BallReviews
Equipment Boards => Columbia 300 => Topic started by: BenLeong on October 19, 2013, 07:15:02 PM
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So, I just picked up a Columbia 300 Benchmark Traction LE. I have the original Columbia 300 Benchmark, too, and the CG is designated with a small dot in the center of the brand logo... a hard thing to find and discern from a blemish. But with the Traction LE one that came in the mail, I don't see anything... not even a blemish. I know I could use a scale and twist and turn over and over until I find where it might be, but, it'd be so much easier if you guys could use your eyes to see what maybe I can't seem to find.
Interestingly, I saw another thread a while back where someone was having a hard time finding the CG on their original Benchmark, too.
Take a look at my attached photo. The box lists the pin to be 3-4". For reference, 3" is at about where the "a" is in "Columbia," and 4" is at about where the "U" is in "U.S.A."
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Please read this thread that I started. See some of the responses:
http://www.ballreviews.com/columbia-300/cg-location-marker-t298016.0.html (http://www.ballreviews.com/columbia-300/cg-location-marker-t298016.0.html)
Yours is worse than mine. I have the faintest glimmer of a dot below the "m" in Columbia. Have your pro shop/driller find the CG with a Kaufman (Do-do) scale.
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Please read this thread that I started. See some of the responses:
http://www.ballreviews.com/columbia-300/cg-location-marker-t298016.0.html (http://www.ballreviews.com/columbia-300/cg-location-marker-t298016.0.html)
Yours is worse than mine. I have the faintest glimmer of a dot below the "m" in Columbia. Have your pro shop/driller find the CG with a Kaufman (Do-do) scale.
I checked it out, but it didn't inform me of anything I didn't already know I'm afraid.
Perhaps the pin marking was made on top of one of the etched logo lines, and that's why I can't see it?
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Wow. That's a tough one. Is it maybe within the third horizontal line just barely above and left of the u in USA? That line seems to have a little...bump there.?
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Wow. That's a tough one. Is it maybe within the third horizontal line just barely above and left of the u in USA? That line seems to have a little...bump there.?
I see what you're referring to, but after close inspection, I'm pretty sure it's just the imperfection of the engraving of that line. I'll get a closeup pic to show what I mean.
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Here's a close-up:
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Yeah I think you're right. Man that's tough. Not the smoothest engraving ever either right!? Lol. I think your ball has 34 cg's marked lol. Spot on the N, spot right under the vertical line in the b, spot on the inside, lower edge of the first 0. I have no idea.
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Yeah I think you're right. Man that's tough. Not the smoothest engraving ever either right!? Lol. I think your ball has 34 cg's marked lol. Spot on the N, spot right under the vertical line in the b, spot on the inside, lower edge of the first 0. I have no idea.
Yeah, while the ball itself looks absolutely beautiful, the CG marker is really frustrating.
Here's a close-up of the spots you wondered about. Looking at each, I don't think any of them are it:
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Wow you're right. Alright, last guess, I promise. Is it on the horizontal line in the A in USA? Last time, honestly. I say that because that looks closer to a circular shape than just shaky engraving.
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Wow you're right. Alright, last guess, I promise. Is it on the horizontal line in the A in USA? Last time, honestly. I say that because that looks closer to a circular shape than just shaky engraving.
It's hard to get a close-up picture of that for some reason, but, I don't think it's it.
My closest guess is the top-left corner of the "N," as it's the deepest. But it's also not a circular dot... it's a short line that follows the contour of the letter.
Damnit.
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My comment on charlest's thread went without a remark and I still think that you can use the center of the USBC/serial number logo as a reference point.
All you have to do is take a quarter scale and center one end on that logo. Do this 3 times at different angles from the logo and mark the spots on the opposite end.
I'd bet that the CG mark, if it exists, would fall somewhere between those points.
I just did this on a non X-out Pursuit-S with a flexible ruler and it was pretty close. I think the more precise quarter scale would give much better results. At least close enough for most layouts...
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My comment on charlest's thread went without a remark and I still think that you can use the center of the USBC/serial number logo as a reference point.
All you have to do is take a quarter scale and center one end on that logo. Do this 3 times at different angles from the logo and mark the spots on the opposite end.
I'd bet that the CG mark, if it exists, would fall somewhere between those points.
I just did this on a non X-out Pursuit-S with a flexible ruler and it was pretty close. I think the more precise quarter scale would give much better results. At least close enough for most layouts...
I'll give it a shot.
Actually, what I'll do is go grab my other Benchmark that has the CG clearly marked and test your theory first on that as a control. If it works, I'll try it on the newer Benchmark LE.
I have a Pro Sect so it should be no problem.
I'll post photos... stay tuned.
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How much top weight are you dealing with on this one, or I should really specify... How much top weight does the manufacturer claim the ball has?
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You can and probably should weigh it on a scale to locate the CG... Cannot remember the exact process, but I am sure someone on here know is.. YOu end up drawing a box on the ball when weighing the different sides of the ball and finally the X will mark the spot
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How much top weight are you dealing with on this one, or I should really specify... How much top weight does the manufacturer claim the ball has?
2.75oz. So not a lot, and thus not really a problem, especially if I know the general area of the CG. But if the label was etched in an erroneous location, I could end up having some trouble after drilling. Plus, I just like to know which layout I'm putting on each ball.
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Vacuum with blower output... a fairly stout, round, 8" diameter plastic container and some system to port air to said object and control the volume of air flow...
Float the ball on a cushion of air and the heavy spot should face down?
*shrug*
Isn't that basically how they do it in the factory? Albeit on a more sophisticated device...
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I tried the 180º thing on both my original Benchmark and my U2 The Classic.
The results... are mixed. While 180º between the CG and serial number almost connects, it's still a little off, especially as shown on the U2. Also, it's hard to say where the serial number begins and ends, especially on a sphere. And since the serial number is approximately an inch wide, that can yield a huge area of where the CG might be if mapped out in reverse. But, I'll give it a try on my new Benchmark LE and post a pic of what I come up with.
See below for a pic of me doing it with the original Benchmark:
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And here is a pic of me doing it with my U2 The Classic:
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Using that rule of 180º from the serial number on the Benchmark LE, it designated a spot on the label that isn't a conclusive CG etching. But again, I could have adjusted where I set the "starting" point on the serial number to get an entirely different result. :-\
See below for pics:
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And here is where I started from:
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Vacuum with blower output... a fairly stout, round, 8" diameter plastic container and some system to port air to said object and control the volume of air flow...
Float the ball on a cushion of air and the heavy spot should face down?
*shrug*
Isn't that basically how they do it in the factory? Albeit on a more sophisticated device...
It's pretty doubtful that I could arrange to find/make that kind of setup/device.
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Vacuum with blower output... a fairly stout, round, 8" diameter plastic container and some system to port air to said object and control the volume of air flow...
Float the ball on a cushion of air and the heavy spot should face down?
*shrug*
Isn't that basically how they do it in the factory? Albeit on a more sophisticated device...
It's pretty doubtful that I could arrange to find/make that kind of setup/device.
I'd be tempted to myself, but I have access to a Kaufman scale 6 days a week for the most part and no undrilled balls at home to test it with...