Making The Switch

Bowling ball related topics including new products, arsenals and comparisons.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
dougsterner
BCU Graduate Layouts
BCU Graduate Layouts
Posts: 282
Joined: July 4th, 2009, 3:49 am
THS Average: 209
Positive Axis Point: 5-1/4 RIGHT 1/2 UP
Speed: 17 off the hand
Rev Rate: 325
Axis Tilt: 11
Axis Rotation: 30
Heavy Oil Ball: Swagga
Medium Oil Ball: First Blood
Light Oil Ball: Grape Vibe/ Blue Hammer
Preferred Company: Hammer
Location: Binghamton, NY

Making The Switch

Post by dougsterner »

As many of you know I have been a die hard Lane 1 user for the better part of the last 8 years. However I have grown tired of trying to dumb the balls down to allow their effective use on our THS in my hands. So I have decided to make a change. The 2 companies I have been most comfortable with in the past have been Hammer and Storm. I have chosen to go back to Hammer based on the fact that I like the solid roll and generally smooth reaction I get from their equipment. Yes my only 300 was thrown with an X Factor and my high series was done with an El Nino X-it but those balls were pretty rolly for Storm pieces.

So now my question....what's the "favorite" 5 ball arsenal (a plastic ball as #6 is a given) for versatility? I have done some wheeling and dealing to get my hands on some good, low mileage pieces. I have the following:

Red/Purple Backlash...80x5-1/2x40
Blue/Silver Backlash....60x4x60, 2000 Ab
Brawl...NIB not yet drilled..planning on drilling like my Tsunami...80x2x40
Jigsaw Trap.....pin 4" off PAP, mass bias stacked...as purchased, not redrilled for me
Jacked.....pin under bridge, cg stacked...as purchased, not drilled for me
Infection....NIB courtesy of Jeff at Hammer
Midnight Vibe....5-1/2 x 5....pin over bridge, cg in palm, as purchased, not drilled for me
Taboo....105x4x45...4000 Ab

My 2 favorite balls right now are my Lane 1 Tsunami...80x2x40 and my Tropical Heat Hybrid....40x5-1/2x60. The finish on both is 2000 AB + polish.

Opinions on what can stay and what, if anything, should go?
Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY



Proudly providing the southern tier of NY with the
best pro shop experience in the area.
User avatar
Mo Pinel
Rest In Peace
Rest In Peace
Posts: 10054
Joined: January 26th, 2010, 6:10 pm
Preferred Company: MoRich, & now RADICAL BT
Location: Richmond, VA

Re: Making The Switch

Post by Mo Pinel »

dougsterner wrote:As many of you know I have been a die hard Lane 1 user for the better part of the last 8 years. However I have grown tired of trying to dumb the balls down to allow their effective use on our THS in my hands. So I have decided to make a change. The 2 companies I have been most comfortable with in the past have been Hammer and Storm. I have chosen to go back to Hammer based on the fact that I like the solid roll and generally smooth reaction I get from their equipment. Yes my only 300 was thrown with an X Factor and my high series was done with an El Nino X-it but those balls were pretty rolly for Storm pieces.

So now my question....what's the "favorite" 5 ball arsenal (a plastic ball as #6 is a given) for versatility? I have done some wheeling and dealing to get my hands on some good, low mileage pieces. I have the following:

Red/Purple Backlash...80x5-1/2x40
Blue/Silver Backlash....60x4x60, 2000 Ab
Brawl...NIB not yet drilled..planning on drilling like my Tsunami...80x2x40
Jigsaw Trap.....pin 4" off PAP, mass bias stacked...as purchased, not redrilled for me
Jacked.....pin under bridge, cg stacked...as purchased, not drilled for me
Infection....NIB courtesy of Jeff at Hammer
Midnight Vibe....5-1/2 x 5....pin over bridge, cg in palm, as purchased, not drilled for me
Taboo....105x4x45...4000 Ab

My 2 favorite balls right now are my Lane 1 Tsunami...80x2x40 and my Tropical Heat Hybrid....40x5-1/2x60. The finish on both is 2000 AB + polish.

Opinions on what can stay and what, if anything, should go?

Report all the layouts as 'Dual Angles" and "Gradient Line" balance holes and I'll comment. I do have one thought. Try MoRich, now that we have both symmetricals and asymmetricals.
Rest In Peace (1942-2021)
User avatar
dougsterner
BCU Graduate Layouts
BCU Graduate Layouts
Posts: 282
Joined: July 4th, 2009, 3:49 am
THS Average: 209
Positive Axis Point: 5-1/4 RIGHT 1/2 UP
Speed: 17 off the hand
Rev Rate: 325
Axis Tilt: 11
Axis Rotation: 30
Heavy Oil Ball: Swagga
Medium Oil Ball: First Blood
Light Oil Ball: Grape Vibe/ Blue Hammer
Preferred Company: Hammer
Location: Binghamton, NY

Re: Making The Switch

Post by dougsterner »

I fully understand Mo...I used a bunch of your equipment quite sometime ago that I really liked...Ravage, Pioneer, Shock & Awe but I never could get a handle on the Vanguard or EZ Rev cores.

I attended your seminar on the Craze last year and was impressed but worried about the aggressiveness of the coverstock. The video on the RipR made me drool as well but again, I worried about the aggressiveness of the ball. The new Perpetual Motion has peaked my interest since it appears to be more controlled by nature.

I have had great success with the Hammer brand in the past and I already had several pieces to choose from sitting here so that's my reason for leaning this way. I am not opposed to trying other pieces, it just happened that I ran across some really good deals on some used Hammer stuff so I wanted to give them a shot (or sell them off the used rack in the shop.)

As soon as I get some more time to check layouts etc I'll post the exact layouts with weighthole positions.
Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY



Proudly providing the southern tier of NY with the
best pro shop experience in the area.
User avatar
dougsterner
BCU Graduate Layouts
BCU Graduate Layouts
Posts: 282
Joined: July 4th, 2009, 3:49 am
THS Average: 209
Positive Axis Point: 5-1/4 RIGHT 1/2 UP
Speed: 17 off the hand
Rev Rate: 325
Axis Tilt: 11
Axis Rotation: 30
Heavy Oil Ball: Swagga
Medium Oil Ball: First Blood
Light Oil Ball: Grape Vibe/ Blue Hammer
Preferred Company: Hammer
Location: Binghamton, NY

Re: Making The Switch

Post by dougsterner »

Ok here we go with some layouts.....

Currently drilled
Red/Purple Backlash....50x 5-3/4x 40...no hole...2000 Siaair with factory finish...**
Blue/Silver Backlash....60x 4x 60.....P3 hole...2000 Siaair
Jigsaw Trap......50x 4x 40....P1 hole...2000 Siaair with factory finish...**
Black Widow Venom....45x 2-3/4x 25.....P2 hole...OOB.**
Taboo.....105x 4x 45....no hole...OOB with Valentino UFO

The ** denotes a ball purchased used and the original layout was retained with a plug and redrill of the thumbhole to adjust span.


Balls not yet drilled with layouts I am considering:
Brawl...55x 2-1/2x 25.....will most likely be a P1 or P2 hole to keep reaction calm
Infection...50x 5x 50.....probably P3 hole based on the cg location
Jacked....not sure...want it to be my early rolling, heavier oil ball

Any opinions?
Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY



Proudly providing the southern tier of NY with the
best pro shop experience in the area.
jakester
Member
Member
Posts: 363
Joined: February 19th, 2010, 8:06 pm
THS Average: 220
Heavy Oil Ball: Craze/Mania
Medium Oil Ball: Craze/Mania
Light Oil Ball: usually change release
Preferred Company: MORICH
Location: Upstate NY

Re: Making The Switch

Post by jakester »

Get a RipR, it's not over the top agressive. My Craze is snappier, if that's a word... The Mania is another great ball with smooth early roll.
User avatar
billw212
Member
Member
Posts: 118
Joined: October 22nd, 2010, 6:04 am
THS Average: 183
Positive Axis Point: 4 1/2" across, 3/4 up
Speed: around 15mph, Qubica
Rev Rate: 200
Axis Tilt: 15
Axis Rotation: 70
Heavy Oil Ball: Hammer Onyx Vibe (we NEVER see heavy oil)
Medium Oil Ball: Buzzsaw H2O
Light Oil Ball: Brunswick BVP Punisher
Preferred Company: None.
Location: Coatesville, PA

Re: Making The Switch

Post by billw212 »

My experience has been that all companies have certain general characteristics as far as aggressiveness.

In my experience, all of the 3 companies you are considering - Lane #1, Storm, and Hammer - are at the top of the scale for aggressive characteristics. All 3 companies basically make 2 kinds of balls - balls that hook a whole lot and balls that hook a whole lot more. All 3 are making equipment that is just insane when you think about what most of us are actually playing on. If you are trying to get away from "dumbing down" equipment for a THS, I do not think you will have any better luck with any of those companies than what you are currently playing, unless you are looking at things like the Backlash or the Natural series.

Aside from a Morich Mojave, I have found Brunswick and Columbia to be the companies that are producing more balls that are better suited for THS or drier lanes. At least that is what has worked for me. Their stuff is generally not as aggressive as any of those listed above. Ebonite also has some interesting pieces in their mid to lower end line, though I honestly don't have much experience with their stuff.

Just my .02
- “We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein

- "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." - Albert Einstein
User avatar
dougsterner
BCU Graduate Layouts
BCU Graduate Layouts
Posts: 282
Joined: July 4th, 2009, 3:49 am
THS Average: 209
Positive Axis Point: 5-1/4 RIGHT 1/2 UP
Speed: 17 off the hand
Rev Rate: 325
Axis Tilt: 11
Axis Rotation: 30
Heavy Oil Ball: Swagga
Medium Oil Ball: First Blood
Light Oil Ball: Grape Vibe/ Blue Hammer
Preferred Company: Hammer
Location: Binghamton, NY

Re: Making The Switch

Post by dougsterner »

Just wanted to post an update.As of right now I have both Backlashes in my bag as well as the Trap and Venom. The Taboo sits at home, didn't drill the Infection, Brawl or Jacked yet.

The Blue/Silver Backlash is my go to ball at this point. I can play the oil line very effectively with a good degree of forgiveness...no overreaction what so ever.

The Red/Purple works great when the heads start to go and I need to be able to square up and play down the boards.

The Trap is a great piece for when I can open up the lane and play inside out. Excellent length with a very angular backend...tough to throw on the shorter patterns though.

The Venom is my ball of choice as the night goes on. When others are moving left I can sit right there with this ball and watch it control the back 1/2 of the lane with the heavy roll.

So far I am very happy with my new arsenal and look forward to filling in the gaps...the main elusive piece is the one for game 1....I am thinking Brawl but I don't know yet.
Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY



Proudly providing the southern tier of NY with the
best pro shop experience in the area.
Post Reply