Image: Frank Makes
Because why the ‘ecky thump not, a US-based carpenter/joiner by the name of Frank Howarth has had a bash at turning a replica of the 2018 World Cup match ball out of wood.
Frank’s version of the Adidas Telstar 18 is a segmented sphere made from roughly 2000 or so pieces, mostly maple with a patterned section constructed from mosaic squares of birch, cherry, walnut and ebony.
The accompanying video is a full 27 minutes long, but the craftsmanship on display and Frank’s jocular commentary make it a mesmerising watch for anybody with an appreciation for this kind of talent…
Superb. He even make a little ‘valve’ out of ebony, just to cap it all off.
Fine work, Frank!