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 The central Indiana resident stuck with painting the ball, which
grew large enough to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records
in 2004.
At that time, it was 9 feet (2.7 meters) across, and the record was
an estimated 18,000 layers of paint. Now Carmichael, 68, figures he
is at close to 25,000, although he never set out to break records.
The ball now measures 14 feet after Carmichael, his family, friends
and even visitors added more coats of paint over the last several
decades. At its last weigh-in two years ago, the sphere of
ever-changing colors was about 5,000 pounds (2,268 kg).
"I was always doing something weird, so I wanted something different
to do, said the soft-spoken, self-employed painter. We had no idea
it was going to get this big, this popular or this heavy.
Carmichael keeps the ball in a custom-built structure on his
property in Alexandria, a town of about 5,000 people about 40 miles
northeast of Indianapolis.
 The roadside spectacle attracts about 1,200 visitors a year. Some
just want to gawk, while others, who call ahead and schedule an
appointment, grab a paint brush and get to work so they can claim a
hand in the ongoing record.
The ball is not a money maker, although Carmichael sells T-shirts
and jewelry. Everyone who paints gets a certificate, while every
donor receives a paint chip from the project.
The ball, which now looks more like a giant gourd, hangs from the
ceiling with heavy chains and an industrial hook. A mirror beneath
it ensures the painter does not miss a spot.
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A photo hanging in the ball house shows Carmichael's son, Mike Jr.,
during the first paint job almost four decades ago. Now 42, he lives
nearby and still pitches in with color makeovers.
Carmichael Sr. and others paint every day, although his wife,
Glenda, resigned when the ball got larger. Its a job now, she
said with a smile.
At one point, Carmichael considered cutting the ball in half to see
all the layers of color, but given its size, he dropped that idea.
Red is a popular color with visiting painters, and the job can be
done in eight minutes or less, depending on how many participate.
Comedian Tom Green and country musicians the Oak Ridge Boys are
among the people who have lent a hand.
As for how long Carmichael plans to keep going, he is not sure. The
current set-up can hold 11,500 pounds, he said, so he has some time
before the ball will drop.
(Reporting by Susan Guyett; Editing by Ben Klayman and Lisa Von Ahn)
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