Post by: Artimust on February 21, 2012, 08:24:02 AM
Darn it! I was getting ready to go to league last night and wanted to change up one of my regular balls that I been bringing (4 ball arsenal) and took out my Hammer Epidemic and grabbed my original Break. Well, my Break was broke! Split in half from the pin to the thumbhole all the way around. This is my third ball to crack like this (all the way around) and all of them were 900 Global balls. First was the Break Pearl, then the Bank, and now the Break. All my balls are kept in my enclosed garage that does not fluxuate too much in temperature (no snow or heatwaves here). Getting costly here!
I know it sounds like I'm in denial, but I'm not.
Post by: chrischop04 on February 21, 2012, 04:59:01 PM
i have had this happen with them in my bed room take them back to where u got them i have had them replaced before. it dont hurt to try
Post by: mainzer on February 21, 2012, 04:59:40 PM
MainzerPower
Post by: 42swaff on February 21, 2012, 05:38:48 PM
ive noticed this happens with all the brands not just global and ive noticed if the ball is setting on the floor it tends to drawl the moisture out of the ball and they all seem to crack but if i keep them on the rack so air can get around them they tend to be fine.
any way this was my 2 cents here
hope it helps
jeff
Post by: sevenpin63 on February 21, 2012, 06:20:22 PM
DON'T TEMPT THE BOWLING GODS
Post by: jkiser01 on February 21, 2012, 07:30:56 PM
I would suggest 2 things:
1. DON,T keep any balls in a garage regardless of the temp changes.
2. Always put balls you are not using inside a tote or bowling bag. NEVER leave them laying directly on the floor.
I have followed those 2 rules and only had 1 ball crack out of many that I have had and stored safely.
My first child.. Hannah Allison Kiser 4 years old and my little angel!!
DV8-Damn good bowling balls!!
DV8-Damn good bowling balls!!
I also like AMF/900 Global..
Post by: Artimust on February 21, 2012, 08:01:38 PM
I know it sounds like I'm in denial, but I'm not.
Post by: qstick777 on February 22, 2012, 08:52:36 AM
Maybe you're just unlucky? I keep my balls in my non-insulated, non-temp controlled garage. During the season I keep the balls in my trunk. Over the course of a year the thermometer out in the garage shows a min temp of 25 and high temp of 90+ and I haven't had any issues with balls cracking. I have balls sitting in plastic bags in the box, and balls just sitting out in ball cups. I do spend quite a bit of time out there rearranging, so they tend to get moved several times a year, and I do check them each time I move them - I think I'm just waiting for them to crack!
Some suggest it could be the drilling - dull bits, drilling too fast, not enough bevel, drilling too close to the pin, too much glue on inserts, etc?
I drill my own stuff and have drilled closer than 1" to pin, drilled half the pin out, followed the "minimum of 1 inch to the holes," and still haven't had any problems.
I've got original Break, Break Pearl, Hei$t, Big Hei$t, Lunatic, Hype Urethane, Break Out, Break S75 - all drilled and sitting out there. I also have numerous others from 900G/AMF that are undrilled and still no issues.
Post by: tekneek on February 22, 2012, 09:11:25 AM
it may be from a little know factor of the location of the ball in relation to the equator, maybe the gravatational forces are stronger and tend and pull on the core harder in Hawaii than in Va. All joking aside I feel your pain Art, sorry you are having those issues again.
I had an old C300 Icon drilled and left it in an outside storage building for over 3 years, sitting on a ball cup, temp here in the summer will exceed 105* for weeks at a time, winters rarely below freezing for more than a week, the Icon never cracked, resurfaced it sold it locally, and it is still being used today, with no cracking or other issues other than having inserts replaced once since it was resold. Go figure !
Steve
Leading Edge Pro Shop
brinkley2223@yahoo.com
512-755-2947
Post by: dizzyfugu on February 22, 2012, 09:34:55 AM
Or, to put it differently, make sure that the ball's weight does not rest in just one, small surface spot. This causes tension between filler and coverstock shell, esp. over longer periods. Temp changes will promote such tension - I'd guess that a cold gust of wind (e. g. opening a door - cold air keeps to the floor!) could be enough to make a shell crack.
IMHO, use a ball cup or something that distributes the weight of the ball on a larger "footprint", and maybe rotate the orb(s) once a weak, so that different spots get under weight pressure. I cannot promise that this prevents cracking, but I also lost balls in a rack in a mild flat climate, and probably due to having them rest too long in one position...
DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany
2010/11 Benrather BC Club Champion
Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section
2010/11 Benrather BC Club Champion
Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section
Post by: NY Mike on February 22, 2012, 10:00:31 AM
I agree with Diz. I had a Roto Solid Horizon and a Hammer Cherry Vibe I lost with similar cracks so it is not brand specific. I haven't had issues with balls cracking due to temp changes but due to an article I read here I make certain to rotate and move balls around that are sitting idle in my trunk. I haven't experienced any problems since.
Post by: Artimust on February 22, 2012, 10:27:13 AM
The positive thing with the cracking balls is that when I show them to the wife, she actually tells me to buy a replacement, no questions asked!!! :)
I know it sounds like I'm in denial, but I'm not.
Post by: tekneek on February 22, 2012, 12:08:03 PM
sounds like you have here trained well Art, I don't want to hear of chisel marks on these cracked rocks of yours !!!
Steve
Leading Edge Pro Shop
brinkley2223@yahoo.com
512-755-2947
Post by: Str8drvr on March 08, 2012, 11:45:54 AM
Just discussed this subject with my driller. He told me that believe it or not, the total "around the ball" cracking is caused by "GRAVITY". A ball manufacturer did a test on this.
They set two identical balls next to one another for an extended period of time. They rotated one ball every week and let the other one sit without moving it. The ball that was rotated did not crack, however the one that sat did crack all the way around. Their engineers attributed the cracking to gravity pulling down on one area of the ball for a long time. Makes sense as we all use a specific ball or balls repeatedly so they never sit for any time period.
BTW, I had a Columbia crack like that after sitting on the floor of my apartment for 2 months without moving.
Post by: Artimust on March 08, 2012, 02:15:22 PM
That makes the most sense. The balls that cracked were the ones that were sitting unused either in a box or bags on the shelf. None of the ones that were actively seeing lane time ever cracked, so it seems that the thing to do is to move the balls around every so often or take them out and let see some playing time. 
I know it sounds like I'm in denial, but I'm not.
Post by: Xx 12 X 300 xX on March 08, 2012, 02:33:31 PM
I had a ball 2 weeks ago crack all the way around the equator of the ball. This ball was 16 years old and never was drilled. For 16 years it was thrown in a back room basement, with much temp changes.
I brought it home, gave it a nice consistent temp, on the 2nd floor bed room. Within 2 months it cracked all the way around the ball, while for 16 years just thrown aside it was fine.
Edited by Xx 12 X 300 xX on 3/8/2012 at 1:34 PM
Edited by Xx 12 X 300 xX on 3/8/2012 at 1:34 PM
Post by: BrianCRX90 on March 10, 2012, 02:21:44 PM
I may agree with your theory. I usually leave my balls in the trunk of my car....3 of them in a bag and with the freezing temperatures and high heat and never had one ball crack or any issues like that. Knew someone that kept his balls in the bowling alley's lockers that was the bottom locker and had two balls crack. They were not kept in a bag though.