Author Topic: Power Groove cover maintenance (Read 2693 times)

Senior · « **on:** October 23, 2009, 10:25:50 AM »

I'm relatively new to the world of reactive cover balls. I hadn't bowled in more than 25 years and found that the equipment and lanes had changed significantly. I have a purple/silver power groove that worked well when I bought it, 6 months ago. Recently I realized that I was fighting this ball to stay on the right side of the lane (right handed). The guy at the pro shop where I bowl suggested to give it a cleaning and polishing, which he graciously did for free. The ball now works like when it was new. The pro shop guy won't give me all the details on what he did. I'd like to be able to maintain the ball myself. What should I be doing, and how often, to keep this ball working properly?

Juggernaut · « **Reply #1 on:** October 23, 2009, 06:52:04 PM »

Senior,

Good to hear you're back in the game! And YES, crazy things have happened to bowling balls, pins, and lanes since you've been gone, not to mention the lane oils themselves. By the standards of the older equipment, even the "beginner level" balls of today far exceed the performance of the old rubber, urethane, and polyester balls.

As for maintaining the ball yourself, that's going to be a bit hard, unless you want to lay out some cash. You can do basic maintenance, but to keep the ball in its new condition, you almost HAVE to have a ball spinner machine.

If you choose not to lay out the $200 or more for a spinner, here is what I recommend. Buy a good microfiber towel ( which removes oil from the surface of the ball) and wipe the ball between each shot. Also, buy a GOOD cleaner, and clean your ball immediately after each bowling set. Keep an eye on the balls reaction and, when you notice it starting to get too strong ( like it did this time), take it into the shop and have it cleaned and re-polished. Every so often it will also need to be completly re-surfaced ( about every 50-100 games, depending on wear and tear ).

With good maintenance, your ball could last for a season or two before needing to be replaced.
--------------------
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Senior · « **Reply #2 on:** October 23, 2009, 07:53:17 PM »

Juggernaut,
Thanks for the reply. You're right, "crazy things have happened to bowling balls, pins, and lanes since you've been gone". I never before was concerned about the old AMF 3 dot I had (still have but doesn't work very well).

I don't see a spinner in my foreseeable future so I'll probably have to go the route you suggest. I'm using Brunswick "Remove All" ball cleaner now but I was not very religious about cleaning after every use.

I was very surprised that the ball would get stronger with use. I had it in my mind that it would absorb oil and get weaker. Just goes to show what I know!! I did not realize that today's balls will only last 1-2 seasons.
Have you ever heard of "Doc's Magic Bowling Ball Elixir"? Sounds like an interesting product that could possibly help prolong the life of the ball.

thanks, Senior

Juggernaut · « **Reply #3 on:** October 23, 2009, 08:34:28 PM »

quote:
Juggernaut,
Thanks for the reply. You're right, "crazy things have happened to bowling balls, pins, and lanes since you've been gone". I never before was concerned about the old AMF 3 dot I had (still have but doesn't work very well).

Yes, I remember the days when bowling balls were durable and needed only a modicum of maintenance, lasting for years, even decades. Unfortunately, that time has passed.

I used to love my yellow dot, LT-48, and Dick Weber All Star, but with todays longer oil patterns and more viscous oils, the old balls just don't have enough friction to make them work like they used to.

quote:
I don't see a spinner in my foreseeable future so I'll probably have to go the route you suggest. I'm using Brunswick "Remove All" ball cleaner now but I was not very religious about cleaning after every use.

Keeping the modern balls clean can significantly exend the usable lifespan of them, up to a couple of seasons, or more.

quote:
I was very surprised that the ball would get stronger with use. I had it in my mind that it would absorb oil and get weaker. Just goes to show what I know!! I did not realize that today's balls will only last 1-2 seasons.
Have you ever heard of "Doc's Magic Bowling Ball Elixir"? Sounds like an interesting product that could possibly help prolong the life of the ball.

thanks, Senior

Well, remember when a ball got BETTER when it had a track on it? Not so much anymore. Getting a track on a modern POLISHED ball usually makes it stronger, but getting a track on a DULL ball can actually weaken its reaction! And, they WILL absorb oil, that's why you need a good microfiber towel and cleaning regimen. Todays balls CAN last longer than 1-2 seasons ( I have some 5-6 years old that I still use, but they have limited games on them and are for special conditions), but will eventually suffer more and more diminished performance until they become useless.

I have HEARD of Doc's elixir, and there are many here who have used it and swore by it, but I never have tried it, so I cannot speak to its effectiveness from my own experience.
--------------------
Good transactions list in my profile

"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits."
Albert Einstein

Dave_in_Rio_Rancho · « **Reply #4 on:** October 23, 2009, 11:48:33 PM »

Geez guys, don''t scare the man. PK17 isn''t exactly what you would call a sponge. You could probably throw a Power Groove all season with some neglect, without seeing much change in the ball''s reaction. This coverstock, and the PK18 are also really quite durable so they don''t get nicked up much compared to newer, softer coverstocks.

Just wipe the ball off after each frame and then to be really safe clean it with a spray cleaner and cloth after you are finished bowling. The ball should last a long time without much else in the way of maintenance.

Before the next season, if you want out of box performance you can have the ball resurfaced. This involves taking the ball down to a rough finish, then bringing it back up to the polish it had when new.

Myself, if I was just getting back into bowling would probably go with the Avalanche Black/Green (w/PK18) which has a much smoother, easier to control reaction compared to the Power Groove which can get pretty inconsistent on some conditions.

Edited on 10/23/2009 11:59 PM

shelley · « **Reply #5 on:** October 24, 2009, 12:01:23 AM »

The best way to maintain your ball easily is to get a bottle of ball cleaner and a towel. Clean it after every set. I like Valentino's Remedy RX cleaner, it does a very, very good job. Legends cleaner is also very good but has and, umm, odor. Keep a bottle in your ball bag, spray the ball down when you're done, and wipe it off.

You don't need a spinner and fancy deep cleaners, polishes, or sandpaper. Let the pro shop do that stuff when you need it (maybe once a year have them resurface and repolish), just a $8 bottle of cleaner and a couple of cheapo microfiber towels from the automotive section at Walmart.

Dave's right, though. PK17 and PK18 can take almost any kind of abuse and neglect and still hold up over time.

SH

johns811 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 24, 2009, 12:42:55 AM »

I tried the Elixir and I would save your money. I didn't notice any difference with balls I treated. The power groove is not a real sponge aborbing oil and will last for many seasons with a little maintenance. I have one with many games on it and it is still fine.

quote:
Juggernaut,
Thanks for the reply. You're right, "crazy things have happened to bowling balls, pins, and lanes since you've been gone". I never before was concerned about the old AMF 3 dot I had (still have but doesn't work very well).

I don't see a spinner in my foreseeable future so I'll probably have to go the route you suggest. I'm using Brunswick "Remove All" ball cleaner now but I was not very religious about cleaning after every use.

I was very surprised that the ball would get stronger with use. I had it in my mind that it would absorb oil and get weaker. Just goes to show what I know!! I did not realize that today's balls will only last 1-2 seasons.
Have you ever heard of "Doc's Magic Bowling Ball Elixir"? Sounds like an interesting product that could possibly help prolong the life of the ball.

thanks, Senior

BrunsMike · « **Reply #7 on:** October 24, 2009, 12:55:44 AM »

I don't know where you say the ball would need to be replaced after a season or 2. My PK18 BVP Rampage has seen almost 5 full season's of winter and summer bowling. I've done bare minimum maintenance to the ball, just a repolish before each winter season. 2 winter leauges, that's 99 game's each plus 10 week's of 4 game set's in a 9pin no tap sweeper, another 40 game's, and a 18 week summer leauge, another 66 game's. That's a lot of game's on this ball but I don't use the ball every day I bowl but still I have over 1000 game's on my Rampage no real maintenance done on it. The cover is still in great shape, the ball still can hook the 15-20 board's like it did when I bought it back in Sept of 05. I've never had a ball lose hook or "die out" as people like to say, only time I've had a ball appear to not hook is when the bowling center increased their volume of oil on the lane's. I don't buy into the ball maintenance stuff and never will. I will however keep a dull ball dull cause those over time self polish themselves so those do need to be maintained alot more.

Basically what I'm saying is, you don't need to be a ball maintenance freak. Maybe a polish every 6 month's. If you bowl on wood lane's where a track area is apparent then a resurface is possible. If you bowl on synthetic's a resurface isn't really needed as much.

Just My Opionion.
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Mike Zadler
"When in doubt, Pull out" - Rob Stone
Below, my stats from previous seasons:
http://members.bowl.com/SearchUSBC/ViewMember.aspx?prefix=552&suffix=12886

Senior · « **Reply #8 on:** November 08, 2009, 05:16:05 PM »

Well, now after only 2-3 weeks (25-30 games) I was back in the same boat, no energy at the back end. Went back to the pro shop and this time he "cooked" the ball for a few hours in his "Revivor" machine and then repolished. Works like new again! The problem for me is how to keep the ball working properly on a regular basis.

When the ball goes dead it does so very gradually and I start to think that I'm doing something wrong and start "fishing" for the answer. This is very frustrating!
Still looking for "what to do" on a regular basis.

charlest · « **Reply #9 on:** November 08, 2009, 06:00:04 PM »

quote:
Well, now after only 2-3 weeks (25-30 games) I was back in the same boat, no energy at the back end. Went back to the pro shop and this time he "cooked" the ball for a few hours in his "Revivor" machine and then repolished. Works like new again! The problem for me is how to keep the ball working properly on a regular basis.

When the ball goes dead it does so very gradually and I start to think that I'm doing something wrong and start "fishing" for the answer. This is very frustrating!
Still looking for "what to do" on a regular basis.

If I may suggest -
1. Clean the ball with a good bowling ball specific cleaner after each use AND BEFORE you put the ball back in the bag at the bowling alley.
2. Once every 3 - 4 uses, clean it at home with a good deep cleaner such as Powerhouse's Clean and Dull or Neo-Tac's Hook-It.
3. Have the oil extracted every 50 - 100 games (as you just did) or when you notice a performance decrease.

Good bowling ball-specific cleaners, in my opinion:
- Valentino's Remedy (http://www.valentinobowling.com/page64.html)
- Neo-Tac's Liquid Nitro (http://www.bowlersparadise.com/shop/cp/neo_tac/neo_tac_liquid_nitro_6_oz_.shtml)
- Zapp-It (http://www.4zappit.com/cleaners/)
- Lanemasters cleaner (has powerful odor, but new version is much less "fragrant") (http://www.buddiesproshop.com/product/3947/Lane_Masters_High_Performance_Bowling_Ball_Cleaner_-_32oz__-_New_Improved_Formula.htm)
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

SVstar34 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 08, 2009, 06:06:49 PM »

Also one other thing besides all the information with cleaners and ball maintenance. If you are just getting back into bowling, why not pay for a lesson or two and get an evaluation to make sure that its not with how you're throwing the ball. Doing that cant hurt, it can only help.
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Senior · « **Reply #11 on:** November 09, 2009, 03:17:03 PM »

Charlest, and all who have talked about cleaning techniques, thanks, I will make it a point to pay more attention to cleaning before I put the ball in the bag.

SVstar34, Yes, I did take a lesson shortly after I returned to bowling. That said, you're right, another wouldn't hurt and probably can only help.

Author Topic: Power Groove cover maintenance (Read 2693 times)

Senior

Power Groove cover maintenance

Juggernaut

Re: Power Groove cover maintenance

Senior

Re: Power Groove cover maintenance

Juggernaut

Re: Power Groove cover maintenance

Dave_in_Rio_Rancho

Re: Power Groove cover maintenance

shelley

Re: Power Groove cover maintenance

johns811

Re: Power Groove cover maintenance

BrunsMike

Re: Power Groove cover maintenance

Senior

Re: Power Groove cover maintenance

charlest

Re: Power Groove cover maintenance

SVstar34

Re: Power Groove cover maintenance

Senior

Re: Power Groove cover maintenance