BallReviews
General Category => Coverstock Preparation => Topic started by: lilpossum1 on August 16, 2015, 04:05:22 PM
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Why should we keep up on maintenance as far as surface grit goes? And why try to be as precise as "all steps from 500 to 4000" or "500 skip to 4000" or using 2000 grit instead of 4000 because it reads a little sooner? I have read and heard that surface only lasts for 9 games or so before it needs touched up. Why not just let the covers just settle out on the grit it will settle on naturally because of lane surfaces. This is for middle of the road grits and not low grit sanded balls and polished ones.
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Why adjust surface? Why maintain equipment?
Because you care about reaction and carry? That's why I do it...
Because bowling balls aren't cheap and we would like to get the most out of them as possible? Nah, bad reason. Because we all don't bowl on exactly the same conditions? Nah, bad reason. How about because we care about scores? Horrible reason! ;)
No manufacturer will ever find the "magic" surface that suits everyone's conditions. The factory finish is a starting point, nothing more or less...
On the easiest of conditions you will be able to get away with doing less routine maintenance (for awhile, anyway), but eventually most of today's bowling balls need to be maintained to some extent or you're throwing away pins every game. You decide.
I can't even count the hundreds of bowling balls that were brought into the shop over the past 12 years or so, that I helped restore reaction and carry and the bowler's enjoyment level was restored.
Face it, what do most bowlers do when their ball loses reaction? They try to FORCE reaction, which hurts their consistency, or eventually they want something new. With some routine maintenance many of today's balls can be very good for hundreds of games. Do you ever change the oil or tires on your car? Of course, because you want it to last longer...
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@notclay - Spot on response Lane!
Bowling is a game about repetition and repeating 12 shots in a row to achieve perfection. The surface is something that I can fine tune to perfectly match my game and that I can repeat it over and over.My go to ball is an Original Dynothane Vendetta (circa 2002) it is as powerful as it was out of box.
-Kevin
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Agree most wholeheartedly with Lane and Kevin.
After all, the ball's surface is one of the very few factors in bowling over which we have a measure of control. Not to take advantage of that is not to participate in bowling at its fullest. To me, it almost means you don't truly care how you do.
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Thanks Kevin and Jeff!
charlest is the real expert around here. I've done a bunch over the years regarding surface, but would not hesitate to ask him ANY questions at all.
Kevin supplies excellent product, but in order to create that product one needs some extensive knowledge, too.
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If you don't like ball reaction after 5-8 games on a new ball that's a great reason to adjust the surface.
Lower end equipment doesn't have as big a reaction difference typically as the mid and upper performance equipment when not maintained.
So if you have a big hooking high performance ball with 30 games on it and it doesn't react as good as it use to, its worth the time and money to have the surface touched up.
If you know you're going to bowl an event where theres going to be a heavier oiled condition would you rather have a hp ball with leftover surface from the past 10 weeks of bowling or one with a fresh finish for the condition you are expecting?
Many don't notice the loss of reaction until having the ball cleaned/resurfaced.
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Were it not for surface adjustments, my Octane and Tag would have become boat anchors long ago.
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A friend and I were just talking! He restores all his stuff to factory and it's mostly storm equipment.
I on the other hand have now started taking much of my equipment up to Storm Extra Shine! With 3000 on it. Considerably different than the usual 1500 grit sand with Storm Reacta Shine.
He is a high speed, strong rev up the backer on a strong side to side wet dry!
I am a softer speed strong rev 55 degree axis rotation player who can make the ball go sideways off a wet dry or off the end of a pattern.
The higher shine lets me move left where most of the striking is done by good striking lefties in this house!
All of sudden we are playing near the same line with different releases and ball sufaces!l Best of all my carry seems to be way up near his.
Regards,
Luckylefty
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I throw mostly storm and roto grip. Also, I have a MX-05 and red pearl black widow legend. What I found that works for me is once I drill a ball I throw it box finish to see what it does. Then I take storm surface factory polish and polish the ball to a high gloss. Then I go back to the lane and throw the ball and taking an abralon pad usually 2000 or 3000 and lightly hit the surface by hand to get the desired shape to fit into my arsenal. This works very well for me. I have been very good at keeping the surface consistent. Most generally after i bowl about 10 games with a ball I go through the process again.
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I adjust surface cause it takes me into the garage late at night, while everyone is asleep in the house. It's my "me time" and my doberman gets a kick at spinning colored balls. Plus, it saves me money on nib's....
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I throw mostly storm and roto grip. Also, I have a MX-05 and red pearl black widow legend. What I found that works for me is once I drill a ball I throw it box finish to see what it does. Then I take storm surface factory polish and polish the ball to a high gloss. Then I go back to the lane and throw the ball and taking an abralon pad usually 2000 or 3000 and lightly hit the surface by hand to get the desired shape to fit into my arsenal. This works very well for me. I have been very good at keeping the surface consistent. Most generally after i bowl about 10 games with a ball I go through the process again.
This is a great plan. Start with the highest grit and work your way down. I personally don't like tying my surface to a number like 2000, 3000 or whatever. The reason why is because even if I have the best surface on Monday, it may not be the best for Thursday. Depending on how aggressive you are on changing surfaces (every night or once a month) you should determine your surface based on what you are seeing and not based on what number you think will work.
Walk in with a shiny ball and scuff till it works. Then use that surface till it doesn't work anymore and start over. Easy to reproduce.
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I think you guys misunderstood what I meant because I didn't make myself clear. I understand changing the surface from factory to find out what works best. But if a ball is working best at roughly a middle of the road grit, where the ball would normally fall to based on lane friction, why should we ever touch up the surface? I'm not trying to be a troll or anything. I genuinely want to know. Does the surface wear down too much with "lane shine" and eventually not grip the lane correctly?
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But if a ball is working best at roughly a middle of the road grit, where the ball would normally fall to based on lane friction, why should we ever touch up the surface?
Because "working best at roughly a middle of the road grit" is different than "where the ball would normally fall".
THESE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS!
We want the surface to remain at 2000, not what it evens out to.
Our goal is to keep the surface on the ball that we prefer literally because we prefer it.
Example: My IQ Tour Pearl is best at a fresh 2000, the reason I don't let it go past about 9 games is because the best reaction for me is at 2000, not what it becomes.
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Well, AFAIHL, with use on synthetics, balls get worn smoother and smoother, reaching around the same grit as a polished ball, ~5000 - 5500 grit range. If that's what you need on your ball, then there's no need to change the surface.
"Lane shine" is again, AFAIHL, oil pressed into the surface of the ball such that it gives the appearance of being polished. You need to either sand it or preferably, use a deep, aggressive cleaner such as LMB International's (formerly LaneMaster's) High Performance Bowling Ball cleaner or Clean and Dull or Neo-Tac's Hook it
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charlest hit the nail on the head, as long as you're satisfied with the reaction your ball is giving you don't need to mess with the surface, just clean it regularly. If you want more or less hook and/or smoother or sharper back end, first step should be to modify the surface. -- JohnP
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I am wondering if the OP is insinuating drilling and ball selection can be used instead of surface adjustment.
If we assume a bowler at his center will have all of his equipment end up at the same surface, then ball selection and drilling can be used to fine tune his/her shot. Bowler buys a ball like the Hyroad and then assuming the surface will end up at say 3000, then drills accordingly based on experience with R2S hybrid.
I can see the logic in this, though I like the idea of being able to be reactive in surface and maximize my potential. But that is me.
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Ahh you guys have pretty much answered my question. But if the surface changes so quickly, is there really any point in going through all the specifics of trying to get a certain surface doing a complete resurface? Or will throwing it on the spinner and hitting it with a desired pad do the trick?
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From my point of view, a ball has a designed-in ball reaction on a specified oil amount, based on 3 factors: the coverstock strength, the core strength and the stock surface, for a medium rev, medium ball speed bowler.
One has to learn/find what that desired ball reaction is. Then one has to know how one's own specific release/delivery specs differ from the theoretical average bowler. Then you have to apply that difference to the ball, to understand how that ball will react for you.
Then, knowing the oil pattern and amount (and lane surface) for which you are buying that ball, you have to decide how to drill that ball to best utilize its basic ball reaction for your own good. (That oil amount/pattern/lane surface could be your house shot or it could be a tournament condition.)
Once you try that ball using its stock surface, you have to decide if that surface gets the reaction you are looking for. If not, then you have to decide which surface will best meet your needs/wants/desires.
Once you decide on a surface, you PROBABLY should maintain that surface because one that surface or its close approximation, with that drilling, will get you what you need/want.
If you don't maintain that surface, you should either re-drill that ball or get rid of it or live with its consequences.
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I think that you should be committed to hitting the surface every few games if you want to use a surface more dull than the 5000 that the ball wears towards.
I have settled on Scotch Brite pads with a cleaning product at the end of my sets.
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a quick look into scotch brite pads shows they highest grit one being 1200-1500 grit. That isn't too low for touching up a surface after sets?
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a quick look into scotch brite pads shows they highest grit one being 1200-1500 grit. That isn't too low for touching up a surface after sets?
If you want to be less intrusive, use one of the liquid "scuff" products for in-between spinner session maintenance. There are several products out from Storm, Motiv, Neo-Tac, and Valentino. They all easily maintain surface without going overboard, and do a good job of deep clean.
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a quick look into scotch brite pads shows they highest grit one being 1200-1500 grit. That isn't too low for touching up a surface after sets?
If you need a 1200/1500 grit finish, then, no, of course.
If you like these type of non-woven pads, Mirka (maker of Abralon) also makes non-woven pads called Mirka Mirlon Total. They come in 3 grits: 360, 1500 and 2500 grit.
http://www.woodessence.com/Mirka-Mirlon-Total-P86.aspx (http://www.woodessence.com/Mirka-Mirlon-Total-P86.aspx)
They're also available on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BKXWLM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2LQE2MVU2HTQ4&coliid=I8GIM17A0T9VE&psc=1 (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BKXWLM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2LQE2MVU2HTQ4&coliid=I8GIM17A0T9VE&psc=1)
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a quick look into scotch brite pads shows they highest grit one being 1200-1500 grit. That isn't too low for touching up a surface after sets?
If you need a 1200/1500 grit finish, then, no, of course.
If you like these type of non-woven pads, Mirka (maker of Abralon) also makes non-woven pads called Mirka Mirlon Total. They come in 3 grits: 360, 1500 and 2500 grit.
http://www.woodessence.com/Mirka-Mirlon-Total-P86.aspx (http://www.woodessence.com/Mirka-Mirlon-Total-P86.aspx)
They're also available on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BKXWLM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2LQE2MVU2HTQ4&coliid=I8GIM17A0T9VE&psc=1 (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BKXWLM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2LQE2MVU2HTQ4&coliid=I8GIM17A0T9VE&psc=1)
[/quota quick look into scotch brite pads shows they highest grit one being 1200-1500 grit. That isn't too low for touching up a surface after sets?
If you need a 1200/1500 grit finish, then, no, of course.
If you like these type of non-woven pads, Mirka (maker of Abralon) also makes non-woven pads called Mirka Mirlon Total. They come in 3 grits: 360, 1500 and 2500 grit.
http://www.woodessence.com/Mirka-Mirlon-Total-P86.aspx (http://www.woodessence.com/Mirka-Mirlon-Total-P86.aspx)
They're also available on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BKXWLM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2LQE2MVU2HTQ4&coliid=I8GIM17A0T9VE&psc=1 (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BKXWLM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2LQE2MVU2HTQ4&coliid=I8GIM17A0T9VE&psc=1)
Mirlon pads are used with the turbo grips sandbagger
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a quick look into scotch brite pads shows they highest grit one being 1200-1500 grit. That isn't too low for touching up a surface after sets?
Different grit ratings can make it confusing. Check out this link:
http://home.earthlink.net/~litefrozen/downloads/bowling_grit_chart_v2.pdf
You'll see that the "gold" scotchbrite (my favorite, but hard to find) is rated near abralon 2000 and light gray (check auto store in paint section) at 1500. These work well with light/medium hand (washing dishes) pressure and a cleaner for me in taking off the lane shine without having to get a spinner or bring it in to the pro shop.
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Which scotch brite pads would you carry in your bag for quick surface adjustments during practice? And is the motiv power gel scuff and polish the two that clean and polish and clean and scuff? Can I just use my cleaning towel and do it by hand or should I use a spinner?
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In this discussion, is it a given that the lane surface never changes, and the bowler cannot "adjust"?????
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A lot of this was based off the fact that a ball surface changes very quickly according to surface scans. And the fact that I frequently see very good scores shot with unmaintained equipment
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A lot of this was based off the fact that a ball surface changes very quickly according to surface scans. And the fact that I frequently see very good scores shot with unmaintained equipment
Don't dismiss how much a THS can mask.......on flat patterns surface prep really is enhanced.
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A lot of this was based off the fact that a ball surface changes very quickly according to surface scans. And the fact that I frequently see very good scores shot with unmaintained equipment
Don't dismiss how much a THS can mask.......on flat patterns surface prep really is enhanced.
+1…
On my THS, I don't play with the surface on balls I use for league very often. I'll clean them after every set, but that's it. For my sport shot league and PBA/Sport tournaments, I'm maintaining the surfaces all the time. It really does make a difference.
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Ahhh ok. Thank you