Layout and possible ball suggestions needed

Which layout is right for me?

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ModernGame
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Joined: September 7th, 2017, 8:45 am

Layout and possible ball suggestions needed

Post by ModernGame »

Hey All,

I'm currently going through the BCU courses to try and learn all I can, but I wanted to gauge the opinions of those smarter than I on a good layout for a drier house shot. My specs are:

-Right Handed
-Speed: 18.5 MPH (measured/calculated via video from release to exiting the pin deck)
-Rev Rate: 450
-Initial Axis Rotation: 55 degrees
-Initial Axis Tilt: somewhere between 15-25 degrees based on video, my house is usually so dry I can't get a decent enough oil ring around the ball to measure and compare to the tilt chart found in the wiki.
-Synthetic Lanes
-Lane conditions: 43 foot THS that is very dry (from my limited experience, I have not been able to bowl on a sport shot before or go to a tournament with a higher volume of oil). If I miss one board to the left of my intended target, nothing in my current arsenal will hold long enough to hit the pocket. However I can usually miss 5 to 10 boards to the right and still get back to the pocket somehow. For reference, during the last few weeks of league I was able to take my polyester spare ball (pancake core and all) and play over the 15th board at the arrows to a break point of the 7th board at 43 feet and still get to the pocket.
-From the charts in the Wiki I should be matched between my revs and speed but I am unsure, it feels as if my revs dominate my speed but that could be because of how dry the house is.

From what I understand so far, I believe an ideal ball choice for these conditions would be a symmetric pearl ball with a high RG and a lower differential (Motiv Thrill, Brunswick Twist, Columbia 300 Messenger, etc). If I'm wrong on this assumption then let me know what a good ball choice would be please.

My main question is what would be a good layout for a ball such as the aforementioned on dry conditions? I am unsure as to whether I would would want a layout with a higher or lower drill angle, and whether or not I would want a higher or lower VAL angle. I assume I would want to maximize flare potential with a 4 to 4.5 pin to PAP but I am unsure of this either. I understand the basics of what each of these variables will do to the reaction of the ball (lower drill angle rolls soonest, lower VAL angle transitions quickest, etc) but I don't know what reaction would be best for these conditions. I'd be thrilled if a ball choice and layout combination would allow me to miss a little bit to the right or to the left, rather than be able to miss a ton to the right but not at all to the left.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
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EricHartwell
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Posts: 4080
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 12:24 am
Positive Axis Point: 4-3/4" and 1/2"up
Speed: 16 off hand
Rev Rate: 330
Axis Tilt: 12
Axis Rotation: 45
Heavy Oil Ball: Radical Tremendous, EVO solid, Hammer Obsession
Medium Oil Ball: EVO pearl, True Motion, Columbia Command, DV8 Intimidator
Light Oil Ball: Blue Hammer
Location: Michigan

Re: Layout and possible ball suggestions needed

Post by EricHartwell »

What is your PAP measurement?

What ball specifically are you going to drill?

I don't make ball recommendations, I just try to make the best out of the purchasing decisions.

You are on the right track in what type of ball to look for. No sense in getting an oil sucking monster when you are battling light oil conditions.
Eric Hartwell

Right Handed
PAP 4.75" up 1/2"
45* rotation
12* tilt
330 rev rate
16 mph off hand
ModernGame
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Posts: 18
Joined: September 7th, 2017, 8:45 am

Re: Layout and possible ball suggestions needed

Post by ModernGame »

The Motiv Thrill seems like the best choice to me. My PAP is 4.5 over and .5 up.
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EricHartwell
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Posts: 4080
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 12:24 am
Positive Axis Point: 4-3/4" and 1/2"up
Speed: 16 off hand
Rev Rate: 330
Axis Tilt: 12
Axis Rotation: 45
Heavy Oil Ball: Radical Tremendous, EVO solid, Hammer Obsession
Medium Oil Ball: EVO pearl, True Motion, Columbia Command, DV8 Intimidator
Light Oil Ball: Blue Hammer
Location: Michigan

Re: Layout and possible ball suggestions needed

Post by EricHartwell »

The Thrill is a very low differential ball.
Using too weak of a layout will basically take the core out of the ball reaction and have virtually no flare.
I would drill it xx-4-30.
Eric Hartwell

Right Handed
PAP 4.75" up 1/2"
45* rotation
12* tilt
330 rev rate
16 mph off hand
ModernGame
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Posts: 18
Joined: September 7th, 2017, 8:45 am

Re: Layout and possible ball suggestions needed

Post by ModernGame »

When you say "xx-4-30", does that mean that I should choose whatever drill angle will give me the the reaction I want (30 degrees to roll sooner or 70 to roll later)?

For drier conditions, which would be better between two identical Motiv Thrills with one having a 30x4x30 layout vs. a 70x4x30 layout? Or would the reaction be so similar that the difference is negligible?
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EricHartwell
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Posts: 4080
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 12:24 am
Positive Axis Point: 4-3/4" and 1/2"up
Speed: 16 off hand
Rev Rate: 330
Axis Tilt: 12
Axis Rotation: 45
Heavy Oil Ball: Radical Tremendous, EVO solid, Hammer Obsession
Medium Oil Ball: EVO pearl, True Motion, Columbia Command, DV8 Intimidator
Light Oil Ball: Blue Hammer
Location: Michigan

Re: Layout and possible ball suggestions needed

Post by EricHartwell »

ModernGame wrote:When you say "xx-4-30", does that mean that I should choose whatever drill angle will give me the the reaction I want (30 degrees to roll sooner or 70 to roll later)?
With Asymmetrical balls the Drill angle defines the skid phase not the roll phase. The VAL angle defines the length of the hook phase.

For drier conditions, which would be better between two identical Motiv Thrills with one having a 30x4x30 layout vs. a 70x4x30 layout? Or would the reaction be so similar that the difference is negligible?
The drilling angle will be measured to the thumb hole put the Cg where ever you want. It does not matter.
If you drill 2 Symmetrical balls using the Cg for the Drilling angle, one 30-4-30 and the other 70-4-30, you will have 2 balls that roll exactly the same.
Eric Hartwell

Right Handed
PAP 4.75" up 1/2"
45* rotation
12* tilt
330 rev rate
16 mph off hand
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snick
BCU Graduate Layouts
BCU Graduate Layouts
Posts: 759
Joined: August 31st, 2014, 8:00 pm
THS Average: 196
Sport Average: 180
Positive Axis Point: 5.5625" x .625 up
Speed: 17 off hand
Rev Rate: 360
Axis Tilt: 17
Axis Rotation: 55
Heavy Oil Ball: Storm Physix
Medium Oil Ball: Storm Streetfight
Light Oil Ball: Rotogrip Hustle Pearl
Preferred Company: Rotogrip
Location: Tucson, AZ

Re: Layout and possible ball suggestions needed

Post by snick »

-Initial Axis Tilt: somewhere between 15-25 degrees based on video, my house is usually so dry I can't get a decent enough oil ring around the ball to measure and compare to the tilt chart found in the wiki.
Quick way to find Axis tilt:
Roll the ball.
Mark the first oil ring between the fingers and thumb, and PAP on the ball.
Measure the distance from the PAP to the first oil ring.
Subtract this value from 13.5, then double the result. This is the arc distance across the NAP. Use the chart on the wiki to find your axis tilt.

For example:
first oil ring to PAP distance = 7.5"
13.5 - 7.5 = 6
6 * 2 = 12
12" across the NAP == 10 degrees of Axis tilt.
Benchmark Bowling Pro Shop
Byron

RH
PAP: 5.5625 x .625 up
REVRATE: 360
SPEED: 17mph at release
AR: 55º
AT: 17º
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