Ping pong ball pieces under the nails is a little bit over the edge, don't you think? Eat a bunch of jell-o, do your gardening with gloves on, etc., and keep it simple. Check out Leo Kottke (the king of percussive acoustic playing) working out on his 12-string- claw hand position, sometimes pinky on soundboard, sometimes not, and NO PICKS AT ALL. It's all just practice, practice, practice......