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General Category => Drilling & Layouts => Topic started by: jjweb on September 29, 2005, 04:24:55 PM

Title: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: jjweb on September 29, 2005, 04:24:55 PM: I recently had some stuff drilled up at a shop where the pro drilled the thumb hole first, followed by the fingers. Anybody else ever done it or seen it done? Any possible advantages to drilling this way?
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: dave300 on September 30, 2005, 12:31:13 AM: Most "good" Pro shop operators I've seen will drill the fingers first. You then only have to hit one mark-the thumb, instead having to drill both fingers. Less room for mistakes. Some drillers might feel more comfortable doing it this way. I guess if it measures the same, He did his job!
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It's not how??? It's how many!!!
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: the pooh on September 30, 2005, 12:34:28 AM: I used to do it that way,til I figured out that by doing the fingers first I can nail the span every time! Seriously,doing the thumb first it is very easy to be off on at least one of the fingers at least a small ammount.
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THE POOH
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: Stan on September 30, 2005, 08:23:27 AM: I totally agree with Precision. I drill the thimb hole first but what matters is hitting your lines. "Good" pro shops hit their lines regardless of what hole is drilled first.
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: anotherwindup on September 30, 2005, 10:12:52 AM: Both of the "Good" drillers that I work/worked with drill the thumb first.

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Jason Jenkins
'05-'06 Hammer Amateur Staff
"Nothing HITS like a Hammer"
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: jjweb on September 30, 2005, 10:19:41 AM: The pro told me it was easier to line up the fingers with the thumb, versus lining the thumb up with the fingers. Make sense? lol
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: EboHammer4ever on September 30, 2005, 10:26:06 AM: I drill my thumbs first and then go from there. Always have, always will. I've got a question for everyone though. When you drill, do you leave your lines, especially for the span. I've been trying more and more to keep the lines for when I drill the fingers. Or do you try to take half of the line out? Do you take into account the thickness of the pencil? I always remeasure my spans after I drill the thumb so I can double check before I drill. What does everyone else do? Looking for some more advice. Thanx guys.
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: Mike Austin on September 30, 2005, 10:36:14 AM: I drill the fingers first. As Dave300 says, you only have to hit one line to get your spans right.

Missing the fingers by some small amount will not make a diffence with the pitches. I scribe the lines on the ball, if you are even remotely close to those lines, then there will be no effect to finger pitches. Even "good" pro shops can hit the pencil line and there be some variation, scribe lines are much thinner and more precise.

I learned to drill thumb first. But after working for Ron Hoppe for a couple years in the early '90's, I was taught the benefits of drilling fingers first.

I always check my spans 2-3 times, but for me, it is easier to hit one line instead of three.
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Houston, TX
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Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: jjweb on September 30, 2005, 10:40:43 AM: If you do drill the thumb first, how do you compensate for the finger inserts? I know if you drill the fingers first, you don't really need a cut-to-cut span and just use a full span measurement.

That's how I was taught (about drilling the fingers first), but I found it interesting to see it done backwards.

Edited on 9/30/2005 10:37 AM
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: EboHammer4ever on September 30, 2005, 10:44:38 AM: Just take your span ruler and measure the thickness of the grip and subtract it from the span. There you go.
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: dave300 on September 30, 2005, 11:12:46 AM: When I was taught to drill, it was thumb first then fingers. I've only been drill for about 8-10 months now, so I'm no expert by any means. Now I find it easier to drill the fingers first through trial and error. I never said that a "GOOD" driller does it a certain way, to each his/her own. If the driller can correctly measure the finger variance the thumb will rarely be no more that 1/16 off the grip line, not affecting pitches.

Also when I said "GOOD" I meant shops that have respect for excellent work. Not some hole in the wall around the corner...
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It's not how??? It's how many!!!
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: Pinbuster on September 30, 2005, 12:40:22 PM: We always drilled the fingers first. Put in the inserts if used. And then re-measured span and drilled the thumb.

Like others have said if you happen to miss a line slightly on the fingers then you have a chance to compensate for it with the re-measure.
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: mrh57 on September 30, 2005, 03:40:54 PM: If you allow for a 1/16 if you miss one short then one long you have two balls that vary by an 1/8 inch. A really good shop should be able to get within 1/64 95% of the time.

I prefer drilling the thumb first because it is easier to mark the fingers especially on polished equipment. You also don't have to take the ball out of the press to re-measure for the thumb if you put a slug in. If you are going to drill the thumb first remember to compsenate for the drill bit radius for the fingers.
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: raiderh20boy on September 30, 2005, 07:58:38 PM: I always drill thumb first. Learn to drill on the PBA tour bus in mid 70's from Litchy. I have an "ovalmatic" the same as on the tour and you don't have to move ball by hand from drilling thumb and fingers. Scribe span, use edge of razor blade for bit to scribe lines and hit every time!!
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: wasted talent on October 01, 2005, 12:18:06 AM: I'm curious how many times a customer has flipped out on one of you for scribing their ball. There is a guy in town that scribes and a lot of people don't go back to him because they feel that he has scratched their brand new ball. I personally drill the thumb hole first. Just the way I learned and feel the most comfortable with. When you drill the fingers first how does it work when you oval a customers ball on the press. What about bevel etc. Seems that after the oval and bevel the span might come out short once in a while.
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: PhilipWhiteman on December 24, 2019, 02:56:23 PM: I was still one handed at the time i drilled now i'm two handed it was drilled to be more length and smooth backend but now i need more backend with 200 games on it it's now slow to friction
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: johns811 on December 28, 2019, 06:39:02 AM: Quote from: wasted talent on October 01, 2005, 12:18:06 AM
I'm curious how many times a customer has flipped out on one of you for scribing their ball. There is a guy in town that scribes and a lot of people don't go back to him because they feel that he has scratched their brand new ball. I personally drill the thumb hole first. Just the way I learned and feel the most comfortable with. When you drill the fingers first how does it work when you oval a customers ball on the press. What about bevel etc. Seems that after the oval and bevel the span might come out short once in a while.

I get the benefits of the scribe line but I would not want them on my ball. When I drill I use a sharp grease pencil for fingers and regular pencil on the thumb slug. I mark the hole center before I drill and usually get very good accuracy. Try to hit edge of line.
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: ignitebowling on December 28, 2019, 09:06:53 AM: Scribed lines on tour are to keep lines from being rubbed off while being handled. Accuracy isn't gained from it. You want thin lines use a sharp pencil or invest in a pen.

I drill fingers first then the thumb. After drilling the fingers I recheck the measurements then drill the thumb.

I also mark my lines and center punch them with the drill but, not drill to the edge of the line.

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Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: themagician on December 28, 2019, 09:45:32 AM: We always do the thumb first, then recheck the lines, then drill the fingers. As long as your careful I don't think there really is much difference, but the guy I learned from is all about the thumb first.
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: Juggernaut on December 29, 2019, 01:41:56 PM: My thumb is an oval, so the shop drills it first, works it out to fit, then remeasures before drilling the fingers.
Title: Re: Drilling thumb hole first
Post by: Steven on December 29, 2019, 02:44:49 PM: Quote from: themagician on December 28, 2019, 09:45:32 AM
We always do the thumb first, then recheck the lines, then drill the fingers. As long as your careful I don't think there really is much difference, but the guy I learned from is all about the thumb first.

My driller does the same -- thumb first, rechecks the lines, then does the fingers.

I don't know which method is better than the other. But I always check the spans with a quarter scale after each drill, and he nails it. I'm not going to complain.