check with a local bowling alley and see if they can order them for you. i think you will find the cost prohibitive though. cehap ones are not going to hold up long in the sun either.

Or ask if they ever sell off old used ones.

Try your local craigslist or alternative - post a wanted, or even do a search. You just never know what's out there.

Good thought about deterioration. Fading at least, I would think.

KarinL

A cursory perusal of the San Francisco craigslist shows numerous bowling balls for sale in the $10 -$20 range. You could arrange a pickup at a central location, load up the car with bowling balls -- hope your suspension is in good shape! For volume, it wouldn't hurt to contact some bowling alleys, maybe they have damaged balls they need to get rid of.

Do they all have to match? Or is pearly white, sparkly blue, and marbled red ok? Will you coat them with something textured, or paint them? Sounds like an interesting plan.

In the south of Costa Rica, the pre-Columbian people scattered the landscape with perfectly round stones in varying sizes -- most of them far more grand than your average bowling ball. Nobody knows the significance of the round stones, but they are quite attractive lying in green fields and in front of simple farm houses. When the Europeans came, they tried to break them open, thinking they would find gold inside. They did not find any gold, of course, but ruined the stones.

You need to post this over in Garden Junk...it is their kind of project! Great folk over there...and someone may know the answer to your question. I've posted a direct link...or you can go to the main forums page and look for the Garden Junk Forum.

melanie

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Junk Forum

Thanx everyone for your thoughts and comments. I'll address the last comment first --

Misee, I thought about posting over in the garden junk forum, but i'd already posted here. and I've been admonished in the past fpr posting to more than one forum simuntaneously. I'll post over there in a bit.

as for questions about the balls:

* yes, i'd like to have them all the same color if possible (or shades of the same color).

* I'd thought about treating them somehow to keep them from fading -- but i'm not sure with what.

catkim, i loved your story about cost rica -- silly europeans. I can see the scattered stones in my mind's eye.

I try all the sources mentioned, but i think I'll try my local bowling alley first. I'd love to take their cast-offs :-)