Wondering if anyone knows how much it costs to oil one lane with a 40 foot long house pattern using Kegel Fire and/or Ice conditioner.  Have bowled 3 different centers so far starting this winter and all 3 featured short/lightly oiled patterns.  I was told that the centers are just trying to save a little money.

I think we have two sides to this argument.  You have the side that is determining the cost as if the center owns nothing so cost of:

• Machine
• Labor
• Oil
• Cleaner
• Cloth

Then you have those that assume you have those things already set in the cost and are only looking at what the difference in cost of oiling "light" to oiling "heavier than light."  In this scenario the only difference would probably be the difference in cost of oil going from X ml to Y ml.  You are going to oil the lanes anyway so all other things are the same. 

Problem I think we are seeing is owners/managers SAYING it is cost when in reality they don't want to change anything.  Perhaps they have friends who are scoring well.  Perhaps the knuckle ball throwers have a louder voice.  Perhaps the owner set the lanes up specifically for them.  Either way, I really doubt cost is the real reason.

I'm with Scrub  on this one.Higher scores = more bowlers in your center.
Plain and simple

"high scores = more bowlers"

that's been like that for decades.

we are a very small group of bowlers who prefer to be challenged. We are a very small group of bowlers that comes back for more when we bowl our worst. We are a very small group of bowlers who would drive more than a half hour just to bowl leagues with small price found.

Face it, the very very big group of bowlers, are organized recreational bowlers who are entitled to high scores. because, they pay good money on equipment, league dues, and they suck at golf.

We have a lefty throwing a Turbo urethane. 

They must REALLY have no hand if they need a Turbo to get to the pocket from the left side

If you figure in the cost of the machine to oil the lanes, then the lanes are cheaper and cheaper each time the lanes are oiled. The machine has to be paid off sooner or later. Ten years after buying the machine you cant still figure that cost into the amount. So if you bought a 25G machine and oiled one lane...That lane cost $25,001.25.

Lane machine maintenance is an issue.  A lot of people treat lane machines like they do their car, and skip routine maintenance.  Result is the same.  Shortened life, and more problems.  I was just talking to a friend of mine the other day.  He sad that they had been having a problem with the pattern at the house we bowl.  They couldn't get the house shot or the sport patterns to set up right.  Then somebody noticed a bolt laying in the gutter on one of the lanes.   Replaced the bolt, and viola.