[Question] Has any manufacturer tried making a disc with Super Ball synthetic rubber?

[MikeK]

Would it be legal to manufacture a disc using that super-bouncy super ball synthetic rubber?

Has anyone tried it? Would it fly? How far would it skip off the ground or bounce off a tree?

 

[biscoe]

Could probably get it through with the PDGA- Vibram has rubber discs already. Ironically enough Ed Headrick was also involved in the development of the Super Ball.

 

[Serious-OLD]

Assuming you can achieve the right density for weights, I think you'd just be limited by the freeze and fold test.

IIRC, you need to chill your disc down to some temperature and make sure it's still flexible. I believe this is to prevent discs from being too rigid, and therefore weapon-like.

You might have to work on the blend a bit - superball rubber may not be aqueous enough to flex. Having destroyed one or two as a child, the rubber kindof chunked off if you tried to deform it too much.

 

[Three Putt]

Could probably get it through with the PDGA- Vibram has rubber discs already. Ironically enough Ed Headrick was also involved in the development of the Super Ball.

Really oddly this past weekend, we had a guy playing with us that throws a bag full of odds and ends I don't throw anymore that has an Ibex in it. He threw a shot that turned over into the side of a levee, and it for real bounced up like a rubber ball. I'd never seen a disc bounce off something and react like that disc did.

 

[ray1970]

How far would it skip off the ground or bounce off a tree?

Probably at least two hundred feet into the woods, OB, or water. That's my guess.

Having destroyed one or two as a child, the rubber kindof chunked off if you tried to deform it too much.

Yeah. I killed a few of them myself as a child. They tended to lose chunks rather quickly. If they weren't lost relatively quickly they ended up looking like a chew toy.

 

[Moose33]

Would it be legal to manufacture a disc using that super-bouncy super ball synthetic rubber?

Has anyone tried it? Would it fly? How far would it skip off the ground or bounce off a tree?

I wonder if the stay put blend from Divergent is at all similar polymer wise. The ones I've thrown are a bit springy but durable. The one caveat would he they will lose chunks on intense rock hit, much like a super ball.

 

[MikeK]

Interesting…so maybe it hasn't been tried because of the brittleness.

 

[madbrad]

I want bouncy discs! That is a fun idea

Always used to try and hit super balls with a bat when I was a kid, never made solid contact to see how far they would go because I swung wildly as hard as I could

 

[Moose33]

I want bouncy discs! That is a fun idea

Always used to try and hit super balls with a bat when I was a kid, never made solid contact to see how far they would go because I swung wildly as hard as I could

Lol I totally did this with my friends. Not sure how far they went really, but we hit them over the pony league fence at our local park 300-370ft away. Not sure how far they went since we never found any lol.

 

[jenb]

I just imagine hitting chains and pole and ending up 200 feet from the basket.

 

[uncle pennybags]

I just imagine hitting chains and pole and ending up 200 feet from the basket.

That sounds like part of the challenge.

Not enough sauce on it and it spits out. Too much and it bounces making a tester come back put.

Think of the epic putting meltdown's!!!!

 

[apdrvya]

I just imagine hitting chains and pole and ending up 200 feet from the basket.

so, nothing would change in my game?