BallReviews

General Category => Coverstock Preparation => Topic started by: mswitz88 on February 07, 2014, 08:14:19 AM

Title: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: mswitz88 on February 07, 2014, 08:14:19 AM
I have been making the transition back to using polish on my Storm/Roto equipment after having gone a long period of time using little-to-none and just going with higher grit abralon pads. I bought xtra shine and reacta-shine to use as polishes and have been having mixed luck with them. I don't have a spinner so I have been applying by hand. I find the xtra shine is easier to get a decent gloss finish but really kills the backend snap (made my virtual energy look like a house ball). I have been also using  reacta-shine to touch up already polished equipment and it too seems to have a drastic effect on the overall hook. When I apply the polish it is usually on top of a 3000 or 4000 base grit (I tend to hit all grits below these as well) I am wondering if it is the polish, my application techniques or possibly the base grit which could remedy this issue. I have read lots of good things about Snake oil and was contemplating getting some of that to try but if it is my base grit that probably won't do me any good either. My goal is to get some extra push through the heads and some extra snap on the backend. Any suggestions would be helpful!
Title: Re: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: Brunswick_fan_BrandonH on February 07, 2014, 09:05:34 AM
With a 3000 or 4000 base and then polish, the ball doesn't have the underlying grit to grip the lane surface. Most polishes are 4000 - 5000 grit and delay hook by getting the ball to skid farther down the lane. Another issue might be using a sanding pad by hand. A spinner would give you a more consistent base grit. Maybe you can have your pro shop guy use the spinner to put a base grit, and then you can polish it yourself. I would suggest 500 or 1000 base, and then applying polish. With the lower grit base, the ball will read the lane better and not skid as far down the lane.
Title: Re: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: scotts33 on February 07, 2014, 09:22:27 AM
I think you can put down a decent base grit 1000, 1500, 2000 by hand but the issue is getting down a good polish without a spinner.
Title: Re: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: cisco1869 on February 07, 2014, 03:07:55 PM
I also make all of my own surface adjustments and maintenance by hand with out a spinner and the best advice I can give is experiment with different combinations and find one that works for you.  As an expample, on a couple of my balls I prefer a 500 grit or maroon scotch brite pad as a base and then applying polish very lightly leaving more of a hazy type finish, not a high shine.  Then if I decide I need a little more push down lane, I can always add just a little more shine if needed.

I will agree with others in that 3000 or 4000 as a base layer and then polish will probably make it a little too smooth / shiny.
Title: Re: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: mswitz88 on February 09, 2014, 12:20:26 PM
The general consensus is I need  a more course base grit. In that case, what is a good polish to put over these course grits that won't cause my arm to fall off while I'm trying to work it in?
Title: Re: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: cisco1869 on February 10, 2014, 01:07:51 AM
The general consensus is I need  a more course base grit. In that case, what is a good polish to put over these course grits that won't cause my arm to fall off while I'm trying to work it in?

You should be able to use whatever polish you are using now; you do not have to apply much pressure at all to alter the surface, it depends on how shiny you want it.
Title: Re: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: tc300 on April 07, 2014, 07:58:37 AM
Applying polish by hand just a waste of time......  Could be why you're getting mixed results
Title: Re: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: Dave81644 on April 08, 2014, 04:03:23 PM
i have found that the higher the underlying grit is, the more chance you have of an over/under type reaction.
i prefer a 1000 to 2000 base grit on most pieces and then polish
the Arson Low flare is 500/1000 and then powerhouse clean n sheen which is a matte polish
this ball is arcing a predictable with this prep and matte polish
if i dull it to say 2000, the ball is much stronger
i have tried the matte polish on other pieces and its a tamer, more even reaction
Title: Re: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: mswitz88 on April 09, 2014, 07:13:54 AM
Thanks for all the replies. I ended up purchasing a Surface master to use with a cordless drill and that significantly improved my consistency when doing polish. I went with a 500/1000 then step two on my virtual energy to much better results.
Title: Re: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: back to it on June 12, 2015, 06:56:45 PM
I have a spinner,use 3000 gritwet,drypaper,polish with storm exxtra shine followed by UFO.Bowled state at 42 ft and was ok starting with brunswick nexxus and transitioned into a lane 1 g force pearl.At our local IMO AMF?Bowlmor/Brunswick running 31 ft,want to guess?Blue dot straight up 10. with 42 ft im at 14.75 mph,31ft 11.29 with about 300-350 revs.Mr  stroker can but hook in the box,I can buy urethane or plastic.BTW polishes have no grit,only compounds
Title: Re: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: DOWNTOWN on June 12, 2015, 09:24:20 PM
I have a spinner,use 3000 gritwet,drypaper,polish with storm exxtra shine followed by UFO.Bowled state at 42 ft and was ok starting with brunswick nexxus and transitioned into a lane 1 g force pearl.At our local IMO AMF?Bowlmor/Brunswick running 31 ft,want to guess?Blue dot straight up 10. with 42 ft im at 14.75 mph,31ft 11.29 with about 300-350 revs.Mr  stroker can but hook in the box,I can buy urethane or plastic.BTW polishes have no grit,only compounds


Just to let you know almost all polishes and compounds contain grit. How much that depends.
Title: Re: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: dougb on June 12, 2015, 10:48:49 PM
I have a spinner,use 3000 gritwet,drypaper,polish with storm exxtra shine followed by UFO.Bowled state at 42 ft and was ok starting with brunswick nexxus and transitioned into a lane 1 g force pearl.At our local IMO AMF?Bowlmor/Brunswick running 31 ft,want to guess?Blue dot straight up 10. with 42 ft im at 14.75 mph,31ft 11.29 with about 300-350 revs.Mr  stroker can but hook in the box,I can buy urethane or plastic.BTW polishes have no grit,only compounds


Just to let you know almost all polishes and compounds contain grit. How much that depends.

Valentino's Snake Oil is a grit less polish. I believe the only one.
Title: Re: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: charlest on June 13, 2015, 07:32:48 AM
I have a spinner,use 3000 gritwet,drypaper,polish with storm exxtra shine followed by UFO.Bowled state at 42 ft and was ok starting with brunswick nexxus and transitioned into a lane 1 g force pearl.At our local IMO AMF?Bowlmor/Brunswick running 31 ft,want to guess?Blue dot straight up 10. with 42 ft im at 14.75 mph,31ft 11.29 with about 300-350 revs.Mr  stroker can but hook in the box,I can buy urethane or plastic.BTW polishes have no grit,only compounds


Just to let you know almost all polishes and compounds contain grit. How much that depends.

Not "almost", all.
Title: Re: Polish and base grit questions
Post by: charlest on June 13, 2015, 07:38:45 AM
I have a spinner,use 3000 gritwet,drypaper,polish with storm exxtra shine followed by UFO.Bowled state at 42 ft and was ok starting with brunswick nexxus and transitioned into a lane 1 g force pearl.At our local IMO AMF?Bowlmor/Brunswick running 31 ft,want to guess?Blue dot straight up 10. with 42 ft im at 14.75 mph,31ft 11.29 with about 300-350 revs.Mr  stroker can but hook in the box,I can buy urethane or plastic.BTW polishes have no grit,only compounds


Just to let you know almost all polishes and compounds contain grit. How much that depends.

Valentino's Snake Oil is a grit less polish. I believe the only one.

Nope, it has some.

Abrasives are what make polishes shine balls, as far as I have learned. It's the size, the type, and the amount of the abrasive that differentiates one polish from the other.

Snake Oil and LaneMasters Factory Finish polish are among the most versatile, for me and from what I see. I suspect that Motiv Power Gel polish is among the least of the current range of polishes. It often takes a lot of polish and lot of spin time to get a polish on a ball. Lane#1's Secret Sauce is the most abrasive current polish; it is the only one that I know of that can shine some of the current TRUE urethane balls, like the AMF Boo-Yah, which I suspect has virtually no resin in it.