BallReviews

General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Ratt_bowling on January 31, 2015, 05:48:46 PM

Title: Scuffing Plastic balls
Post by: Ratt_bowling on January 31, 2015, 05:48:46 PM

This is about my 4-year-old son's youth league.  I got him a plastic ball for Christmas and it seems to be too slippery on the lane.  It used to be when he hit a bumper, noore bumpers when he turns 5, it would bounce off and head back at the pins now it just slides along the bumper.  We went back to using the Urethane house balls this morning and saw an immediate improvement. 

Would scuffing the plastic ball get us close to the same reaction as the urethane?  What grit should we try?

Title: Re: Scuffing Plastic balls
Post by: tuckinfenpin on January 31, 2015, 06:35:58 PM

I would just experiment. You're just looking for traction, so the ball rolling out isn't a concern. 500 or 800 would be my start point. Go big, if that don't work, try something else.

Title: Re: Scuffing Plastic balls
Post by: Joker-1 on January 31, 2015, 06:49:05 PM

well the thing about plastic balls is you wanna hit the friction and that'll make the ball turn. I'm not sure if surface adjustments will do "that" much to make a plastic ball read the oil. Unless I'm reading your question wrong.

Title: Re: Scuffing Plastic balls
Post by: ridethegutter on February 01, 2015, 06:34:19 AM

I knocked the polish off of my true blood with a 2000 grit pad. It definately skates way less than it did polished.

Title: Re: Scuffing Plastic balls
Post by: Dave81644 on February 01, 2015, 08:10:54 AM

adjust surfaces all the time
very easy to put it back if it doesn't work

Title: Re: Scuffing Plastic balls
Post by: avabob on February 01, 2015, 11:30:26 AM

I see no way that ball surface can have any impact on bumper bowling.  What weight ball is he throwing.  Biggest impact on bumper bowling is the weight block of the super light balls.  If they are thrown hard enough they bounce off the bumpers. If thrown slower the weight block makes them hug the bumper rather than bouncing so much.  Weight blocks vary a bunch in those light weight balls.  It is the difference in top weight that is changing the reaction off the bumpers between the house ball and the ball you purchased

Also maybe your house is different, but I have never seen light weight urethane house balls on the rack.  They are almost always polyester. 

Title: Re: Scuffing Plastic balls
Post by: Ratt_bowling on February 01, 2015, 08:59:00 PM

8# Ebonite Maxim and I believe the house ball is made by Eagle.

Title: Re: Scuffing Plastic balls
Post by: lifted rillo on February 02, 2015, 11:23:17 AM

At 4 years old, you just want your kid to have fun playing a game. I'm 31 and only want to have fun. My son is 4, and has an absolute BLAST watching pins fall. Don't make it more than it is. Let your kid be a kid.

<Rant off>

Title: Re: Scuffing Plastic balls
Post by: trash heap on February 02, 2015, 11:48:39 AM

Why concern yourself over this? The bumpers are going to be gone soon. Have fun and work with him on throwing the ball straight.

Title: Re: Scuffing Plastic balls
Post by: avabob on February 02, 2015, 12:00:36 PM

I have a 6 year old great grandson.  He likes to go bowling, but isn't interested in league yet.  Maybe he never will.  I get him an 8 lb house ball.  If he throws it a little slow it will head toward the bumper and not bounce off hard enough to get more than a couple of pins.  If you watch the ball go down the lane you can easily see the effect of the weight block.  Every house ball will roll a little different.

Also, I am pretty sure the Eagle house balls are polyester, the same as the Maxim.   

Title: Re: Scuffing Plastic balls
Post by: itsallaboutme on February 02, 2015, 12:05:02 PM

Eagle house balls are urethane.  A group of distributors use Eagle as their brand for house balls.

Title: Re: Scuffing Plastic balls
Post by: trash heap on February 02, 2015, 12:14:14 PM

Quote

I get him an 8 lb house ball.

8lb ball for a 4 year old?