Author Topic: A Few 3.5 Questions (Read 2513 times)

n00dlejester · « **on:** April 30, 2010, 04:41:49 PM »

Hey Brunswick Faithful,

I'm strongly considering getting a 3.5. The videos I have seen only show me qualities I love to see in a ball I use a lot: a good mid-lane read, a controlled response to friction and continuation through the pins. I just have a few questions about this ball from those who have seen it in action/thrown it themselves.

1) Usually, a 4000 Abralon finish on a ball creates a very over/under type reaction for my game. If I get this ball, I was thinking about putting my favorite surface prep on it: 1000 + Ebonite Magic Shine polish. How does this coverstock take to changes? Polish?

2) How versatile is the ball for you folks? I've seen the videos of Brunswick staff throwing the 3.5 on all the animal patterns. But, they're professionals lol. What can someone like a competitive league bowler expect from this?

3) Are there any drawbacks to the 3.5 you've experienced?

Thanks in advance for all the help!
--------------------
Proud Supporter of Rob Stone
Obviously, you aren''t a golfer.
Some stayed in the foothills, some washed logs like teeth.

J_w73 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 01, 2010, 01:41:38 AM »

I got mine a few weeks ago. Really have only thrown it for 3 full sets and a couple practices..
For me, stronger balls usually burn up , be smoother and have less backend. Not the 3.5
The ball is just strong. It moves at any sign of friction. But it doesn''''t burn up as it goes down the lane.
It will also handle more oil and hold line and make a move in oil conditions where my other stuff just slides...
Mine is drilled with 60 x 4 3/4 x 30.

Mine can be a little speed sensitive and sensitive to hand position but in a good way I think. The ball allows me to pretty much do anything I want with it.
This week I was playing around 12 to 6 the first two games then wanted to see what it would do the last game and moved 12 boards left with my feet and swung it from left of 20 out to 6 or 7 with slower speed and more side rotation. The ball got to the break point with ease and got to the pocket with no problem.
The angle wasn''''t ideal but it was still throwing the pins around like crazy..
Which is another thing this ball does.

The first few games out the ball seemed a little over under. Not sure if it has smoothed out with some use or if I just learned how to use it. I have found that when the ball wants to jump I can just keep the speed up , trust it and let it fly.. It will get back to the pocket..

I have heard that the ball takes surface changes well but I haven''''t tried to change mine. I don''''t want to touch my surface and hope the surface and reaction never changes.. I like the reaction with the OOB surface.

I went to practice the other day and they had the nationals pattern out. the 3.5 gave me atleast 3 or 4 more boards of area than everyone else. If I got it outside a little the ball still made it back flush to the pocket while everyone else was coming in light or washing out.

I think if you drill it with a larger VAL angle that it should smooth out some of the potential over/ under and sensitivity to hand position.
Not sure what you usually do with MB positions. I pretty much put all my stuff at 60 degs.. That seems to work best for me.

hoping to use it more this weekend and next week...
I''''ll report anything else I see.

--------------------
18 mph,350 rpm,PAP 5 1/2 x 3/8up, 15 deg axis tilt, varied rotational axis deg.. usually 45+
HighGame 300 x 4, High Series 808
Book Average 205,PBA Xperience 185

Edited on 5/1/2010 1:42 AM

Edited on 5/1/2010 1:46 AM

DON DRAPER · « **Reply #2 on:** May 01, 2010, 08:30:09 AM »

I'm surprised to hear that you get more of a over/under reaction with a 4,000 grit abralon pad that when the ball is polished. Usually it's the other way around. But, whatever.

As far as versatility goes I've used the ball in factory condition( 500/4,000 siaar pad )and this set-up worked great on lanes that had longer or thicker oil patterns. I usually use the 3.5 finished with a 2,000 siaar pad and Brunswick's polish. It's more useable for me this way. Ball reaction is great either way. Plenty of hook and continuation. Great roll and carry.

The only drawback I've seen is that I can't use it when the lanes start to dry out.

n00dlejester · « **Reply #3 on:** May 01, 2010, 11:05:51 AM »

Thanks for the reports guys.

j_w: Usually, my favorite asymmetric balls have MB's that are really close to the VAL line, about 3-4 inches from my PAP. I love balls with larger VAL angles too. I had one ball with something that was around a 35 degree VAL angle and it was an over/under nightmare for me with polish. I had to sand the ball down a bit and smooth that over/under out, but then I couldn't use it for what I wanted, lol.

101: What polish do you use over that 2000 pad finish?

--------------------
Proud Supporter of Rob Stone
Obviously, you aren't a golfer.
Some stayed in the foothills, some washed logs like teeth.

charlest · « **Reply #4 on:** May 01, 2010, 07:09:32 PM »

Steve,

Did you read 101960's repy?
The finish is not 4000 grit but 500/4000 grit, a much earlier and smoother reaction, in general.

2000 grit + poilish is going to be much more skid/flip than the stock surface.

FYI I drilled my 2.5 for a smoother reaction (pin under center of bridge and MB kicked out towards the VAL much further than normal for me) because many people reported a very skid/flip reaciton with normal or pin high drillings.

--------------------
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Author Topic: A Few 3.5 Questions (Read 2513 times)

n00dlejester

A Few 3.5 Questions

J_w73

Re: A Few 3.5 Questions

DON DRAPER

Re: A Few 3.5 Questions

n00dlejester

Re: A Few 3.5 Questions

charlest

Re: A Few 3.5 Questions