I just got this chop cup and am wondering what's the biggest load that someone has gotten into it, without wedging. I need a load that fills the cup as much as possible. I'm not sure if an 11" softball will work - concerned that it might get stuck. I'd use tennis balls, except the cup dwarves them and they want to slip past my little finger. The comments, of those who have this model of cup, would be really valuable.

Take the cup to a sporting goods store, a toy store and/or Wal-Mart. Start dropping balls into it.

If they ask you what you are doing, say "I'm a magician."

Funny how people will accept that as an explanation for bizzare behavior.

I can make a felt ball any size you wish.
I just don't remember the diameter of those cups. 4"?

I picture starting off with a baseball and felting around that to keep the thing nice and heavy but much larger.

if you can't find what you're after, let me know.

I think a softball is too big, isn't it?

frank

The smaller 11" softballs are still too big for the large Gazzo cups, so unless these Chop Cups are equally huge, they probably won't fit it either.

But, if you slice off the jacket, they just fit the Gazzo's. I'm using them now for practice loads when I don't want to go to the store for oranges.

http://davevmagic.com/forumpix/Softball.gif

I love going to the grocery store with my cups and finding the fruits and vegetables that fit perfectly. I also purchased juggling balls from Brain Dube which fit perfectly. http://www.dube.com

Do you have the same model of cup? Juggling balls might be really good for loads - easy to prove that they're solid, by bouncing them.

My main concern with my cup is that a ball could get wedged, if it's the wrong size, because of the slope of the cup's shoulder. Judging by the tests that I performed with a 3" spongeball, it will probably be possible to use a 3 3/8" diameter ball. I may have to visit the magic shop, early in the week, to search for load balls.

I found the perfect balls to use as final loads in the IP Widemouth Chop Cup - large Kong Balls. They really fill the interior of the cup, without getting jammed. The balls are designed as play balls for large breeds of dog. I found them at a local pet supply store. The model number is KB1 (UPC code is 35585 18112). They have a nice hefty weight to them and they bounce off of the floor quite predictably. The bounce is much better than a tennis ball. They were $9.47 each.

I tried an 11" softball, but it was just a little too big. A 10" softball would probably be a good fit.

Hadn't thought of Kongs but you're right thet are the perfect shape, especially, as I look across the living room at my dog chewing on his. Sometimes the answers are right in front of us. "He who has eyes, let him see."

Glad you figured it out... I was going to suggest dog balls and toy store searches.

The Kongs are good. They also come in different sizes. This is important if you have a chihuahua that thinks he is a Rottweiler.

I believe Chihuahua fit inside the largest Kong.

Alan, for the same reason as a Kong fits a giant egg maybe a bright, colorful decoupage one. In some circles it would make a very nice ending.

I can see Euangelion doing a routine and producing an Easter egg as the kicker.

Easter Egg? But...it doesn't bounce.

I'll just stick to what fits my style.

I said eggs were for other situations and for myself; not you. Maybe a chocolate egg with "the ball" in it.

Alan, the bouncing thing that had me lost was the difference between the original Kong and the Kong Ball. It is, also, what put me off onto the egg shape. The original Kong's will not, normally, bounce straight. They are oblong and rather like three balls of different sizes smushed together rather like a rubber snow man. The unique shape would maximize the load in a Chop Cup that tapers.
................ ........._ ............
...0..................../ ............
..(_)................../. ............
.(__)...Kong ...../__ _ Cup...........

This Kong ball is round, not shaped like several balls stuck together. I forgot that there were a few varieties of Kong ball. The model of Kong that I use is KB-1, from what I remember.