This may sound insane

[chuck vernon]

This may sound insane, but has anyone ever turned a bowling ball?

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

You're joking, right? Unless, that is, you just want to make a ball for fun or for a trophy. If that's the case, make sure you join up a block from dried slabs so the finished product won't crack after all your hard work. Sphere turning is fun and a great challenge.
faust

[Joe Hillmann]

Do an image search for wooden bowling ball. It will pop up with 50 or so examples of old wooden bowling balls.

[Glen Blanchard]

I thought Chuck was asking if anyone has put a bowling ball on the lathe and presented a gouge to it.

[Scott Hackler]

Chuck, if you were concidering taking an old bowling ball and making something different out of it..... you might be in for a dangerous surprise since bowling balls are NOT solid acrylic. They have a very dense insert inside that is shaped occording to the style the bowler wants (i.e., will hook or go straight). These inserts are a very hard polymer that was casted in a form.

[chuck vernon]

I have a bowling ball tha5t I cut in half with a chain saw. I thought I might cut it down on the band saw and turn something out of it. Possibly a business card holder. Am I putting my life in my hands?

[Maria Alvarado]

I've seen plenty of pen blanks cut from bowling balls, I would assume it turns like other acrylics? Perhaps someone who has tried it will chime in.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Somewhere and some time past I saw a turning of a bowling ball, and it made an awful mess! Long strings of plastic curlies, attached to everything with static electricity! I would recommend that you stick to good ol' wood!;)

[chuck vernon]

sorry for the initial confusion because of my poorly worded post. I think I will(carefully) try a small piece and see what happens. I Will let you know the result.

[Bruce Pratt]

Google "pen blank from bowling ball" without quotes. You will find several dozen threads on multiple boards discussing the topic, including here on the Creek.