BallReviews
Equipment Boards => Columbia 300 => Topic started by: NHLfan88 on April 25, 2013, 09:08:50 AM
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I bought a Mass Eruption 2 weeks ago. I have only thrown about 10 shots total with it in practice, and the bridge is already cracked. I took it took the pro-shop guy and he said the bridge is at least a 1/4 inch so it's not his fault. Can i do anything about this? You think Columbia will help me out at all? If not, will it have any real effect on the ball?
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The bridge crack itself will have zero effect on the ball performance but long term it will probably continue to break out in that area and possibly even split around the ball from that weakened point.
I plug balls up nowadays as soon as I see these bridge cracks. We drill everything with a 3/8" bridge and have had zero bridge cracks that I can recall. So I am only speaking about used balls we take in. We also ALWAYS stay at least 3/4" away from the pin, or drill them completely out. (A favorite of mine)
I would ask your driller for a discount on plugging this area so that it does not spread over time. A decent shop should work with you on the repair. Take pics and send them to Columbia with your purchase reciept showing how new it is. They may warranty it.....but I wouldn't hold my breath. Technically finger grips void a warranty....so they have lots of outs on workmanship issues.
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If you got the ball from that shop they should not give you any hassles with being able to warrant it out. If they won't, that's very poor customer service and I would change shops. If you didn't buy it from them, then that's a different story.
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Layout & closeup of the crack
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That isn't how it works. They have strict guidelines on warranty issues printed on the box of every manufacturer. To blame the shop guy if the manufacturer or distributor rejects the warranty certainly seems over the top.
If you got the ball from that shop they should not give you any hassles with being able to warrant it out. If they won't, that's very poor customer service and I would change shops. If you didn't buy it from them, then that's a different story.
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The bridge is a 1/4" so it's not his fault? That's the best he can do? I would spend my money somewhere else...that's terrible customer service.
Either through the distributor or the ball company, it usually isn't an issue getting a new ball replaced that cracks. Regardless of if it has grips glued in or pin distance from the fingers.
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The fact that the Shop operator didn't even try to get the ball replaced bugs me. Unless you bought the ball online then things get a little tricky...
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The ball was not bought online. I tried emailing Columbia this morning and have not got a response yet.
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That isn't how it works. They have strict guidelines on warranty issues printed on the box of every manufacturer. To blame the shop guy if the manufacturer or distributor rejects the warranty certainly seems over the top.
If you got the ball from that shop they should not give you any hassles with being able to warrant it out. If they won't, that's very poor customer service and I would change shops. If you didn't buy it from them, then that's a different story.
Where did I say I was blaming the shop guy? Sounds like possibly a manufacturers defect. I've had issues like this and my pro shop where I bought the ball from had no problems with warranting it out. I'm saying its poor customer service that he would not help him out. By saying its not my fault, they don't care about treating customers respectfully and I certainly wouldn't go there. Of course again as I said before, if you didn't buy the ball from them, that changes the story.
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Not only is the 1/4" bridge called out in almost every warranty, but a few companies include a section about bridges weakened by insufficient lateral pitches.
One company even specifically calls out at a specific difference between lateral pitches.
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Go to a different pro shop and have the fingers plugged a soon as possible. I had a 900 G Look with a cracked bridge and let it sit for a few weeks. Took it out and it had cracked half way around the ball. lucky for me 900G has great customer service and replaced the ball. Good luck
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I bought a Mass Eruption 2 weeks ago. I have only thrown about 10 shots total with it in practice, and the bridge is already cracked. I took it took the pro-shop guy and he said the bridge is at least a 1/4 inch so it's not his fault. Can i do anything about this? You think Columbia will help me out at all? If not, will it have any real effect on the ball?
FYI the size of the bridge is only one thing the driller could have done wrong; to say what he did indicates he wasn't sure what else might have gone wrong and his statement is just sheer guilt, plastered all over his face as to the possibilities. That is NOT what he should have said to a customer.
If his bits weren't sharp, it could have affected the stability of the region around the holes.
If he didn't bevel the holes, they could easily crack.
If he used too much super-glue where the inserts meets the resin, he could have damaged the resin.
While there's no evidence to his guilt, there are too many possibilities that he doesn't seem to know about OR won't admit to knowing.
In any case, that's a pretty trivial crack, but it is a crack. Personally, I have had one or two of those. Most times, they never get worse (or mine didn't). One time it did and I had my driller do just what was suggested. Remove the inserts, fill the holes with urethane plug and re-drill as original. Urethane is much more durable than resin. It cost me $15 to plug and re-drill the fingers.
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I never put glue in the section that touches the bridge. I hit it with glue in the other 3 quarters and they stay in just fine. Chances are that if you can't get the ball company to honor the warranty the the pro shop will plug and redrill the fingers for nothing....
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I would not plug the holes, but I would insert urethane finger slugs. Works like plug, but in my opinion, is much stonger.
The only bridges I had cracked recently were all Lane#1 balls. I usually use a 5/16 bridge and never have problems. Like already said, be sure you bevel the holes. Do not leave them sharp.
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I would not plug the holes, but I would insert urethane finger slugs. Works like plug, but in my opinion, is much stonger.
The only bridges I had cracked recently were all Lane#1 balls. I usually use a 5/16 bridge and never have problems. Like already said, be sure you bevel the holes. Do not leave them sharp.
I'm really not following your logic on using slugs instead of plugging. Especially if inserts are being used...
Maybe you've been a victim of crap plug jobs, but I don't see how something glued in can approach the same reliability and look of a good plug job.
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I agree plus how would you even use them to plug the cracked bridge area???
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What I meant to say is to plug the ball first then use the slugs.
Usually plugging the finger holes will leave a thin wall after you drill the hole. Yes, you can drill out the hole to make it bigger then plug the hole, but the wall will still be a bit thin after you bevel it which could lead to further problems. Plus, I find that plug can crack in the future much easier than the slug.
As far as glueing them in, I never had a problem. Like thumb slugs, I scrape the OD a bit with a rasp file and glue, leaving a bit on top to cut down to make perfectly flush with the top of the ball.
They do come in different sizes and colors, but you are correct, depending on the color of the ball, they may not be a perfect color match.
Now, this solution is not for everyone. You should apply the proper solution based on your customer. Some of my customers get plugged and others slugged.
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24 hours later. Still no word back from Columbia, or the pro-shop "owner"
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One of the issues I brought up that hasn't been responded to was, was this ball purchased from that pro shop or was it purchased elsewhere?
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It was responded to. The ball was not purchased online. It was bought directly at the shop.
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The ball was not bought online. I tried emailing Columbia this morning and have not got a response yet.
I now can assume this post is what you are referring to? I didn't read it that way. All you stated was it wasn't bought online. This doesn't mean you purchased it from that shop. You could have gotten it from somewhere other than online. Me bad. Sorry.
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The owner said "not to worry about it, won't hurt anything"