Ruff's Stuff - CG Blog - Journal - Making Mirrored Ball and Panoramic HDR Images - Part 1. If your looking for a cheap mirrored ball you can buy an 8" Stainless Steel Gazing Ball here at Amazon.com for about $22.
They also have smaller 6 " Silver Gazing Globe. MAXScript 101. Creative COW: Creative Communities of the World. After Effects Tutorials, Plug-ins and Stock Footage for Post Production Professionals.