Help a newbie out.....

[Nollster]

Hi all!!  I'm not necessarily new to bowling, but I haven't bowled much for the last 13 years, so I guess that makes me a newbie again.  I joined a league with my 8 yr. old and when I got some shoes, I decided to get a new ball.  My old ball was an Ebonite Gyro I red urethane from '86.  After talking to the ball guy at the shop, he recommended a used Hammer Truck, so that's what I got.  Not sure if it's drilled right as he's never seen me bowl and I have know idea what kind of bowler I am.  Here's what I think:  I'm a right handed stroker with pretty much a full roller -- got the nice oil line running along the thumb hole and fingers.  I don't have tons of speed and I start my approach just left of center and throw to the 2nd arrow.  When things are going well, the ball will hook right in the pocket.  I sometimes would get some mushy hits that would leave me an easy spare.  I expected some big changes with the Truck, but here's what I saw after league on Sunday:
 

• Ball is rolling the same
• Much stronger hit on the pins -- left quite a few splits
• Really, not much more hook than my old ball

My dilemma, how do I know if this ball is drilled right for me?  It was fitted very well by the guys at Bowler's Supply, but they pretty much drilled into the old plugs in the ball.  For those familiar with the Truck, is the pin the little brown circle in the word "CAM"?  What's the yellow dot on the ball?  I saw a small drill hole, maybe a 1/4" deep that's been filled -- an old weight hole?  Once I know what these things are, I can give a better description of how it's drilled.  Thanks!!

[MI 2 AZ]

I'll let someone else answer the parts about the Truck since I dont know it.

You said you are a full roller.  Did you tell the driller that before he drilled the ball for you?   A full roller would track between the fingers and thumb.  It is my understanding that balls have to be drilled differently for a full roller to get the weight block in a position to help.  It sounds from what you said that the ball was laid out the same as the first drilling, just the span was adjusted for you.

I bowled for a number of years with someone who was a full roller and he always had problems getting the newer equipment to hook for him.  

I tried to look for the Truck at the Hammer website but couldnt find it.  Perhaps someone more familiar with the website can.  I did find the drilling layouts for the Diesel and they have a different layout just for full rollers.  Here it is (if this works):  Nope, cant get it to copy so here is the link to the page instead:

http://www.hammerbowling.com/techcenter/drillinstructions_diesel.php


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I am the SGT Schultz of bowling.
"I know nothing!"

[livespive]

The Truck was made by Faball and is now discountinued.

From what I remember about the Truck, the yellow dot is the pin (about a 3/4" circle).  The CAM dot would represent the Mass Bias on the ball.  

From where you describe your oil line I am guess that you are a 3/4 roller, and not a full, but to maybe answer that how is your gyro drilled? where is the pin,and the cg?  

The 1/4" whole that was filled isprobably an old weight hole.

Also to help on figuring what kind of ball you throw where is your pin?
IF the pin is down and left of the thumb then you are a full roller.
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Eric T. Spivey, P.E.
 Visionary Test Staff Member

Edited on 10/7/2003 12:29 PM

[Nollster]

Let me just preface this by saying that I didn't realize bowling had changed so much in the last 15 or so years!!  This site is a godsend!!  I'm not really sure what kind of roller I am, I'll have to check it again when I hit the lanes.  Regardless of what I turn out to be, I had even less a clue when I had the ball drilled.  Maybe this will help - When I go at the lone 10, I move way left and hit the 3rd arrow from the right.  When my ball gets to the channel, it straightens out and just follows it right to the pin -- can't miss it even if I try.  My ex-father-in-law, a real good bowler and super cranker, used to just stare when I did it.  Couldn't figure it out, and, to tell the truth, neither can I!!  It ain't natural!!  It's kind of the same for my strike ball -- throw at the 2nd arrow, it'll hook to about 2/3 the way and then just roll right by the thumbhole gently moving left.  It's funky!  My old ball was drilled right on the label -- I don't think they had all these cool cores back in '85.......

[Saw Mill]

Sounds to me as thought the ball is rolling out, and I agree that it may be drill wrong for your style and fit.  I would suggest that you find a proshop, where they can see the realionship of the pin to ring finger, CG (center of gravity) to your palm or grip line/center, and the CaM to your thumb.  If you live anywhere near Doug Sterner (Friendville, PA), I would contact him through this site, for he is the best, in my opinion and also many other's opinion as well.  It would be worth the know what to do,drive to see him, and I can guarantee that he will know what was done, what to do to fix it if necessary.  His user name is Doug Sterner, and if you prefer e-mail, it is dougsproshop@aol.com

Dave
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If You Are Not Using a BuzzSaw, All You Get is SAW-dusted!!

[omegabowler]

check this site out. here is a link directly to ball tracks.

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kennmelvin/tTracks.htm
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"deserves got nothing to do with it."
-- William Munny

[Nollster]

OK.....My boy and I had our league match on Sunday and here's what I saw....
 

• My oil pattern looks just like the track flare pictured here:  http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kennmelvin/tTracks.htm.  I never had the flare pattern before this ball.

 
• I was leaving solid tens out the ying-yang and, with this new ball, they are much harder to pick up!!!


• Here is a picture of my ball drilling, if someone can help me figure what type of bowler this was drilled for:  http://yourpage.blazenet.net/guppy/bowling/balldrillfront.jpg


• Here's a picture of the weight hole (I think):  http://yourpage.blazenet.net/guppy/bowling/weighthole.jpg

Sorry I don't have any measurements, but I'm not sure what to measure.  

[A_P_K]

If I'm not mistaken, that's a label leverage drill, or simple label at best.  The CAM is under your thumb, which should be the control placement.

That's a normal 3/4 roller or semi roller high track.  It could be anywhere from medium to high depending on your axis point, but there's nothing wrong with that, many many bowlers track like that.

That layout is designed for longer length and the most backend, a label pattern works nearly the same way on all bowling balls.  Most likely either the ball is burnt up before it hits the pins(like they said), or you could be entering the pocket at a bad angle.  Most of the time when I leave a ten pin it's either of those two reasons.

If you haven't before you get the ball redrilled, try giving it a light coat of polish to help get it down the lane with some energy.

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In the old days people used to cut wood with axes.....................now and days...............they just have Executioners do it for them!

Pin_Krusher IS a serious threat to modern day bowling wood as we know it today.

[johns811]

For 10 pins, I would use your old ball. Actually I would have it shined up first. No reason to shoot at with the Truck.

2nd. That Truck sounds like it is hitting flat. Most likely it is just running out of steam by the time it gets to the pins. I would suggest that you have the surface on that ball polished as well. Changing the surface will likely give you a much different look then re-drilling. That is my $.02. Good Luck.

quote:
OK.....My boy and I had our league match on Sunday and here's what I saw....
 

• My oil pattern looks just like the track flare pictured here:  http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kennmelvin/tTracks.htm.  I never had the flare pattern before this ball.

 
• I was leaving solid tens out the ying-yang and, with this new ball, they are much harder to pick up!!!


• Here is a picture of my ball drilling, if someone can help me figure what type of bowler this was drilled for:  http://yourpage.blazenet.net/guppy/bowling/balldrillfront.jpg


• Here's a picture of the weight hole (I think):  http://yourpage.blazenet.net/guppy/bowling/weighthole.jpg

Sorry I don't have any measurements, but I'm not sure what to measure.  

[livespive]

I agree with A_P_K This is a simple label drill, it may be leverage depending on where you Positive axis point is PAP.

Unless you have learned how to break your wrist picking up 10 pins with this ball will be difficult. I would use the gyro for the 10 pin.

Looking at the ball it looks about like 800 maybe 600.  I would take it and get it polished to 1000

Eric

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Eric T. Spivey, P.E.
 Visionary Test Staff Member

[Nollster]

Thanks to all!!  I think I'll practice for a few more weeks and see how things go....I like the ball and, when I do strike, it's oh so perty!!  

[Nollster]

OK...I got my ball shined up and it actually feels stickier to the touch.  On the lanes, however, it is definitely going longer before it hits the backends and hooks back in.  I've also changed my line -- starting left, throwing to the middle arrow.  I'm still trying to fine tune this as it's really odd to me.  I'm hitting light sometimes and, if I increase my ball speed, it'll go a little too far right and not make it back to the pocket.  The thing that's just killing my scores are the corners I'm leaving.  To get the 10 with my old Gyro, I would stand left, throw to the 3rd arrow (from right), the ball would go to the channel and roll out straight to the 10 pin.  Never missed it!!  Now, the Truck will kind of do that, but once it hits the backends -- whoosh!! -- right by the 10!!  Of course, I gave my old ball to the pro shop to get rid of.  Any suggestions on a good spare ball??

[livespive]

Nice to see you are liking the ball.

IF you are coming in light you want to try moving back 3-6 inches,
or move in the dirrection of the miss ie if you are right handed and you are
comming in light then move to the right about 2 or 3 boards.

For the 10 pin I flatten my wrist and just use my strike ball.  
Basically flatten your wrist and point your thumb at the 10 pin.

As far as buying a ball, I would get a simple urethane seeing as you were using urethane before to pick up the 10 pin.
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Eric T. Spivey, P.E.
 Visionary Test Staff Member