BallReviews

General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: duvallite on December 04, 2018, 04:41:46 PM

Title: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: duvallite on December 04, 2018, 04:41:46 PM
With the new rules regarding extra holes not being allowed in the near future, I'm wondering what is a typical price to have a PSO plug a single weight hole in a ball?  The local PSO here is charging $20 plus tax, so almost $22 out the door.  I thought that was high, but maybe that is the going rate for all I know.  Is this about right?
Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: BowlingForDonuts on December 04, 2018, 04:57:16 PM
Been getting mine done for $10 a pop but also throw a lot of business towards both the pro shops I use (even occasionally using a third now) so may be doing me favor.  Also usually get it done on the side to something that brings me in originally.
Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: shakezilla9 on December 04, 2018, 06:49:14 PM
$20 seems absurd to me. If this is your primary pro shop, then the dude is literally doing you no favors. I've spent over a thousand dollars this year at my shop and he recently did a full plug and redrill for me for $45. So $20 for just one plug is ridiculous, find a new shop.

Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: Impending Doom on December 04, 2018, 06:54:16 PM
Yeah, $10 seems reasonable, and I used to run a shop lol
Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: duvallite on December 04, 2018, 07:09:24 PM
Yeah, kind of what I thought.  I was expecting around $10, so now I'll take my business elsewhere unless it's an emergency or not cost-effective to drive elsewhere.  This particular shop is generally higher priced except on closeout balls.   
Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: milorafferty on December 05, 2018, 01:48:03 AM
How long does it take to plug a hole? Serious question
Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: itsallaboutme on December 05, 2018, 04:44:25 AM
Prep, mix and pour, cut down and refinish, 10 minutes or so for somebody efficient, 15 minutes for most (most pro shop guys are not exactly efficient). And then at least 5 minutes each on drop off and pick up that no one ever thinks about. 

Do you guys seriously think this is something that should be done for $10?  That is what we would have charged 30 years ago. 

Maybe $10 each if somebody brought 10 in, told the shop they would pick them up next week and were going to pay cash.  Charging $10 to do onesies is a business owner not knowing the true cost to run their business. 
Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: Pinbuster on December 05, 2018, 05:34:29 AM
For me it would depend on the size of the hole.

For a smaller shallow hole $10 to $15. For bigger deeper holes $20 to $25.

I don't know about today's plug but 15 years ago the plug will get hot while it cured. With a large deep hole you would have to pour it in two stages or it would get too hot and have bubbles and crack. So you would have to mix and pour the hole 1/2 to 3/4 full let it set for a day and then top the hole off. Cut it down and then resurface that area of the ball.
Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: storm making it rain on December 05, 2018, 08:29:32 AM
I wouldn't think of the price as "just plugging" the hole.  You have the "cost" of cutting it down and then also surfacing the ball to the desired grit level.  All of those things cost money.  Plug cutter blade needs to be sharpened eventually, abralon pads need to be replaced, and you have to also pay whoever is doing the work. 


I don't think $20 a hole is a bad deal and most shops (if you're loyal) will take care of you anyways as plugging material is a high profit item when managed properly.

Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: Skip H on December 05, 2018, 08:56:30 AM
$20 really isn't out of line in my opinion and at $10 you are getting a steal.  My question is why are you worried about plugging the weight hole now? I think you have a couple years to worry about that. Personally I wouldn't think of plugging a weight hole now but I also wouldn't allow a weight hole to be drilled in a new ball.
Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: duvallite on December 05, 2018, 10:34:12 AM
I had it plugged because most of the balls I use have an extra hole, and this was an experiment.  This particular ball doesn't get used that much, and I wanted to see what the reaction change would be by plugging the hole.  It actually seems to roll better now (Storm Sync with the hole on the VAL 2 1/2 below ML).  Based on some of the later comments, maybe the $20 wasn't so bad after all, considering the hole was 3/4" x  3" deep, and if he had to pour the filler 2x or more. All the PSO did then was cut it down and maybe hit only the plug area with a pad.  The ball had the same surface lines on it from when I surfaced it on my spinner.  Overall, since it rolled good, I'm happy with it and understand a little better about the costs.  Thanks all.
Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: Impending Doom on December 05, 2018, 10:45:04 AM
And this is why I'm glad I only have 1 extra hole to plug. #Booyah
Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: BowlingForDonuts on December 05, 2018, 10:59:30 AM
I had it plugged because most of the balls I use have an extra hole, and this was an experiment.  This particular ball doesn't get used that much, and I wanted to see what the reaction change would be by plugging the hole.  It actually seems to roll better now (Storm Sync with the hole on the VAL 2 1/2 below ML).  Based on some of the later comments, maybe the $20 wasn't so bad after all, considering the hole was 3/4" x  3" deep, and if he had to pour the filler 2x or more. All the PSO did then was cut it down and maybe hit only the plug area with a pad.  The ball had the same surface lines on it from when I surfaced it on my spinner.  Overall, since it rolled good, I'm happy with it and understand a little better about the costs.  Thanks all.

+1 on plugging holes usually having no difference or even improving slightly as been my experience also.  TL;DR in my case double thumb on max leverage stronger ball may mean moar flare but often doesn't mean moar hook or higher scores.   So plugging early before the rush or just bringing a ball to get plugged every time go to PSO makes sense.
Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: milorafferty on December 05, 2018, 03:29:12 PM
Thanks, that's about what I assumed.

So even if the shop is fast, it can be done in 10 minutes. $20 per ball doesn't make financial sense to a small business like a pro shop if the customer isn't also buying other products and services.

Jesus, bowlers are just a bunch of tight-asses.

Prep, mix and pour, cut down and refinish, 10 minutes or so for somebody efficient, 15 minutes for most (most pro shop guys are not exactly efficient). And then at least 5 minutes each on drop off and pick up that no one ever thinks about. 

Do you guys seriously think this is something that should be done for $10?  That is what we would have charged 30 years ago. 

Maybe $10 each if somebody brought 10 in, told the shop they would pick them up next week and were going to pay cash.  Charging $10 to do onesies is a business owner not knowing the true cost to run their business. 

Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: tkkshop on December 05, 2018, 05:07:27 PM
10 minutes to plug a hole? The quickest setting plug on the market takes 1 hour to cure. It may take 10 minutes to mix and pour the plug. Then after the 1 hour cure, another 10-15 to cut and refinish the ball. It's an hour and a half process if you use quick plug.
Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: itsallaboutme on December 05, 2018, 05:25:43 PM
You better charge more if you're gonna sit and watch the plug cure......

Title: Re: Price to have a PSO plug a weight hole?
Post by: tkkshop on December 05, 2018, 05:40:03 PM
You better charge more if you're gonna sit and watch the plug cure......
a ball on a cup in the shop is like a car in the bay of a shop. A PSO may not watch it, but you still have to pay for the ball plug that has to cure. $10 would cover the labor. But you still have to charge for the actual plug product and the usage of pads/drill press.

We charge 15 btw