How to Build a Ball Fountain in a Ceramic Pot
At the end of a hectic day, you're wiped out and your nerves are frayed. Listening to the soothing sound of running water is a good way to unwind. Dinner needs to be cooked, so that rules out running a bath. Personal fountains offer a wonderful water therapy alternative. Build yourself a ball fountain. Turn it on, close your eyes and take a moment to relax. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Bowling ball
- Glazed ceramic pot
- Ruler
- Fountain pump
- 1/2-inch masonry bit, 13 inches long
- Electric drill
- Fountain plug
- Standard 1/2-inch masonry bit
- 1/2-inch plastic tubing
- Gravel
- Utility knife
- Water
Instructions
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1
Purchase a used bowling ball and take it with you when you purchase a ceramic pot. Select a decorative ceramic pot that's in proportion to the ball.
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2
Measure the depth of the ceramic pot and the diameter of the bowling ball. Add the two measurements together. Purchase a fountain pump that is rated for pumping water straight up, at least that high. Fountain pumps vary in how much pressure they produce. The amount of pressure determines how high vertically they can pump a stream of water.
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3
Decide what part of the bowling ball will be at the very top of the fountain. Place a 1/2-inch-by-13-inch-long masonry bit in the electric drill and drill completely through the center of bowling ball.
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4
Put the fountain pump inside the ceramic pot. Thread the plug and cord through the hole in the bottom. If none exists, drill one with a standard masonry bit. If one does exist but isn't big enough, use the drill to make it bigger. Place the fountain plug around the cord and wedge it into the hole of the ceramic pot. This will keep the water from leaking out.
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5
Attach plastic tubing to the nozzle of the fountain pump. While holding the plastic tubing straight up in the center of the ceramic pot, being careful not to kink it, fill the ceramic pot with decorative gravel. Scoop it over the fountain pump and around the plastic tubing.
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6
Thread the plastic tubing through the hole drilled all the way through the bowling ball. Carefully set the bottom of the bowling ball on the bed of gravel. Cut the plastic tubing off even with the top surface of the bowling ball. Fill the ceramic pot with water and plug the pump in.
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Tips & Warnings
Buy a bowling ball cheaply at secondhand stores.
Before starting to drill through the bowling ball with the masonry drill bit make a starter hole by first tapping into the bowling ball with a nail and hammer and increasing the size of the hole with the tip of a Phillips screwdriver. Rest the tip of the masonry bit in the starter hole and start drilling.
If you keep your fountain indoors, fill it with distilled water to ward off algae.
When drilling through the bowling ball, don't try to drill fast. The bit will overheat and get damaged.
When deciding where to drill through the bowling ball, take into consideration where the pre-existing finger holes are located. You want to avoid your own drilled hole connecting with on one of those.
Make sure you check the water in your pump regularly. Water evaporates. If your fountain runs out of water, the pump may burn out.
References
Resources
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