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Author Topic: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb  (Read 8300 times)

thewhiz

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Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« on: June 11, 2017, 09:47:01 PM »
Which one does everyone use and why?
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BallReviews-Removed0385

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2017, 10:28:47 PM »
Oval. Because my thumb is oval shaped.
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Impending Doom

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #2 on: June 12, 2017, 10:23:49 AM »
Quote from: notclay on June 11, 2017, 10:28:47 PM
Oval. Because my thumb is oval shaped.

+1
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lefty50

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #3 on: June 12, 2017, 10:36:35 AM »
I really favor oval, but have a #$%^ time trying to get it to feel right. I'm sure it's the right call though, just going to keep working on it.
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SVstar34

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #4 on: June 12, 2017, 04:27:25 PM »
Quote from: lefty50 on June 12, 2017, 10:36:35 AM
I really favor oval, but have a #$%^ time trying to get it to feel right. I'm sure it's the right call though, just going to keep working on it.

I have the same issue. In my last ball I went up a size in the thumb and used tape to oval it, so far the results have been pretty good with that ball
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charlest

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #5 on: June 12, 2017, 04:41:16 PM »
I fi had to guess, I would suggest that maybe 1 person out of 500 actually has a round first knuckle. The rest of us are "normal".
Out of that 1/2%, I'd also suggest that less than 1% of those still have a round thumb while pressing with the thumb to hold onto the ball.
(If someone says you should use no pressure to hold onto the ball, I will call him/her with either a liar or a fool. There is no such thing as "zero" pressure to hold onto the ball. There is adequate and minimal pressure/force/muscle and there's too much pressure/force/muscle. )

Once you press your thumb against the inside of the thumb hole, I'd suggest 999/1000 people have an oval thumb and should be using an oval thumb hole. The degree of oval-ness is relative to the size, flesh, bone, tendon, ligaments, and muscle of the thumb and the hand/forearm doing the holding.
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ignitebowling

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2017, 07:07:02 PM »
Round.


I use to use thumb slugs up until last year and now I drill without a thumb slug/insert.

I do create an oval shape using tape. I am a right handed bowler. I drill a 15/16" hole for my thumb. It is too big. Perfect for the sides of my thumb, but too big for me to use and hold onto easily.

I place two pieces of tape at roughly 3 o'clock. I place four to however many pieces needed at 7 o'clock so my thumb fits nice and snug with minimum pressure into the ball. As it swells or shrinks I only add or remove tape from the back.

It worked great when I used thumb slugs and just as good now without them. I buy a 500 piece roll of tape every few years and I am good. I drill a lot of bowling balls for myself each year and have had no issues.
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charlest

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2017, 07:59:53 PM »
Quote from: ignitebowling on June 12, 2017, 07:07:02 PM
Round.


I use to use thumb slugs up until last year and now I drill without a thumb slug/insert.

I do create an oval shape using tape. I am a right handed bowler. I drill a 15/16" hole for my thumb. It is too big. Perfect for the sides of my thumb, but too big for me to use and hold onto easily.

I place two pieces of tape at roughly 3 o'clock. I place four to however many pieces needed at 7 o'clock so my thumb fits nice and snug with minimum pressure into the ball. As it swells or shrinks I only add or remove tape from the back.

It worked great when I used thumb slugs and just as good now without them. I buy a 500 piece roll of tape every few years and I am good. I drill a lot of bowling balls for myself each year and have had no issues.

So the resultant thumb hole is not any where close to being round, but you start with small and round and build from there???
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ignitebowling

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #8 on: June 13, 2017, 07:16:40 AM »
Quote from: charlest on June 12, 2017, 07:59:53 PM
Quote from: ignitebowling on June 12, 2017, 07:07:02 PM
Round.


I use to use thumb slugs up until last year and now I drill without a thumb slug/insert.

I do create an oval shape using tape. I am a right handed bowler. I drill a 15/16" hole for my thumb. It is too big. Perfect for the sides of my thumb, but too big for me to use and hold onto easily.

I place two pieces of tape at roughly 3 o'clock. I place four to however many pieces needed at 7 o'clock so my thumb fits nice and snug with minimum pressure into the ball. As it swells or shrinks I only add or remove tape from the back.

It worked great when I used thumb slugs and just as good now without them. I buy a 500 piece roll of tape every few years and I am good. I drill a lot of bowling balls for myself each year and have had no issues.

So the resultant thumb hole is not any where close to being round, but you start with small and round and build from there???

I make it oval with tape. It's a larger hole. The tape makes it smaller and oval.

https://ibb.co/kUsfsk
« Last Edit: June 13, 2017, 08:19:10 AM by ignitebowling »
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Gatekeeper

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #9 on: June 13, 2017, 09:11:19 AM »
I have been doing this with a 7/8" hole, a magic carpet on the back of the thumb, and 2 to 3 pieces of real Bowler's tape on the front of the thumb. It's very easy to adjust. The tricky part is placing the tape in the exact spot so all your equipment matches up. Overall, very forgiving.
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itsallaboutme

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #10 on: June 13, 2017, 12:03:28 PM »
When you have a ball drilled have them scribe the centerline 1/4" or so on each side of the thumbhole and you can line your tape up off those marks and duplicate each ball easier.
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Gatekeeper

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #11 on: June 13, 2017, 12:11:00 PM »
What a great idea! Sounds perfect; can't wait to try it. Thank you.
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bullred

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #12 on: June 13, 2017, 12:23:57 PM »
The use of tape is in direct relation to fit and technique.  The worse the fit or technique, the more need for tape.   Before going bonkers trying to use tape, look to your fit and technique for carrying and delivering your ball.  The primary use of tape is to vary the speed of thumb release, not to enable you to hold onto the ball.
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lefty50

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #13 on: June 13, 2017, 03:09:36 PM »
I wonder about scribing 1/4 from centerline as a fixed measurement... We all have different oval angles, and a predetermined scribe line would not necessarily line up... Yes?
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Gatekeeper

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Re: Oval Thumb or Circle Thumb
« Reply #14 on: June 13, 2017, 04:55:28 PM »
I agree, but the idea of using a standard distance from the centerline is appealing in terms of reproducibility.
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