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Author Topic: Ebonite Poured Covers  (Read 7046 times)

Strider

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Ebonite Poured Covers
« on: August 09, 2008, 03:26:51 AM »
I posted this under Hammer because there is a recent relevant post.  This is a personal theory of mine, based on only what I observe, not on any known fact.

I believe that Ebonite's covers are prone to a little too much variation from ball to ball.  A touch too much or too little plasticizer, maybe they cure a little too fast or too slow, I don't know.  For every Black Widow (just using a popular ball as an example) that hooked off the lane or kept hooking/hitting strong for many games, I've seen just as many that were much milder or didn't act near the same after X amount of games.  You just don't see this constant complaint from other manufacturers.

Remember when Brunswick was having cover issues?  Classic Zones and Smokin' Infernos (was there a third one?) were given new pin colors and released as different balls (blems?) because the covers cured too fast and the balls didn't hook near as intended.  I believe Ebonite has a similar problem to a lesser degree.  There was a huge difference between a red pin and a green pin Classic Zone, but I've seen close to the same difference on some Ebonite/Hammer balls.  I haven't seen too many Columbia or Track balls, but I haven't seen the same "problem", at least yet.

I have a Black Widow Bite that I'll use as an example.  The ball was marketed as a slightly bigger version of the original Black Widow.  Mine doesn't handle near the oil or have near the back end as most of the BW's I saw.  I like the ball a lot on shorter PBA type patterns, but the ball didn't fit in my arsenal where I intended.  My old Storm Tour Power runs circles around it on heavier patterns.  Another guy in my league has a Bite that flares a ton and hooks a lot more than mine.  He's got a little more hand than me and drilled his a little stronger, but the difference is night and day.

I'm not trying to start a whine fest, but I'd like to hear other's opinions.  I'd also love to hear from people in the industry to see if I'm on the right track.
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janderson

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Re: Ebonite Poured Covers
« Reply #31 on: August 14, 2008, 11:11:41 AM »
Sorry for the multiple consecutive posts - came into the discussion late.

quote:
On top of all that, Strider does not exactly have a fluffer release.


Speaking from personal, unbiased observation, he does not. He also has a good grasp of lane conditions and lane play. He would not mistake a change in lane conditions as "ball death".

Just two pennies.
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J.J. "Waterola Kid" Anderson, the bLowling King  : Kill the back row
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janderson

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Re: Ebonite Poured Covers
« Reply #32 on: August 14, 2008, 11:22:03 AM »
From Ebonite, I owned two of Ebonite "the One" (second was a replacement for a ball damaged beyond repair by a ball return) but the ball reaction was near identical with the same layout. I also owned two Ebonite TPC Shooter XL with the second being a replacement for the first one which had cracked sitting on my ball rack.  Again, near identical reaction with the same layout.
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J.J. "Waterola Kid" Anderson, the bLowling King  : Kill the back row


Edited on 8/14/2008 1:14 PM
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mmcfarland300

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Re: Ebonite Poured Covers
« Reply #33 on: August 14, 2008, 11:51:22 AM »
I may be off here but what Strider is talking about has nothing to do with Weak Drillings or even Ball Death.  He didn't say it used to be a hook monster and now it's a dart.  He is simply posing the question if all of the covers are poured equally, and cured equally.  I did see the episode of How it's made and I would say that it is infact possible that they don't all have the exact same environment day in day out.  It is very possible this happens.
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abrown

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Re: Ebonite Poured Covers
« Reply #34 on: August 14, 2008, 02:01:27 PM »
cbae first off the tour power oob was a solid dull cover and not to mention a weaker ball than the bite came out claiming to be. so both balls polished thats even ground. the layouts the stacked layout vs. the pin under depending on his PAP could be a very aggresive layout look at Jeff Carters layouts he too uses alot of pin under. third of all telling someone that the ball isnt drilled the right way is not for you to decide not having seen someone throw looked at the tilt and rotation and PAP is being a jerk nothing less. My opinon is for some bowlers the Bite was a really aggresive ball and in some cases rolled out it was so aggresive but i have seen other people with a aggresive layout on it that it just slides and doesnt move so maybe there some truth in his claims maybe not. just leave it at that the tour power was a underated ball in MHO
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LuckyLefty

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Re: Ebonite Poured Covers
« Reply #35 on: August 16, 2008, 08:23:08 AM »
I'm not looking at it right now...but wasn't his tour power a lot stronger pin to pap drilling....ie close to it's full flare potential of 3 3/8 pin to pap?

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS if I remember right that ball was a low rg low flare solid...that revved up quick and had a very smooth move off the spot.
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It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

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Drillmn300

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Re: Ebonite Poured Covers
« Reply #36 on: August 16, 2008, 01:41:24 PM »
What were the specs on both balls as far as top weight and were the layouts close enough they should react the same? Your going to change the dynamics depending on where you place the balance hole.

What I have seen in the past and it may be the same today is the cover-stocks final cut, it may vary slightly from case to case but it can be taken back in the pro shop. I rarely use the factory finish on anything as I like to know where I started and we all know that changing the cover-stock is top priority when we want to change ball motion so just a little change in the surface could be more or less on reaction.
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Strider

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Re: Ebonite Poured Covers
« Reply #37 on: August 16, 2008, 02:22:13 PM »
I've been out of for a week.  Glad to finally see some posts on topic.  I'll no longer speak of my Bite.  If you want to know anything specific, PM me.  My perceived dissatisfaction with the ball has nothing to do with this post.  It was just one example of how one ball poured by Ebonite seems weaker than others I've witnessed.

Janderson I did see the spot on TV, but didn't remember any specifics.  Thanks for reminding me of the quick cure times.  Maybe Ebonite has a harder time controlling the time or temperature than other companies, or doesn't think the difference is noticeable to the average user?

I've never had a ball "die", but Ebonite has this reputation, deserved or not.  It's not the main point of my topic, but it might be one and the same.  Again, some people have Ebonite balls last a long time, others have had tons of problems with them losing a lot of hook or hitting power as the games mount.  Since they recently have put such an emphasis on oil absorption, I could see their balls changing more over time.  As long as the ball can be revived with normal effort, I don't have any problem with it.  The more high performance something is, the more likely it is to be labor intensive to maintain.
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