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Author Topic: A question about the NRG coverstock...  (Read 10009 times)

Roller

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A question about the NRG coverstock...
« on: November 14, 2017, 12:04:40 PM »
Hey all, long time since I have been able to post, but good to be back. I was excited to hear about the Hyroad Nano, like I was about the IQ Nano a few years back. However, I remember this  NRG cover being very short on lifespan, and high maintenance, compared to something like the Reckless cover on the Dare Devil Trick. I am curious, was my experience with my  IQ Nano being shorter lived a fluke, or is that a common issue with this cover?

 

charlest

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Re: A question about the NRG coverstock...
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2017, 03:14:57 PM »
Hey all, long time since I have been able to post, but good to be back. I was excited to hear about the Hyroad Nano, like I was about the IQ Nano a few years back. However, I remember this  NRG cover being very short on lifespan, and high maintenance, compared to something like the Reckless cover on the Dare Devil Trick. I am curious, was my experience with my  IQ Nano being shorter lived a fluke, or is that a common issue with this cover?

The NRG is Storm's maximum reaction coverstock and is usually dull. That being so, it is probably normally used dull and on very heavy oil, whereas the R2S cover on the stock Hy-Road is polished and is usually used on much less oil. So an NRG ball is going to be subjected to loads more oil and is going to try to absorb it VERY rapidly. People are unaware of this too often and do no clean their balls after every use, unlike bowler100 above.

To help prevent loading up of any coverstock, every ball should be cleaned after EVERY use, before you put it back in the bag at the alleys. It takes maybe 30 - 60 seconds to do this.

Of course the other factor that makes it appear that a ball has died (some balls do die, that is not in doubt) is that people rarely refresh the surface with which they initially use any ball. Dull/matte finish balls can change the surface grit after 6 games or so; many do. Again, it take maybe 1 minute to refresh a ball's surface, at home, with a damp abrasive pad and paper towel to wipe it off. A maybe a minute and half?

Is your $200 - $250 ball worth that much time? Or are you that rich? :)
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Roller

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Re: A question about the NRG coverstock...
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2017, 03:27:17 PM »
I always use ball cleaner immediately after I am done bowling for the day, as I know that the longer it sets the more the oil permeates the cover. I don't put a ball back in the bag until it has either gotten the reacta foam or, if it were a dull ball, the reacta skuff. I am a bit reluctant to use the pads, as I am not as experienced in properly using them on a ball, if that makes sense.

charlest

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Re: A question about the NRG coverstock...
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2017, 03:55:59 PM »
I always use ball cleaner immediately after I am done bowling for the day, as I know that the longer it sets the more the oil permeates the cover. I don't put a ball back in the bag until it has either gotten the reacta foam or, if it were a dull ball, the reacta skuff. I am a bit reluctant to use the pads, as I am not as experienced in properly using them on a ball, if that makes sense.
That's great.

As for pads, don't worry - this is not rocket science. If the final surface grit is 2000 grit (let's say the technical finish is 500/2000 grit), then every 6 - 9 games, dampen a fresh or little used 2000 grit Abralon, NEAT, Siaair, Jost or ICE pad with water, put the ball in a cup and rub it lightly with the damp pad cupped in your hand 1/4 - 1/3 of the ball at a time for roughly 15 seconds per side. Wipe off the water and slurry with a wet paper towel, then dry with a good dry paper towel, like Bounty.

Rinse out the pad thoroughly, mark the pad on the back (when dry) with a Sharpie permanent black marker. That way you can keep track of how many times you used it. Use a 4000 grit pad no more than 4 light use times. A 2000 grit pad, maybe 6- 8 light use times. 1500 grit and 1000 grit pads, maybe slightly more. The firmer you press. the fewer times you can use the pad. You should really use only light pressure ALL THE TIME.
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Roller

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Re: A question about the NRG coverstock...
« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2017, 04:06:05 PM »
Thank you for detailed explanation on the use for pads. I never like to personally mess with ball surface without a detailed direction or system, as I have not done so on a reactive ball, only my old urethane years back in the nineties. I remember posting a question some time back about the advantages of Slaair versus Abralon pads, and I believe you gave me very thorough information, which I am grateful for. Thanks again for sharing your wisdom.

charlest

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Re: A question about the NRG coverstock...
« Reply #5 on: November 14, 2017, 04:50:41 PM »
Thank you for detailed explanation on the use for pads. I never like to personally mess with ball surface without a detailed direction or system, as I have not done so on a reactive ball, only my old urethane years back in the nineties. I remember posting a question some time back about the advantages of Siaair versus Abralon pads, and I believe you gave me very thorough information, which I am grateful for. Thanks again for sharing your wisdom.

You're welcome. Hope it helps.
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Roller

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Re: A question about the NRG coverstock...
« Reply #6 on: November 14, 2017, 11:22:16 PM »
Or, I should add, if done to my equipment by my PSO. Forgot that earlier.

Luke Rosdahl

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Re: A question about the NRG coverstock...
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2017, 07:00:06 AM »
Oil absorption is a huge factor, you'll want to have it extracted occasionally when you notice performance loss, that seems to be a bigger deal than keeping the surface perfectly fresh all the time. 
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billdozer

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Re: A question about the NRG coverstock...
« Reply #8 on: November 15, 2017, 09:17:20 AM »
For me I get 30-40 games in before performance is basically gone. 

It is a high maintenance cover for sure.
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tommygn

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Re: A question about the NRG coverstock...
« Reply #9 on: November 15, 2017, 09:38:53 AM »
I always use ball cleaner immediately after I am done bowling for the day, as I know that the longer it sets the more the oil permeates the cover. I don't put a ball back in the bag until it has either gotten the reacta foam or, if it were a dull ball, the reacta skuff. I am a bit reluctant to use the pads, as I am not as experienced in properly using them on a ball, if that makes sense.

Just an FYI, every time you use reacta-scuff, you are altering the surface. The textured materiel that helps remove the oil and dirt, is an abrasive, and too much pressure and or varying pressure, will alter the Ra values of the cover. Also, you may want to make sure you don't leave any residue on the ball after you use reacta-scuff.
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SVstar34

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Re: A question about the NRG coverstock...
« Reply #10 on: November 15, 2017, 11:40:54 AM »

Just an FYI, every time you use reacta-scuff, you are altering the surface. The textured materiel that helps remove the oil and dirt, is an abrasive, and too much pressure and or varying pressure, will alter the Ra values of the cover. Also, you may want to make sure you don't leave any residue on the ball after you use reacta-scuff.

I agree. I have the Motiv Scuff and i like it a lot however i only use about every 15-20 games and you have to use real light pressure

Roller

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Re: A question about the NRG coverstock...
« Reply #11 on: November 16, 2017, 12:38:50 AM »
I suspected the reacta scuff could cause more pronounced alterations, given it is scuffing the surface. I wonder, then, is it better to use something like the reacta foam, for example, after each use, and use the scuff after every other set with this cover?

charlest

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Re: A question about the NRG coverstock...
« Reply #12 on: November 16, 2017, 05:25:19 AM »
I suspected the reacta scuff could cause more pronounced alterations, given it is scuffing the surface. I wonder, then, is it better to use something like the reacta foam, for example, after each use, and use the scuff after every other set with this cover?

Again, not rocket science.
Scuff puts on a certain surface, whatever that grit level might be (if applied exactly the same every time: amount of compound, amount of pressure, time applied, etc.; lots of variables, be careful.) If that's the surface you bowl with, everything is good. You can use it whenever.

If, however, you use a specific grit level, usually applied by an abrasive pad or other mechanism, then, whenever you use Scuff, you need to go over the surface with that specific pad to return the ball to its usable surface for you.

If you use a good, normal cleaning regimen, it should not be necessary to use Scuff very often, if at all. Good, deep cleaners, like the Lane Masters you say you use, Hook-It and Clean and Dull, will clean everything off balls that can possibly get on them. If you use super oil suckers, like balls with NRG coverstocks, you may want to do an oil extraction every 50 - 100 games, depending on the observed performance. You may not need to.

Along with cleaning, to maintain performance, surfaces do need to be refreshed regularly. A complete re-surface (if it's 500/2000, you need to reset the base surface to 500 grit and then re-apply the 2000.) should probably be performed every 30 - 50 games.
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