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Author Topic: Vapor Zone Question  (Read 3754 times)

ElSkippy3o42

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Vapor Zone Question
« on: September 08, 2006, 07:50:47 PM »
What should I use to make my Vapor go back to box finish other than the Brunswick Rough Buff?
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BrunsMike

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2006, 03:57:44 AM »
This is a great question! Not to hi-jack the post but, I have a 2nd vapor zone thats been polished and in its current state, the ball will NOT react like it would in the OOB state. I to am curious with this question.
--------------------
Mike Zadler
NE Lake County IL
Using the best brand in the nation, BRUNSWICK!!!
Below, my stats from previous seasons:
http://members.bowl.com/FindAMember/memberView.aspx?ms=12886&mp=552&s=2005-2006
Winter season averages.
Wed. Nite Ave: 182
Thur. Nite Ave: 201
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Mike Zadler

charlest

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2006, 05:36:00 AM »
Sand it to 800 or 1000 grit and try a light application of Track's Clean and Sheen. The result should be much closer to the original than whatever polish the pro shop tried.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."
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ElSkippy3o42

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2006, 06:40:04 AM »
I was told maybe using Ebonite's Matte Finish. Thoughts?
--------------------
Arsenal:

Infinite One
Radical Inferno
Vapor Zone
Paradigm
Big Time Sanded
Wrath
Cross Fire
Viz-A-Ball
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Verbs

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2006, 08:39:53 AM »
To get your Vapor Zone back to close to out of the box finish, sand the whole ball with 220 grit sand paper. Then use a rubbing compound (any commercial grade will do). The one issue with using anything but Brunswick Rough Buff, most other polishes, auto or other bowling products, have a wax or silicone in them that will clog the pores of the ball.

Brunswick Rough Buff and Brunswick Factory Finish have no waxes or silicones. They are strictly polishes designed for refinishing bowling balls only.

Verbswick



--------------------
Larry Verble
Brunswick Product Specialist
Northeast
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FranVarin

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2006, 08:49:23 AM »
Larry,

I have a qeustion related to refinishing Activator Pearl (AI & VZ). I refinished my AI using 500 Abralon and light hit with Brunswick Ruff Buff polish. After that, my AI responded much better. Prior to that I tried the 220 & Ruff Buff but, the reaction was way too early. What gives? Is the issue that rubbing compound should have been used rather than Ruff Buff?

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Fran Varin
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dizzyfugu

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2006, 09:02:07 AM »
Activator+ is quite touchy when polished. It can react very squirty at the break point - that's the reason why the Intense Inferno was dumped quite quickly (people I know either loved or hated the ball OOB, the smart ones took off the polish...) and any Activator+ ball thereafter, including the S&A and AF from MoRich, had the Rough Buff or a compound finish which make the ball more versatile.
--------------------

DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany
Team "X" website & more about me: http://web.mac.com/timlinked/iWeb/X/Thomas.html
"The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades" - PatMacDonald
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DizzyFugu ~ Reporting from Germany

dizzyfugu

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2006, 10:43:07 AM »
MoRich uses a higher base grit on their balls and another compound, probably some 3M stuff.

According to their customer service: if you want the ball back OOB with Rough Buff, you should sand the ball to 600 grit (green pad) and use Rough Buff with some added water. Worked very well on my S&A, and leaves the ball definitively with a finer surface than the recommended 220 grit + Rough Buff 100% Brunswick uses OOB (which appears semi-matte to me, while the MoRich surface is really smooth, almost like Abralon 4.000 grit OOB).

Might be the way to go when you need length - I'd personally stay away from true polish on Activator+ balls - unless you want tio experiment. Can work, can not.
--------------------

DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany
Team "X" website & more about me: http://web.mac.com/timlinked/iWeb/X/Thomas.html
"The Future's So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades" - PatMacDonald
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DizzyFugu ~ Reporting from Germany

charlest

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2006, 03:28:15 PM »
quote:
I was told maybe using Ebonite's Matte Finish. Thoughts?
--------------------
Arsenal:

Infinite One
Radical Inferno
Vapor Zone
Paradigm
Big Time Sanded
Wrath
Cross Fire
Viz-A-Ball


Ebonite's Matte finish is 1200 grit dull. The finish on the Vapor is NOT dull or matte. Ebonite's Matte finish is a great product, but that is not the finish on the VZ.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

BrunsMike

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2006, 03:55:51 PM »
Okay, after some time with this topic festering Ive come to the conclusion of using 600-800 grit sanded with a good coat of Brunswicks Rough Buff will bring this ball back to OOB finish or very close. I will be doing this to my 2nd Vapor Zone. I'll try 800 1st then 600 if the 800 is too fine.
--------------------
Mike Zadler
NE Lake County IL
Using the best brand in the nation, BRUNSWICK!!!
Below, my stats from previous seasons:
http://members.bowl.com/FindAMember/memberView.aspx?ms=12886&mp=552&s=2005-2006
Winter season averages at Sunset Lanes in Waukegan IL.
Wed. Nite Ave: 182
Thur. Nite Ave: 201
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Mike Zadler

Bluff

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2006, 04:04:24 PM »
quote:
Sand it to 800 or 1000 grit and try a light application of Track's Clean and Sheen. The result should be much closer to the original than whatever polish the pro shop tried.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."


Track's Clean and Sheen will be close to 99% or rough buff I think is same compound
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an undrill ball for me is like having hot naked chick in front of me and not have sex with her! Yea I got Balls!!!
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charlest

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #11 on: September 09, 2006, 05:39:20 PM »
quote:
Okay, after some time with this topic festering Ive come to the conclusion of using 600-800 grit sanded with a good coat of Brunswicks Rough Buff will bring this ball back to OOB finish or very close. I will be doing this to my 2nd Vapor Zone. I'll try 800 1st then 600 if the 800 is too fine.
--------------------
Mike Zadler
NE Lake County IL
Using the best brand in the nation, BRUNSWICK!!!
Below, my stats from previous seasons:
http://members.bowl.com/FindAMember/memberView.aspx?ms=12886&mp=552&s=2005-2006
Winter season averages at Sunset Lanes in Waukegan IL.
Wed. Nite Ave: 182
Thur. Nite Ave: 201


If you have RB,then the stock Brunswick formula is to sand it to 220 grit and then apply a good coating of RB. Same for the Absolute Inferno and probably the Morich Shock and Awe.

Any grit finer than 220 (320, 400, 600, 800) which is then finished/followed up by a coating of RB, will all make the ball go longer and hook less in the backend and overall.

The base question in this thread was how to get close to the stock finish WITHOUT RB.

I had thought the

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

Verbs

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #12 on: September 09, 2006, 06:56:36 PM »
FranVarin,

You say using 500 Abralon then a light coat of Rough Buff on your AI gave you a better reaction. But did it react like it did when you first drilled it?

I know that is a very subjective question. But doing something differently than what is done in the factory would make me believe that the reaction would be different also.

I wouldn't recommend using rubbing compound over Brunswick Rough Buff to get a ball back to ORIGINAL BOX FINISH, for the reasons I list previously.

If you have found that your technique gives you the reaction you are looking for for, great!!! But the original question was, how to get a Vapor Zone, or for that matter, an Absolute Inferno back to box finish other than using Brunswick Rough Buff. I mentioned using rubbing compound only as an alternative for those who couldn't find Brunswick Rough Buff.

Using 220 grit, then Rough Buff is the proper way to get either ball back to as close as possible box finish.

Verbswick
--------------------
Larry Verble
Brunswick Product Specialist
Northeast

Edited on 9/9/2006 6:51 PM
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FranVarin

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #13 on: September 09, 2006, 07:22:20 PM »
Hi Larry,

 
quote:
You say using 500 Abralon then a light coat of Rough Buff on your AI gave you a better reaction. But did it react like it did when you first drilled it?



In my opinion, yes. The situation I was running into was that my AI was beginning to squirt by the breakpoint a bit and not fininsh like it had been. I had used the ball quite a bit over the course of about a year. I purchased it just after they were released. The AI is one of my favorites and I realized what was happening. It needed some maintenance.

So, I researched what the finish was from the factory and purchased some ruff buff compound. First, I gently heated the ball to extract the oil. Yes...there was quite a bit. Once completed, I thoroughly cleaned the ball.

Next, I resurfaced the ball (using a spinner of course) and brought the ball to 220 grit. That sounded like a lot of surface to me but, my goal was to try and restore the factory finish and reaction. I applied the RB per the instructions.

Needless to say, the sanding lines were still visible on the surface even after the RB was applied. I brought the ball to the house that I typically use it in and on similar lane conditions. The reaction was not even close, the AI would check up early, start to make a move and then just roll out.

I discussed the issue with a trusted pro-shop friend (I had him in the loop right along) and neither of us was too surprised over the reaction. So, the next attempt was to bring the ball up to 550 Abralon and re-apply the RB.

Keep in mind that the coating of RB that I applied was lighter than usual. I did this because of the grit of the Abralon. I brought the ball back to the center and voila, a reaction that very closely approximated the original reaction.

The conclusion that my Pro-shop friend and I came to is that the equipment used at the factory is much different than simply using a spinner (or haas machine for that matter) and that the finish must end up close to 500 Abralon + RB anyway. Also, the material used in the Abralon is much more precise than sand paper. That may have something to do with it as well.  

So, I'm not sure what to really say other than my experience in this case. I'm certainly not calling into question Brunswick's process here except to say that 220 grit wet sand paper does not seem to be the way to go.

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Fran Varin
USBC Silver

Verbs

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Re: Vapor Zone Question
« Reply #14 on: September 09, 2006, 08:01:08 PM »
FranVarin,

Like I said, if it works for you and you are happy with the reaction, GREAT!! May give some other BR viewers ideas.

Great to hear about consumers who take care of their equipment also.

Brunswick tries to impress on the ball buying public that regular maintenance is necessary to keep their bowling ball reacting properly as long as possible.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Verbswick


--------------------
Larry Verble
Brunswick Product Specialist
Northeast
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