Author Topic: alcohol/simpleg/water...does it impact Polish? (Read 5181 times)

jameskp · « **on:** November 17, 2017, 03:32:33 PM »

So yeah, I've read how many love the rubbing alcohol / simple green / water combo to clean equipment.

I now have a little squirt bottle with this I carry in my back pack and after every night of bowling, I quickly clean it and have some alcohol wipes to rub it in.

Anyways, I'm starting to have this sneaky feeling that it possibly dulls the ball and takes polish off? What do you guys think, how do polishes handle these chemicals being rubbed on them?

I've noticed a difference in my Motiv Octane Carbon since when it was OOB. It was a hook monster, more than I wanted actually, but now it's really calmed down, and we're talking less than 30 games. I'm going to retouch the surface soon and put back on the Motiv Power Gel Gloss I just purchased to hopefully get it back to where it was.

In short, does alcohol and/or simple green break down polish?
Thanks
Jim

HackJandy · « **Reply #1 on:** November 17, 2017, 03:36:56 PM »

It will not break down a true polish finish as it that is the surface of the ball and not something foreign on outside of ball. Now some polishes like Black Magic are actually more like slip agents than true polish in which case yes cleaners will break it down some (usually not appearance wise though). Also of course the friction of bowling itself will take the polish off the ball over time. Also as an FYI from what I have heard from chemists and seen by my own eyes its better to clean a ball first with rubbing alcohol and then clean again with Simple Green diluted only with water than to mix them as they make each less effective than on their own. I use straight 91% IPA at the lanes (legal anytime use) and hit balls with diluted SG at home. Also note technically mixing SG with anything including water (so stupid don't get me started) is USBC illegal so probably best to not use lane side.

charlest · « **Reply #2 on:** November 17, 2017, 03:55:17 PM »

Quote from: jameskp on November 17, 2017, 03:32:33 PM

So yeah, I've read how many love the rubbing alcohol / simple green / water combo to clean equipment.

I now have a little squirt bottle with this I carry in my back pack and after every night of bowling, I quickly clean it and have some alcohol wipes to rub it in.

Anyways, I'm starting to have this sneaky feeling that it possibly dulls the ball and takes polish off? What do you guys think, how do polishes handle these chemicals being rubbed on them?

I've noticed a difference in my Motiv Octane Carbon since when it was OOB. It was a hook monster, more than I wanted actually, but now it's really calmed down, and we're talking less than 30 games. I'm going to retouch the surface soon and put back on the Motiv Power Gel Gloss I just purchased to hopefully get it back to where it was.

In short, does alcohol and/or simple green break down polish?
Thanks
Jim

1. Nothing "handles" polishes because they are not a coating on the ball, like paint or varnish or polyurethane. Polish is a smoothing of the surface by micro-abrasives, taking the ball to a grit level in the neighborhood of 4500 - 5500 (sometimes as much as 6000) grit.

2. Two things affects polishes.
- One, abrasives of any kind. The bowling lane surface is an abrasive: your ball's surface changes with every throw/roll down the lane.
- Two, chemicals that eat/dissolve the resin,like acetone and methyl ethyl ketone. It's why acetone is on the list of "forbidden to use at anytime" cleaners.

Unless you are cleaning your Carbon after every use, before you put it back into the bag, and unless you have refreshed its surface after every 12 - 15 games, It has probably lost performance due to both oil absorption and the surface has changed from its original.

It takes maybe 45 - 60 seconds o clean your ball after bowling. Surface refreshing may takes slightly longer 2 minutes maybe, depending on the surface. Polished balls take slightly more materials and time than dull balls.

jameskp · « **Reply #3 on:** November 17, 2017, 04:07:10 PM »

Ok, good stuff guys.

I always assumed things like PH Factory Finish was an actual coating on the ball. I know others, like an extreme example, storm step 2, is an abrasive and does alter the grit, so therefore I'm talking more about polishes like PHFF.

Or in this specific case, the Octane Carbon comes factory with the Motiv Gel, which does have a 5500 grit rating, so obviously it does alter the surface and is not a coating.

I do clean them after every set. They don't go back in my bag until I clean them.

Now with what HackJ said, no kidding....you are then allowed to use SG concentrated, but it's illegal to dilute and/or mix with anything? I mean...ok, I don't have a problem using concentrate, just surprised they would have a rule like that. Glad you told me. I have no issues with whatever rules they make, I just can't see spending $15 for a tiny bottle of cleaner from a ball company. It's just too pricey for the frequency I clean....which is why I went the alcohol/SG way.

I do find that most of the new balls really don't absorb much oil. I do have a ball oven and the high end stuff I can never get any oil to sweat out of. Only low/old stuff like a Columbia Freeze, sweat profusely. But my Swerve, Scandal, and some others never sweat no matter how long I bake them.

But anyways, yeah..I'm going to refresh the surface soon. Thanks for the input.

HackJandy · « **Reply #4 on:** November 17, 2017, 04:14:52 PM »

Quote from: jameskp on November 17, 2017, 04:07:10 PM

Ok, good stuff guys.

I always assumed things like PH Factory Finish was an actual coating on the ball. I know others, like an extreme example, storm step 2, is an abrasive and does alter the grit, so therefore I'm talking more about polishes like PHFF.

Or in this specific case, the Octane Carbon comes factory with the Motiv Gel, which does have a 5500 grit rating, so obviously it does alter the surface and is not a coating.

I do clean them after every set. They don't go back in my bag until I clean them.

Now with what HackJ said, no kidding....you are then allowed to use SG concentrated, but it's illegal to dilute and/or mix with anything? I mean...ok, I don't have a problem using concentrate, just surprised they would have a rule like that. Glad you told me. I have no issues with whatever rules they make, I just can't see spending $15 for a tiny bottle of cleaner from a ball company. It's just too pricey for the frequency I clean....which is why I went the alcohol/SG way.

I do find that most of the new balls really don't absorb much oil. I do have a ball oven and the high end stuff I can never get any oil to sweat out of. Only low/old stuff like a Columbia Freeze, sweat profusely. But my Swerve, Scandal, and some others never sweat no matter how long I bake them.

But anyways, yeah..I'm going to refresh the surface soon. Thanks for the input.

High end stuff actually tends to absorb oil faster than lower end for most part but since you never put a dirty ball in your bag you probably won't see much oil until you put a lot of games on a ball. According to the USBC changing any cleaner in any way is illegal. It only becomes legal if someone pays a big ass fee to USBC which is why they have a vested interest in the ball company's $2/oz stuff. Want to know something else really stupid? Water itself is technically not a legal chemical to expose a ball to since its not on their approved list and anything not on the approved list is considered not approved at anytime. Fsck the USBC trying to tell me how to clean and maintain my equipment in my house. No wonder their tournament is a sorry joke and they are busy rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic as the sport withers. Ok plenty of other threads where I rant on this so good luck and hope you get back that reaction you are looking for.

jameskp · « **Reply #5 on:** November 17, 2017, 04:20:04 PM »

Good to know. I guess I'll be carrying around 2 squirt bottles from now on. lol

HackJandy · « **Reply #6 on:** November 17, 2017, 04:28:32 PM »

Can't go wrong with straight IPA lane side. The stronger the better. Its at least as good as SG without having to worry about being illegal, mixing, residue or waiting 1 to 2 min for it to work. SG is great at home on the spinner though because it won't catch fire and is less toxic (all 0s on MSDS) and waiting doesn't matter (can go get a beer or whatever). Still I hear ya about the ball cleaner racket. Pretty crazy for the cost of 4 oz of ball cleaner you can buy a gallon of 91% iso or 6 gallons of SG diluted (I use 5 parts water to 1 of SG generally). Together they are just as effective and best of all don't have to worry about rationing so can spray liberally.

six pack · « **Reply #7 on:** November 17, 2017, 08:42:51 PM »

I doubt it's oil absorption but just the ball is tracking up. only way to restore is a resurface and refinish. Get a spinner and you can clean and touch up your equipment.
And IMO it's better to just clean on a spinner then by hand at the center. I'm not convinced the extra hour a ball would stay unclean would matter much if at all after 3 hours of bowling unless you clean the ball after every shot. I use SG undiluted with zero ill effect and finish with H2o.

HackJandy · « **Reply #8 on:** November 18, 2017, 11:06:17 AM »

Quote from: six pack on November 17, 2017, 08:42:51 PM

I doubt it's oil absorption but just the ball is tracking up. only way to restore is a resurface and refinish. Get a spinner and you can clean and touch up your equipment.
And IMO it's better to just clean on a spinner then by hand at the center. I'm not convinced the extra hour a ball would stay unclean would matter much if at all after 3 hours of bowling unless you clean the ball after every shot. I use SG undiluted with zero ill effect and finish with H2o.

That works and stays legal I suppose. Just can't get myself to put a dirty ball in the bag but you are probably right about it taking a long time. Sometimes though I end going bowling at lunch at work so no chance to clean at home for half a day. Works for league though.

billdozer · « **Reply #9 on:** November 18, 2017, 11:23:39 AM »

All I use is rubbing alcohol and yeah it does, but so does throwing the ball for 3 games a night.

I probably need to touch up the surface after 30 games but don't. It usually gets done with a resurface and oil extraction after 60 games.

six pack · « **Reply #10 on:** November 18, 2017, 12:26:20 PM »

I think the key to my success is the spinner. I clean every use and I also knock the cover's down to 500 around 15 to 20 games and wash them good with the SG before the final finish then wash them again.I go through about 2 gallons a season and it's all I use to clean.

HackJandy · « **Reply #11 on:** November 18, 2017, 01:28:15 PM »

+1 to using SG during a resurface. I always use diluted SG instead of water for every step including a final wash. Sometimes after the first step on a full resurface I will also use some clean and dull. I also use it to clean all my pieces after a session at home but diluted to avoid both a film and having to do a second step and because already did first pass with alky at lanes. Have to store spinner in closet so usually don't pull it out just for cleaning but it does excel for that. Simple Green is also great around the house.

jameskp · « **Reply #12 on:** November 20, 2017, 03:31:25 PM »

Yeah, I'm not a rookie with this stuff, I have a ball oven, a spinner, every grit of abralon pad and some 300-750 paper. I've just become way more diligent with cleaning after a 3 game set and have started using SG in the last 6 months and was curious if cleaning this much was reducing the length down the lane the ball gets after polishing.

My spinner is on a desk in my garage, but it's still hard to get motivated to go in there and start working on my balls, I only do it once every few months. But I know I definitely need to touch up the surfaces for sure back to factory specs.

Author Topic: alcohol/simpleg/water...does it impact Polish? (Read 5181 times)

jameskp

alcohol/simpleg/water...does it impact Polish?

HackJandy

Re: alcohol/simpleg/water...does it impact Polish?

charlest

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jameskp

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HackJandy

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jameskp

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HackJandy

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six pack

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HackJandy

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billdozer

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six pack

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HackJandy

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jameskp

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