The worst thing happens in a table tennis game when your friend hits the ball too hard and gets a dent. Especially if the ball belongs to you. But don’t worry, there are some ways you can bring it back in shape and use it again. In this article, we’ll guide you on the steps how to fix a dented ping pong ball.
Unfortunately, sometime these tricks will not work if your ball is cracked. These are beyond repair. Check out our top table tennis ball blog here if you need some new ones.
Table of Contents
How To Fix A Dented Ping Pong Ball: Step By Step Guide
Undent Ping Pong Ball By Using Hot Water
Hot water is by far a better way to get dents out of ping pong balls. It’s also used to remove dents of other things like cars and bikes.
Ping pong balls, however, work in the same way. It heats the air contained within it, resulting in it expanding. All you need is boiling water and cups, and the relation between temperature and pressure will take care of the rest.
Instructions For Undent A Ping Pong Ball
Step 1: is to boil water in the kettle until bubbles begin to appear and put water in a medium-sized cup.
Step 2: Drop the ping-pong ball on the top over the pool of hot water. It will be heated the air the inside of the ping-pong ball. The air will expand, which causes the ball to come back into its shape
Step 3: Grab a spoon and move the ball down a little to the bottom of the water. This will increase the pressure, causing the air inside it to get hotter and, hopefully, get rid of the dent faster.
Step 4: Use the spoon to take the ball from the water, but ensure that you don’t attempt to pull the ball out using your hands because the water is still hot and may burn your hands.
Step 5: The last step is to allow it to dry. You can do this with a towel or place the ball on the tissue for a couple of minutes. Do not let it dry on a table because the heat could make the dent appear over and over.
How Does Placing The Ball That Is Dented In Hot Water Eliminate The Dent?
This is a quick and easy method to fix your ping pong ball dented by a hard hit. The ball that has been damage contains air, and heat forces the ball to expand. In turn, the expansion in the air causes the ball back to its original shape. This is how hot water functions. The hot water works better if it’s boiling.
How Can You Undent A Pong Ball Using A Hairdryer?
We recommend using the above method; however, if this doesn’t work for you, you can test this hairdryer technique. You require a hairdryer a towel (to keep the ball in place).
Be aware that you may burn your hand with this trick if you don’t have towels.
There are some steps to be following to fix your how to fix ping pong ball
Set the hairdryer to a hot setting. Like the boiling method, this method uses heat to increase air volume inside the ball.
- The air that is moving fast also has less stress. This helps to air within the ping-pong ball to expand outward.
Ping ball in the hot air. Take the ping-pong ball with your hands. Ping-pong balls are fire-proof; however, the chance of burning is minimal as the ball isn’t too hot to be held. The temperatures of blow dryers vary, which can perform well at a distance between 6 to 8 inches (15-20cm).
- Or, you can move the hairdryer up straight and let the ball float in the air stream.
- The ball is highly likely to burn when placed in the air. It could burn when you place the ball too close to the dryer.
Please wait until the ball starts expanding. It can be helpful to position the ball in a place where the dent is not in front of the direction of hair drying. You need to switch off the dryer and allow the ball to cool down periodically to keep it from deforming.
- The repaired ball will be a bit “off” in size and form compared to a brand new ball.
The ball should be suspended in tissues (optional). To prevent the ball from slipping as it cools, wraps it in a cloth and then hangs it on the nail for a couple of minutes because the hot air wasn’t the same as water boiling.
The Thumb Method
If none of the above methods succeed, there’s another chance to fix a ping pong ball when it is dented, using your thumb. It’s not glamorous and merely requires the thumb for pushing on the surrounding area in an attempt to push it back in place.
It’s not always successful, and at times, you could make the dent larger, so this is not the first method. However, it’s worth trying.
How To Undent A Ping Pong Ball With A Lighter?
The flame from lighters can also be used for heating and expanding air in a ping-pong ball. This can result in the inflating of your ball with a dent. This process requires your attention and attention as it could quickly melt the ball.
To repair a damaged ping pong ball using a lighter flame, you need an efficient lighter to produce a good but small flame. Candles are also a possibility in this situation. Light the candle over the ball gradually and in succession.
Ensure not to expose the ball too heavily to the flame, as it is likely to melt. It will take a few seconds before the ball will expand and gain its original shape.
When the ball has regained its form, put it in a hanger and let it cool down slowly and naturally. When the balls are cool, they should be ready to use again.
Be careful and take care to protect yourself while using a lighter!
When This Won’t Work
As we mentioned earlier, these strategies aren’t always successful. If the ball has a crack within it, you won’t repair it and must purchase a new ball. It is impossible to alter the air pressure inside the ball when there’s a crack because it will simply let out.
The other scenario in which the ball will require a replacement is when it has a large dent. If it’s too large, you could try a shot with the techniques above, but it’s impossible to fix in some cases.
Tips that you must remember
- There are a few ping pong balls that are made of identical materials. The most inexpensive plastic balls tend to break more easily. The balls made from celluloid tend to be more fire-proof than other kinds.
- Do not expect the ball to last as long as it was. Each time you revive, the ball loses its strength and eventually gets punctured or breaks. The repaired ball could be slightly bigger and more complex in its bounce; however, this is acceptable for casual ping pong games.
Final Words: How To Repair A Table Tennis Ball?
Time to give final words to this “how to fix a dented ping pong ball” post. We hope one of the above methods is effective for you, and you’ll soon be back playing. We suggest the boiling method since it is the fastest and has the highest results. If you have suggestions on how to get rid of a dent in the ping pong ball, share them below.
I am Sachin, a content writer, and Table Tennis enthusiast. On the Bestpingpongtips site, I share ping pong tips, give my honest Table tennis equipment review, and help people choose a quality product.