Surface maintenance for Radical Balls?

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Joeyjoejo
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Surface maintenance for Radical Balls?

Post by Joeyjoejo »

Hey folks! I recently acquired a ridiculous pearl (pin just right of ring finger and CG just right of center grip)...awesome hitting ball. I'm no pro but know my way around surface prep and would love to maintain it but I can find ZERO info on how to re-surface to the OOB 500 siaair/ Royal compound finish. For how long and how many sides? I emailed tech help on the Radical site and Phil told me to "visit the Facebook page...there's lots of good info there." I couldn't find anything...I think I may have been blown off. Not a great way to greet a new customer. Anyway, I'm done complaining :roll: ...Any advice?
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stevespo
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Re: Surface maintenance for Radical Balls?

Post by stevespo »

Trying to duplicate the EXACT factory finish with equipment at home will be challenging, unless you have a professional sphere machine (Cook, Haus, etc).

However, you should be able to get reasonably close (with good repeatable results) with a ball spinner and some trial and error.

For the Radical Siaair 500/Compound finish that is used on a lot of equipment, I just sand 4-6 sides with a reasonably fresh 500 (Siaair or Abralon) and then apply Brunswick Royal Compound to at least 2 sides afterwards.

I have no idea how closely this compares with factory OOB using a surface scanner, but it does seem fairly accurate. Don't forget to oil extract periodically as well...

Steve
16 mph (14-14.5 on monitor), 375 rpm, PAP 5 1/2 x 3/8 up, AT: 12*, AR: 45*
Joeyjoejo
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Re: Surface maintenance for Radical Balls?

Post by Joeyjoejo »

stevespo wrote:Trying to duplicate the EXACT factory finish with equipment at home will be challenging, unless you have a professional sphere machine (Cook, Haus, etc).

However, you should be able to get reasonably close (with good repeatable results) with a ball spinner and some trial and error.

For the Radical Siaair 500/Compound finish that is used on a lot of equipment, I just sand 4-6 sides with a reasonably fresh 500 (Siaair or Abralon) and then apply Brunswick Royal Compound to at least 2 sides afterwards.

I have no idea how closely this compares with factory OOB using a surface scanner, but it does seem fairly accurate. Don't forget to oil extract periodically as well...

Steve
Thanks...so should I use the standard-ish timing then? 500 siaair firm for 45 seconds per side and compound light for 15 sec per side?

By the way I use the PYB spinner and cup on a hand drill. Has been working well for me at home.

-JJS
Power stroker, RH, 5 out 1/4 up, 15.5 MPH (at monitor), 392 RPM, AT 10*, AR 55*

When in doubt, apply the K.I.S.S. method: Keep It Simple Stupid!
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stevespo
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Re: Surface maintenance for Radical Balls?

Post by stevespo »

I personally wouldn't use 45 seconds per side. That seems like some very aggressive material removal. For periodic refreshing, I'm more like 5 seconds each side. Maybe 10 seconds for deeper track removal.

A fresh 500 is pretty aggressive, so I don't use a lot of time and only modest pressure. I prefer to do a light grind more often. Just my own take on it.

The 10-15 second polish sounds like what I do, and here I lean into it pretty well. Depends a bit on the ball and where I want to take it.

Steve
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imagonman
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Re: Surface maintenance for Radical Balls?

Post by imagonman »

Joeyjoejo wrote:
Thanks...so should I use the standard-ish timing then? 500 siaair firm for 45 seconds per side and compound light for 15 sec per side?

By the way I use the PYB spinner and cup on a hand drill. Has been working well for me at home.

-JJS
Using the PYB/Surface Master is not the same as a standard ball spinner. When sanding it seems more like the free spinning/rotating ball @ the factory. {from video tours I've seen anyway}
How is the actual polishing coming out? Are you using the supplied bonnet?
I've been polishing on standard spinners for years and don't see the final finish w/ PYB coming out the same.
Joeyjoejo
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Re: Surface maintenance for Radical Balls?

Post by Joeyjoejo »

stevespo wrote:I personally wouldn't use 45 seconds per side. That seems like some very aggressive material removal. For periodic refreshing, I'm more like 5 seconds each side. Maybe 10 seconds for deeper track removal.

A fresh 500 is pretty aggressive, so I don't use a lot of time and only modest pressure. I prefer to do a light grind more often. Just my own take on it.

The 10-15 second polish sounds like what I do, and here I lean into it pretty well. Depends a bit on the ball and where I want to take it.

Steve
Thanks...I just realized I typed 45 sec. I was thinking 15.
Power stroker, RH, 5 out 1/4 up, 15.5 MPH (at monitor), 392 RPM, AT 10*, AR 55*

When in doubt, apply the K.I.S.S. method: Keep It Simple Stupid!
Joeyjoejo
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Re: Surface maintenance for Radical Balls?

Post by Joeyjoejo »

imagonman wrote:
Using the PYB/Surface Master is not the same as a standard ball spinner. When sanding it seems more like the free spinning/rotating ball @ the factory. {from video tours I've seen anyway}
How is the actual polishing coming out? Are you using the supplied bonnet?
I've been polishing on standard spinners for years and don't see the final finish w/ PYB coming out the same.
Again, I'm no pro and yes it is definitely not the same. Is a standard spinner better? Absolutely. However I am very pleased with the PYB setup. Like anything new/different it just takes getting used to. It took some practice but I feel the polished product comes out fine. Yes, I use the supplied bonnet but over a dead 4000 pad to cover the hook/loop spots on the cup side. As for results...as long as the ball behaves after a surface adjustment your good right? Having said that, I have yet to be disappointed with any post adjustment ball reactions. To be honest the only polishing I have done so far has been on a 900G Truth pearl which seems to react the same and a Sure Lock experiment to see if I could tame it enough to work on a THS and it worked well...it was easy enough to get it back to factory. I am about to re-touch both my Ridiculous pearl and Hy-Road in the next few days. I'll reply with the results.
Power stroker, RH, 5 out 1/4 up, 15.5 MPH (at monitor), 392 RPM, AT 10*, AR 55*

When in doubt, apply the K.I.S.S. method: Keep It Simple Stupid!
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Re: Surface maintenance for Radical Balls?

Post by Viper »

Joeyjoejo wrote:Hey folks! I recently acquired a ridiculous pearl (pin just right of ring finger and CG just right of center grip)...awesome hitting ball. I'm no pro but know my way around surface prep and would love to maintain it but I can find ZERO info on how to re-surface to the OOB 500 siaair/ Royal compound finish. For how long and how many sides? I emailed tech help on the Radical site and Phil told me to "visit the Facebook page...there's lots of good info there." I couldn't find anything...I think I may have been blown off. Not a great way to greet a new customer. Anyway, I'm done complaining :roll: ...Any advice?
First thing I would recommend is whenever you get a new ball (new to you, doesn't matter if brand new or used), take it to your spinner and put your own finish on it. You will be able to duplicate that finish. You will never be able to duplicate the finish you get on the ball when you receive it.

Once you are in the habit of doing your own resurfacing you will develop a consistency in how you are applying the finish, that is, the pressure you use, and you will easily be able to vary what is "light" and "firm."

Re-surface vs. refreshing the surface: These are not the same thing. The first you do every 60 to 80 games, the latter you do after every other series (although I do it after every outing). Re-surfacing you will probably start at a lower grit (240/280/320/360/380) and then move to 500. For a refresh, you'll use just the 500.

Just me, base on my experience, for the re-surface, after repairs to any nicks or deep scratches, I will start with a 220/240 for 5 seconds each side, six sides, firm pressure, wet. Move to 360 for 10 seconds each side, six sides, firm pressure, wet. Then go to your 500 for 15 seconds each side, six sides, firm pressure, wet, and then follow with your 5000-grit Royal polish, 4-sides, at least 20 seconds per side.

For your re-fresh, the 500 on 4 sides, for 15 seconds each side, wet, light pressure, and then follow with your Royal polish.

I've always used the Storm guide for refinishing as a starting point, but if you can find another manufacturer's guide, then go with that. In the end, they are just that, guides. As you continue to work/re-work the surface of your BBs, and experiment with various products, you will begin to know what works for you (as a baseline) and then how to modify depending on the result you will achieve.

One thing I do (and that I recommend you do) is keep track of how much time I put on my abrasive pads and paper. As a rule, I usually won't go past five minutes cumulative on 1000-grit and below, and 10 minutes cumulative on anything above 1000-grit. That works for me.

Hope this helps.

viper/Joe
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Re: Surface maintenance for Radical Balls?

Post by bfweld »

I believe what Phil may have been thinking of is the content you can find through the radical facebook page on another radical page called "wow that's radical"...on there under videos you can find a few videos about how to "duplicate" some of their popular OOB finishes.
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