Thumbhole Question

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pjape
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Thumbhole Question

Post by pjape »

One of the things I've discovered lately while taking some lessons and working on my game is I'm certain I need to have my thumb hole drilled deeper. I find when I get enough tape in the ball to have a relaxed grip, I can't the thumb the whole way into the hole. In fact, once I get a few pieces of tape in the ball, I have to tear about 1/2" off the bottom of the tape in order to get it in the hole without hitting the bottom.

I have a very long thumb, so I'm wondering just how deep a thumb hole can be drilled without hitting the core. I'm assuming hitting the core is a bad thing and might change the reaction.

Yesterday my coach asked me if I have ever tried tiered taping. I told him I had, but abandoned it because it made the above mentioned problem ever worse. If I can safely have a deeper thumb hole, I might give it another shot. One of my biggest issues I'm working on in my game is achieving a free swing. Until I get this issue resolved, I'm not going to be able to have the necessary amount (none!) of grip pressure to achieve this.

Thoughts?
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by JohnP »

Most thumb holes are deep enough to hit the core, drill yours deep enough to get your thumb completely in. Any time you hit the core it does affect the reaction a little, but not enough to worry about. If you use a slug or sleeve, typically the hole is drilled to a depth that leaves about 1/4" of the slug above the ball's surface when it bottoms out in its hole. However, when the slug is drilled you can extend the hole below its bottom. The bit is required to drill out the bottom of the slug by USBC rule. -- JohnP
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imagonman
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by imagonman »

How long is your thumb? Unless you're Tom Smallwood & using a half thumb, your thumbhole is gonna hit the core/weight block. Where did hear that drilling into the core is a bad thing?

Hard to believe the PSO didn't drill it to fit your hand, where did you get it drilled?
I wouldn't worry about 'hitting the core' , I think you already have. I know my fingers @ 1-1/2" deep already hit some core and that's shallow depth.

Hitting/removing the core is not a 'bad' thing. Deep finger drillings to remove excess top weight or MOhole drillings are designed to do exactly that, remove the core/weight block. Any balance hole as well.

Go back to your PSO and get your ball drilled properly to fit YOUR hand.
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by EricHartwell »

I would not worry about changing the reaction. With Symmetrical balls the PSA will become stronger. Im thinking the added strength to a drilling ould be offset with a cleaner release and faster ball speed. The improved grip should far out weigh any change in ball reaction.

Your goal is to improve your release which will in turn change your Benchmark and possibiliy needing your layouts adjusted in the future anyway.
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by TonyPR »

Ok, you seem like a good candidate for a "Wiki Fit", check out the Mo Rich fitting instructions in the wiki section of this websitie (yellow letters up and to the right), you will find them under "pro shop information-fitting". In these instructions there is a pitch adjustment for long thumbs, you don't need the fitting tubes or ball, and if you need help I will help you follow the process. Fitting is one of the most important parts of developing your game, you won't be able to bowl well with a bad fit. There is also the option of bowling two handed no thumb if your knees and lower back are healthy.
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by rrb6699 »

maybe he should try my thumb drill idea I posted on here. it certainly seems like tiered taping is a lesser extreme but does the same thing.
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by pjape »

Thanks guys. First of all, I'm sure my fit is correct. Jim Tomek Jr. measured me several years ago. I went to him solely because of his time with Mo. Unfortunately, he is out of the pro shop business. My PSO knows what he is doing (he has a copy of my spec sheet that Jimmy printed out for me).

Imagonman--I didn't hear this information. I said I assumed. I knew if this was not correct, I would be told so here, and I was. Thanks!

Even though I don't do the "tiered taping," I still put each piece of tape a bit below the preceding piece, hence each piece gets lower. I have to start out with my thumb too big as my thumb size does fluctuate a good bit, although after Jimmy measured me it doesn't change as much as it used to. Sometimes I need five or six pieces in the winter.

Now that I know going into the core won't be a disaster, I'm going to have it drilled deeper so the tape never hits the bottom.

I appreciate the good advice from all of you!
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by JimH »

pjape wrote:First of all, I'm sure my fit is correct. Jim Tomek Jr. measured me several years ago. I went to him solely because of his time with Mo. Unfortunately, he is out of the pro shop business. My PSO knows what he is doing (he has a copy of my spec sheet that Jimmy printed out for me).
If your hand has not been measured in several years I suggest you get it measured again. Hands change! For young people growth is the issue. For those who are not so young there may be a loss of flexibility which will affect pitches and sometimes the span.

The best way to reproduce a drilling is to give ball you want copied to the PSO. The PSO will have gauges to get the spans, pitches, and hole sizes. A bowler came to me once complaining that the PSOs in the city could not drill a ball properly, He bought a ball while on vacation once and was very happy with the fit. He asked for the drilling chart which the PSO gave to him. Whenever he bought a new ball he handed the drilling details to the new PSO, but the fit was never the same. I asked him for the ball he wanted copied and I noticed differences compared to the drilling specs he also had.
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by bowl1820 »

Your basically saying your having to shove so much tape in the hole to get the fit you want , that you can no longer put the thumb all the way in.

So you want to drill the hole deeper, to put the tape father down in the hole to compensate.

Sounds to me like you just need to have the proper size/shape thumb hole diameter determined.

Like said above, if you haven't had you grip remeasured in years. You need to get in the proshop now and have it done. Your hand changes over time and that grip from years ago, has had to have changed.
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by rrb6699 »

I have an ever changing thumb. when I first start bowling, its as if someone else swapped balls with me my thumbholes are so tight. my solution?

I had my thumb fitting before I threw ball one that day. that way my thumb is fitted at its largest. when I bowl it shrinks. I have to chase the fit with up to 4 pieces of 1" tape, sometimes just two.

I've had the unfortunate experience of not being able to release from my thumb on hot, humud conditions like when the place is full. those days no tape is needed and I'm glad I fit my thumbs this way.

I'm getting interchangeable thumbs in all my new stuff to further improve on this problem and it seems to work ok once I break-in each new thumb.

just dont put interchangeables on old equipment unless you want to change the dynamics of it.

I lost one ball I put an interchangeable in to a crack all around the ball. my Sinister did this.

I'd recommend interchangeables still but on new equipment.
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by Dustin »

rrb6699 wrote: just dont put interchangeables on old equipment unless you want to change the dynamics of it.
I don't believe it would make enough, if any difference, installing interchangeable inserts in a old ball that already has a thumb hole in it.
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rrb6699
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by rrb6699 »

I did it on two balls and both read earlier than before the interchangeable. its a pretty big hole to drill. I had to being static weight bac to legal in one ball with a weight hole. just my experience.
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by Qman »

Performance fit. If Mo is in your area take the time to get this done, he switched me to an oval to get out of the ball cleaner. Best money i ever spent.
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rrb6699
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by rrb6699 »

I'm using a guy Mo recommended. he does mill my thumbs in my ball and interchangeable slugs.. how much should I expect to pay for a Mo fitting?
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Re: Thumbhole Question

Post by pjape »

Qman wrote:Performance fit. If Mo is in your area take the time to get this done, he switched me to an oval to get out of the ball cleaner. Best money i ever spent.
Just make sure you have enough time with Mo to get any bugs worked out. He redid my thumb hole by hand, but I only had maybe 10 minutes with him after this before he had to go on to the next customer. The next week in league, I hung on the ball two times. One went in the channel; another shot the ball never came off my hand. I ended up having to have have my PSO redo them. Between what I had to pay the proshop where Mo was at for the slugs and my PSO to redo them, I spend $200. If I would have had more time with Mo, he could have made the necessary adjustments so the fit would have been good.
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