Author Topic: Why do I want a ball that absorbs oil (Read 5252 times)

LordWalrus · « **on:** November 17, 2008, 05:04:53 AM »

I know that all balls absorb oil over time, but why do I want one that specifically excels at it? I've seen several balls taut this as feature #1. It seems to me that this increases ball maintenance and actually messes up my own shot by changing it more rapidly. If these oil absorbers suck up oil so fast, they basically take themselves out of play. Don't they?

Any comments or observations on this?
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Edited on 11/17/2008 2:15 PM

TWOHAND834 · « **Reply #16 on:** November 17, 2008, 06:53:29 PM »

This is why something will have to give in the future. Covers are soaking more and more oil at a faster rate and yet an oil machine can only put out so much oil on the lane. ANY ball has to have friction to hook. So, you can't really go longer down the lane with the oil. Strokers will never be able to hook a ball if that happens. I am bowling on patterns where the track area burns up within a game to game and a half and on over/under haven. Obviously with my rev rate. I am not in the need of a soaker coverstock. That is why I really like the Visionary stuff. I get all the hook I need without worrying about ball death due to too much oil absorption.
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Steven Vance
Pro Shop Operator

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Juggernaut · « **Reply #17 on:** November 17, 2008, 07:19:27 PM »

quote:
Juggernaut,
You're right that a fair amount of us DON'T need the high performance balls that the PBA pros throw.Thing is,there's a large amount of league bowlers seeing their favorite pro throwing Ball X.Their thought process is that if the pro scores that well with said ball,then I can score well with said ball.
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Chris
JTTDB---Just Throw The Damn Ball
Don't "think"---that ball isn't in your bag yet..........

Yeah, I know. Most of us league bowlers don't NEED one. But, if you have the extra cash and WANT one, that should be fine. Just don't need to buy into that " Gotta have it or I can't compete" syndrome.

I've bought several balls over the last few years, but that is a part of the game I enjoy, trying out new stuff to see what it does. I can honestly say that only a very select few have truly "out performed" a lot of the older balls I have, but those few needed MUCH more maintenance than the older stuff.

I know they are never going to go back to rubber, plastic, and urethane, that's O.K. by me. But I do think they need to reach some kind of limit with oil volumes and ball cover/core technology. Maybe go back to first or second generation reactives while also limiting the core to smaller diff. numbers that would allow the oil volumes to go back down some and make the game more predictable and "playable" for the masses.
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Norm Duke was right

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six pack · « **Reply #18 on:** November 17, 2008, 07:32:50 PM »

there great for burning up the track in warm up and then going to old school covers with polish and then urethane or plastic.
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The harder I try the harder they fall

LordWalrus · « **Reply #19 on:** November 18, 2008, 06:41:09 AM »

Thanks for all the input. Many of you have echoed the thoughts I was having. As merely a league hack who does a few tournaments each year, I find myself wanting to avoid all the extreme ball maintenance and ball death scenarios. I know regular maintenance is needed, but repeated soaking and baking just seems silly to me if the only reason I'm doing it is to throw another ball anyway.

Someone mentioned Visionary as being something to look at if I want to try something that doesn't soak up so much oil. Are there other brands to look at in that category?
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dizzyfugu · « **Reply #20 on:** November 18, 2008, 07:15:04 AM »

As a side note (and correct me if I am wrong), I think USBC is checking for a rule that deals with the balls' porosity and surface texture. The more open the texture, the more mechanical friction the surface creates, besides its spongeous properties. It is a kind of rule hole after hardness and maximum differential have been dealt with.

I am really curious where this leads, since it looks like a dead end to me - the vicious downward spiral.

Save the particle!

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DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany

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KingofKings696 · « **Reply #21 on:** November 18, 2008, 09:35:54 AM »

I see no reason for these oil suckers personally. I still roll my old early reactives(purple and gold rhino pros) as well as purple sumo(which will tear up oil in its own right) urethanes and last but definitly not least the xxxl which I can roll from the first throw to the last throw and still hold my own albeit it may leave a 10 here and there but over the course of a night I wont need to move like everyone else and I will have a more consistant read. I have the WMB and awesome flip from morich as well as a gravity shift and none of these see near the action my old/weaker non oil absorbing equipment does. Even on the PBA patterns and tougher oils.

LordWalrus · « **Reply #22 on:** November 19, 2008, 07:34:02 AM »

quote:

I am really curious where this leads, since it looks like a dead end to me - the vicious downward spiral.

Where it led me last night was back to urethane. I hauled it out of the closet and am glad I did. On this second shift league, the only thing that worked consistently and carried was my old Thunderbolt.

The new balls are sexy, but I think I'm leaning toward avoiding them and sticking with my old battle axes.
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Juggernaut · « **Reply #23 on:** November 19, 2008, 04:45:00 PM »

quote:
Thanks for all the input. Many of you have echoed the thoughts I was having. As merely a league hack who does a few tournaments each year, I find myself wanting to avoid all the extreme ball maintenance and ball death scenarios. I know regular maintenance is needed, but repeated soaking and baking just seems silly to me if the only reason I'm doing it is to throw another ball anyway.

Someone mentioned Visionary as being something to look at if I want to try something that doesn't soak up so much oil. Are there other brands to look at in that category?
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As far as new equipment goes, visionary and lane Masters are said to have the best longevity out of todays stuff.
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Norm Duke was right

Good transactions list in my profile

My Bowl.com member page

rustylegacy · « **Reply #24 on:** November 19, 2008, 05:14:07 PM »

I love Visionary, but the React-a-tac sucks up some serious oil. The oil has to be really heavy to leave rings on the ball for more than a few minutes. That being said they dont die early deaths like others are rumoured to.

Author Topic: Why do I want a ball that absorbs oil (Read 5252 times)

LordWalrus

Why do I want a ball that absorbs oil

TWOHAND834

Re: Why do I want a ball that absorbs oil

Juggernaut

Re: Why do I want a ball that absorbs oil

six pack

Re: Why do I want a ball that absorbs oil

LordWalrus

Re: Why do I want a ball that absorbs oil

dizzyfugu

Re: Why do I want a ball that absorbs oil

KingofKings696

Re: Why do I want a ball that absorbs oil

LordWalrus

Re: Why do I want a ball that absorbs oil

Juggernaut

Re: Why do I want a ball that absorbs oil

rustylegacy

Re: Why do I want a ball that absorbs oil