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Author Topic: Cover sensitive?  (Read 3163 times)

Mark French

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Cover sensitive?
« on: July 27, 2003, 01:27:22 PM »
I do not know if there have been previous posts about this particular topic or not, but anywho here's my situation.

I have two Inferno's. One of them I hit lightly with a green Scotch Brite, and the other I left factory finish.

Well, due to some rather rough wood lanes that I bowled on a few weeks ago for CA State Tourney, the factory Inferno needed to be resurfaced. I got it back two days ago, and I can definitely say that it is a completely different ball. I have a 5x5 layout on it, and it used to go pretty long but turn the corner hard and plow through the pins (on my center's shot, which is 35 ft, 10-10 with a fair amount of oil in the middle and medium/dry backends). After resurfacing and bringing it back to factory once more, I threw a good game or two and I've found that it closely resembles the reaction of a plastic ball. I'll throw it some more before making any adjustments, but I'm bummed out because the reaction seems to be totally gone.

With the first ball, I put the pin under and left (I'm a lefty) of the ring finger, and kicked out the cg about a half inch from directly below the pin. When dulled with the Scotch Brite, the ball was a down right BEAST (same shot as mentioned before). I made that surface adjustment about 2 months ago when I first drilled it. Now, after keeping the ball clean, wiping it down every shot and cleaning it weekly, the covered boards seems as if it has been cut down by 40%-50%. There is a chance that the ball is just dirty, but I don't think that is quite it because I haven't thrown it too much.

Has anyone else experienced this situation? If so (or not), does anyone have and suggestions/comments that may cure the 'problem' with either of these bowling balls? I really like both of them, and would really be disappointed to see them leave me already.
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~Mench

 

charlest

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Re: Cover sensitive?
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2003, 08:10:15 AM »
FWIW I'd suspect that the person who resurfaced your ball did not know the correct process for returning the Inferno to factory specs. He might have done a great job, to the best of his abilities but he probably just put as high gloss polish on as fine a grit of sanding as he could. Thus it grips as well as plastic. Before one does a proper resurface, IF the intent is to return a ball to its original factory specifications, you must know how the manufacturer did it originally.

If I had to guess, as I don't know what the Inferno's finish is, I'd say, sand it to 600 grit then polish with a 1500 or 2000 grit polish or the equivalent. Your guy might have sanded it to 1500 or 2000, then applied a 5000 grit polish. You could just email Brunswick to ask them the proper process. They are fairly repsonsive to queries. It is possible that the Inferno needs some special handling since it is a "new" coverstock.
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"Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it."
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Enzo

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Re: Cover sensitive?
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2003, 12:40:33 PM »
I've this problem before, and after I read the recommandation made by brunswick at their website's forum, I sand it to 400 grit and then polish it, my inferno back to life...

Read this : http://boards.brunswickbowling.com/index.pl/alearning_lab?func=showMessage&mid=100631&wid=6

Mark French

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Re: Cover sensitive?
« Reply #3 on: July 28, 2003, 03:21:38 PM »
Thanks charlest, I think I will look into the process that the shop owner went through when resurfacing it. And Enzo, the thread on the Brunswick site is perfect. I'll have to try that process when I go to the lanes later. Once again, thanks to both of you!
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~Mench

BrunsPro

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Re: Cover sensitive?
« Reply #4 on: July 29, 2003, 09:13:46 AM »
Brunswick now has a "Factory Finish Polish" available.  It was just introduced at Bowl Expo.  Request it to be used when your pro shop is resurfacing your Brunswick ball back to "out-of-the box" finish.  If the pro shop does not have it, they should be able to get it from their distributor.

Just wanted to let you know this product is out there and should clear up problems of getting Brunswick balls back to "out of the box".
John Prokopec
Product Manager
Brunswick Bowling

Doug Sterner

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Re: Cover sensitive?
« Reply #5 on: July 29, 2003, 09:42:29 AM »
I have been fighting with this very topic for years and now I see that 1 company anyway has added a section to their website about what finish their balls are.

If you check Columbia's site and click on the Marketing Materials link in the lower righ hand corner of their webpage, you get a chart that gives the final sanding grits and the polish specs as well. Here's the link to get to it directly... http://columbia300.com/eps/eps.cfm

Take note other manufacturers!!!
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Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY
http://dougsproshop@aol.com
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Think about it....pins are wood, lanes are wood...
the weapon of choice is obvious...
CUT 'EM UP BABY it's BUZZSAW TIME!!!
Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY

Proud Member of the NRA
Fighting to uphold the Constitution of the U.S.

charlest

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Re: Cover sensitive?
« Reply #6 on: July 29, 2003, 09:56:50 AM »
The Inferno is 400 grit, then polished? Wow, no wonder people say it sometimes seems to act like a particle ball!
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Strider

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Re: Cover sensitive?
« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2003, 11:49:37 AM »
Great information.  Thanks Enzo, Johnnybowler, and Doug!
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