When Did YOUR ball die?

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skfboiler
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Re: When Did YOUR ball die?

Post by skfboiler »

My Timeless, a hybrid from Storm seems to have lost its bite after about 6 months, lot a games though between league and practice. After 6 months I removed some oil myself with hot water, had the cover resurfaced back to the factory according to Storm etc. This helped a little but still does not react like new. Now I have to play further right that I normally like to play. I even tried some surface on like 2000 grit. That also helps a little as it reads the lanes earlier. But after a few frames it reacts later and later.

On the other hand my Punch Out, a lower level pearl from Storm bought a year before the Timeless and a lot more games on it seems to have gotten better over time, go figure. It is a hooking monster; still stores a lot of energy perhaps due to the pearl cover.
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Re: When Did YOUR ball die?

Post by stevespo »

I don't have any experience with the Timeless, so no idea where it falls on the durability or absorbency scale.

A little soap and hot (tap) water may have done relatively little in terms of oil removal. I find that some equipment needs multiple sessions in the personal Revivor, baking for 3+ hours total, wiping the ball and spray cleaning every 15 minutes or so before the cover has given up most (but not all) of the oil. It's literally dripping with oil the entire time.

Many people report good results with soap and water, dishwashers, etc - but you might want to find a Detox (ultrasonic!) or a commercial Revivor that can maintain consistent heat (125-135F) for a sustained period of time.

It really depends on the ball. Some stuff is not that absorbent, and other things (like my Paradox) is a sponge. That ball has hundreds of games on it and still has a great reaction once cleaned up, which I do every 40 or 50 games.

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Re: When Did YOUR ball die?

Post by krava »

What about a ball with compound on it? I have a ridiculous and it was 500 grit and then compounded on it. Does that compound wear down just as fast as the other surface? I think the compound puts like 1500 or 2500 on it. I have about 21 games on it without changing the surface but it still acts like it did when I got it done the first time. I want to get that thing fixed back to normal but compound looks like it is difficult to put on. You have to do it in 6 sides of the ball and then go back and wipe it back down or something.

The only balls that die have been ones that have cracked. I have had about 3-4 crack. I have retired balls after 3 or less games because I couldn't get them to hook at all. I didn't know what was I was doing and this was way back. I don't see now why a ball should be retired unless it has been resurfaced a few times (so far I haven't ever fully resurfaced a ball), have a crack in it, or like 10 years old and lane conditions have changed. I have a Brunswick Zone X low differential that I just got the thumb plugged and redone because of the span. I think I got that in 2001. I am not sure if I can use that on today's conditions but going to try it.


I have a timeless and I don't hae any nicks or scratches in it. I never got any real oil out of it either. I haven't been using it much because it goes a bit too long before it starts to hook. This ball should be played more left or slower.
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Re: When Did YOUR ball die?

Post by TheJesus »

elgavachon wrote: Doesn't take 3 games actually. The people who own surface scanners say it can happen after about 6 frames. The way I look at it (which probably isn't exactly right) is to visualize tread on a tire. The deep cuts do not go away in 6 frames. If you look at a ball with a microscope, it has the high ridges just like the part of the tire which touches the road. That is the part which smooths out to 4000. So the deep cuts you put with the low grit change the way the ball pokes through the oil to hit surface, while the top of the ridges (hits the lane after leaving oil) is the part which smooths out. I finish all balls to 4000 to avoid a drastic loss of motion in oil just after warm ups. That way I am warming up and lining up with the same surface I will be using once the lights come on. Any changes I want to make to a ball comes with the first surfaces lower grit before hitting with 4000. I think you have to be lower than 500 in order for it to last for any significant amout of throws. So 500 /2000/4000 would be a good example. If you want a ball to go longer and be smooth, go through all the grits and do not skip. Particle balls should be hit with some sort of scotch bright to avoid sanding off or smoothing off the particles. A lot of balls have particles without being marketed as particle balls so unless I am trying to make a ball go longer, I usually use scotch bright on all balls (especially for the deep cuts).
Indeed it happens much sooner than 3 games, i was just using that example due to the video.

What kind of difference have you noticed between sanding to 4000 only and doing a 500/2000/4000?

Also you mentioned "scotch bright". Which ones do you use? There are various grits from 150 to 1200 at least. And why would scotch bright NOT sand off or smooth particles? Doesn't it affect the surface like Abralon?

Also, don't all heavy oil non pearl balls have particles in them? The term "particle ball" was used up until a few years ago, but seems to have got replaced by the term "solid" (which is not a better word choice in my opinion).
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Re: When Did YOUR ball die?

Post by elgavachon »

TheJesus wrote:Indeed it happens much sooner than 3 games, i was just using that example due to the video.

What kind of difference have you noticed between sanding to 4000 only and doing a 500/2000/4000?

Also you mentioned "scotch bright". Which ones do you use? There are various grits from 150 to 1200 at least. And why would scotch bright NOT sand off or smooth particles? Doesn't it affect the surface like Abralon?

Also, don't all heavy oil non pearl balls have particles in them? The term "particle ball" was used up until a few years ago, but seems to have got replaced by the term "solid" (which is not a better word choice in my opinion).
If I am trying to make a ball go very long, I will go through all the pads I have. If I am just renewing a surface, I usually use brown/ burgundy/ grey (the pressure makes a lot of difference on scotchbright pads) and then the yellow (T) pad . Track has a very gritty polish that I use if I want to refinish a ball and have it react like skip a grit. Mo is the one who said that the scotch bright pads would leave the particles more intact. I usually hit new balls out of the box with Burgundy and a T pad if I drill a thumb-hole (that way if I am bowling a tournament, I can refresh the surface before the next squad). If I do not drill a thumb hole, I sometimes smooth the ball with everything before I ever throw it. Just depends on what you like (that way I never worry about the out of box finish). Very basic and simple ways to refresh a ball. I prefer to use layouts for the reaction more than worrying about which finish.
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Re: When Did YOUR ball die?

Post by TheJesus »

elgavachon thank you for the reply. :)
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