the age of 12, combine red-stripe socks and blue stripe skirts..
well.. maybe i’m just traumatised and there are sweet innocent little sisters out there who would appreciate a rubberball. at least it’s not an expensive present - very student-conform ;)

~ veronika

No, no, when I say the idea came from her, I mean that she started making one first, and I copied her. I’m a latecomer to the scene.

She’s not 5 anymore, although sometimes I forget this. That’s the way it is with all younger siblings though—I still think of my brother as being about 8, despite the fact that he can legally drink in the States now.

~ Benedict

I made one yesterday! I used all the bands that i stole out of the stationary cupboard at work! and then someone told on me!!! I was traumatised! It’s only a bit of fun! But!!!!!! I got home and realised that I had this ball of rubber bands in my bag, which the dog thinks is great fun to chew on! oops!

~ rachel