Baseball anyone?

[NeighborJ]

Sounds simple enough, I'll give it a try. One last question: would it help to break the paper (dry) before wrapping or will it not matter?

[Wiley]

If you use decent virgin 30# Kraft (I have a roll from Uline), it should pleat down nicely and hold folds very well. The string should be saturated with wheat paste just as with a cylinder shell. Tarred twine would likely work just as well.