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Author Topic: Ball polishing machines at alleys  (Read 8368 times)

witesoxwoz22

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Ball polishing machines at alleys
« on: June 13, 2007, 02:35:27 PM »
I use a Hammer Blade and with my slower ball speeds I usually have my proshop guy polish it on the spinner or I use the machines at the alley because I have trouble with the ball over reacting.  Today at the alley I was putting my ball in the polishing machine, and the proshop guy (one from a different alley) said he would never put a ball in that machine because it clogs the pores of the ball, and that it DESTROYS the ball.  I gave him a puzzling look at him like he was full of it.  So is he right?  I have been satisfied with the reaction I get with polishing, but I would like to know if this proshop guy was correct.
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chaos10187

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2007, 10:53:40 PM »
I don't trust them, just because if a bolt or a piece of metal gets lose in there it could put nicks and scratch the ball up. This is esp true if your bowling center doesn't give it good repair.
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Hogsharley

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2007, 10:57:29 PM »
I don't trust Lustre King's. There fine for your spare ball but not for your reactives.
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APheLion

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2007, 10:57:35 PM »
i put my infinite one and equation in one, they are both siting on my closet
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FastTracker33

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2007, 11:25:44 PM »
Well that's weird, i put my Track Solution PPEX in one, and it came out awesome. I was shooting really high with it, and the shine did just what i wanted it to do. (get through the burnt heads a touch easier)
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witesoxwoz22

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2007, 11:51:03 PM »
So, lets say there is no mechanical issues with the lustre king, is it as bad as he says it is then?
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- woz

Leftyhi-trak

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2007, 12:33:50 AM »
I never use to trust the older ones as when you looked at the application if the brushes or wheels were not new you were getting polish and also grime from the previous users equipment. Does it work, yes! Do i trust it as much as someone in the shop or myslf applying it on a spinner. No way!

DON DRAPER

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2007, 06:09:42 AM »
assuming the machine at your local center is operating correctly the machine itself nor the type of product it applies to the ball will not destroy the ball. ask the center manager what condition the machine is in and what type of finish it places on the ball. the machine at my house is old but has been remanufactured with new parts and works great. they use a rubbing and finishing compound-----very similar to the compound that brunswick uses in their rough buff. when brunswicks danger zone came out( 1995 )they "polished" this ball at the factory in a lustrekleen machine. all of their "polished" bowling balls received this type of finish.

Medichal

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2007, 06:47:34 PM »
The bowling alley Lustre King machine does clog the pores

Rileybowler

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2007, 07:07:22 PM »
I used them all the time when we had them at the bowling alley they did a great job good ball reaction more than pleased no problems would use today if they still had one
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Juggernaut

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2007, 07:15:52 PM »
There are/were several different compounds available for those old machines, but most of them WILL clog the pores on new, highly porous veneers used on todays high tech balls.

  The wax based compounds were the worst.  These would clog up the pores in even the old blue urethane hammers, and those were some seriously hard balls to make shine, but the wax based compounds could make one of them gleam like new money, but also cut the hook potential down to almost nothing compared to what it should have been.

  One man's trash is another man's treasure, so take it for what it is worth to you.  You may like the results, but you may not.  Are you willing to spend $200 for a new ball just to find out?
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DON DRAPER

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2007, 10:38:37 PM »
clogging the pores is one thing----destroying the ball is quite another. if you were at a tournament and the lanes were bone dry go ahead and use the machine. afterwards, you can always scuff the ball and clean the surface with a little acetone. between the scuffing and the acetone your ball will be like it was before.

witesoxwoz22

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #12 on: June 22, 2007, 09:45:17 PM »
So if you sand it down again with a scotchbrite pad, you would be back to square one correct?
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- woz

DON DRAPER

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #13 on: June 23, 2007, 03:53:22 PM »
partly. scuffing/sanding the ball will remove the buildup of the material from the lustrekleen machine. but you will need to clean the ball with some acetone and a rag to get the compound out of the pores of the ball. this little trick was given to me by a brunswick employee with many years of pro shop experience.

Jock

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Re: Ball polishing machines at alleys
« Reply #14 on: June 25, 2007, 08:51:46 AM »
Greg,

I thought that the use of acetone was prohibited?

Is it on the approved list?
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