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Author Topic: Coverstock finishing...  (Read 4744 times)

Nor Cal Bowler

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Coverstock finishing...
« on: February 26, 2009, 12:51:53 PM »
Ok, I'm kinda baffled on how companies like Ebonite International finish their coverstocks for instance 4000 abralon (no polish) and I for the life of me cannot duplicate the look of out of box. I always come up with a ball too shiny, even with fresh 4000 pad(s).
Are they going up through all the grits of pads or are they starting with say 500 abralon and then jumping to 4000?
I mean even the Noise at 1000 abralon looks like its super aggressive but if I try to replicate it, it looks nothing close to it. Am I doing something wrong?? Do they start out at a base grit, then go right to the finishing grit without working its way up?
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Aloarjr810

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2009, 10:01:02 PM »
It's because they use a machine more like a Haus or a cook sphere machine to finish the ball surface not a spinner.

The modern marvel's ball episode showed the balls being finished.
Click Here for screencap of the machine the company uses


Edited on 2/26/2009 11:31 PM
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charlest

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2009, 11:27:06 PM »
quote:
Ok, I'm kinda baffled on how companies like Ebonite International finish their coverstocks for instance 4000 abralon (no polish) and I for the life of me cannot duplicate the look of out of box. I always come up with a ball too shiny, even with fresh 4000 pad(s).
Are they going up through all the grits of pads or are they starting with say 500 abralon and then jumping to 4000?
I mean even the Noise at 1000 abralon looks like its super aggressive but if I try to replicate it, it looks nothing close to it. Am I doing something wrong??


I suspect so. When I use a 4000 abralon pad, it looks matte or dull, never shined, UNLESS the pad is used and too much used. Then using it will put a light shine on the ball.

quote:

Do they start out at a base grit, then go right to the finishing grit without working its way up?
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Base preparation plays a big role in achieving the desired finish as well as a gentle hand plus lots of water.

if the ball is at 4000 grit and light used, then a fresh 4000 pad with a spinner and water should put a matte finish of 4000 grit Abralon on the ball and it should look very close to the stock surface.

If the ball is polished or at a lower grit, use a logical set of or one or more grit levels to bring to just 1 degree less than where you want it to be. For 4000 grit final, bring it "UP" to 2000 grit Abralon. So if it's polished to 1500 grit, use a 1000 Abralon pad to remove the polish and prep the ball, use a 2000 Abralon pad to bring up a notch, then use the 4000 pad.

If the ball is at 800 grit polished, start with a a 500 grit abralon pad, then work your way up numerically.

Never use more pressure or more spinning time than absolutely necessary. You can always do more. You can't go backwards. You always have to start from scratch if it's wrong. A 4000 grit Abralon pad producing a shine is wrong.

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Edited on 2/27/2009 9:58 AM
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Nor Cal Bowler

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2009, 12:11:32 AM »
Yeah, I have access to a haus machine and im actually getting one for my house within the next two weeks...
quote:
It's because they use a machine more like a Haus or a cook sphere machine to finish the ball surface not a spinner.

The modern marvel's ball episode showed the balls being finished.
Click Here for screencap of the machine the company uses


Edited on 2/26/2009 11:31 PM

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sluggo35

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2009, 12:32:34 AM »
what do those run nor cal?
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Nor Cal Bowler

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2009, 12:54:48 AM »
Sluggo,

Im picking up one used locally...
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dizzyfugu

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2009, 02:37:38 AM »
quote:
I suspect so. When I use a 4000 abralon pad, it looks matte or dull, never shint, UNLESS the pad is used and too much used. Then using it will put a light shine on the ball.


Same here. I have tried different ways to achieve the 4.000 Abralon factory finish, but my attempts all were much less shiny, actually with visible sanding lines. Never tried a cross hathc sanding so far, though, but I guess it will still look less shiny and have more grip than OOB.
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Nor Cal Bowler

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2009, 07:59:35 AM »
charlest,

Have you ever seen a new Columbia 300 Noize on the shelf? Or even the AMF Mega Friction? Both of those are at 1000 abralon (I believe the mega is at 1000 abralon dry), but fresh pad or not it seems like if I try to match those looks I can't. (even with the haus machine)
When you are using the spinner do you have a certain amount of time you like to use per pad?
I'm  sure you have seen the video that Kevin from Valentino posted about the sanding disks on how to use them, (resurfacing the Black Widow Pearl) would that way be pretty much a good rule of thumb to do it?
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DON DRAPER

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #8 on: February 27, 2009, 09:03:03 AM »
a haus-type resurfacing machine is not cheap......appx. $3,500. there are similar products on the market that are less expensive. this type of machine though is a far superior way to resurface and/or sand bowling balls. along with a rejuvenator or a revivor, these are the two most important tools that a modern pro shop can have.
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charlest

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #9 on: February 27, 2009, 09:15:49 AM »
quote:
charlest,

Have you ever seen a new Columbia 300 Noize on the shelf? Or even the AMF Mega Friction? Both of those are at 1000 abralon (I believe the mega is at 1000 abralon dry), but fresh pad or not it seems like if I try to match those looks I can't. (even with the haus machine)


I've seen the Noize, not the MF. Major Dull.

quote:

When you are using the spinner do you have a certain amount of time you like to use per pad?


No, I don't. Using time may be good to learn, but it is not as good a judge as my eyes AND my hands, once you have done it for a while. Even with the 4000 grit pads. Like you, I have used a 4000 pad and got a shiny result using a pad I THOUGHT was still good. The results say otherwise, so I throw the pad away or use the back as an applicator.



quote:

I'm  sure you have seen the video that Kevin from Valentino posted about the sanding disks on how to use them, (resurfacing the Black Widow Pearl) would that way be pretty much a good rule of thumb to do it?
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Yes, but that is a total resurfacing. If you're just changing the surface, it is not necessary to use so many grits. Use only as many necessary to get from where the ball is to where you want to go.
Do the entire process everytime is a waster of time, effort and pads.
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azus

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #10 on: February 27, 2009, 09:23:00 AM »
That is why you should sand and/or polish the surface as soon you get a new ball. Because you will never be able to imitate the factory surface, but you can sand and polish it the same all the time.
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Nor Cal Bowler

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #11 on: February 27, 2009, 09:51:48 AM »
Charlest,

Well yeah I know that it was a complete resurface job, but I was using that as a reference. That being the time the pad was on the ball (about 20 seconds) , and how he did one half of the ball, flipped it over, then flipped its on its side, and start with a new grit...
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charlest

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #12 on: February 27, 2009, 02:15:01 PM »
quote:
Charlest,

Well yeah I know that it was a complete resurface job, but I was using that as a reference. That being the time the pad was on the ball (about 20 seconds) , and how he did one half of the ball, flipped it over, then flipped its on its side, and start with a new grit...
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But when he went from 320 to 600, he rotated it 90 degrees, then did the other half. Going from 600 to 1000, he rotated first 90 degrees then 180 for the other half.

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Edited on 2/28/2009 4:50 PM
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Nor Cal Bowler

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2009, 02:48:53 PM »
quote:
quote:
Charlest,

Well yeah I know that it was a complete resurface job, but I was using that as a reference. That being the time the pad was on the ball (about 20 seconds) , and how he did one half of the ball, flipped it over, then flipped its on its side, and start with a new grit...
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www.visionarybowling.com

But when he went from 320 to 600, he rotated it 90 degrees, then did the other half. Going from 600 to 1000, he rotated first 90 degrees then 180 for the other half.




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That is what I ment.
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six pack

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Re: Coverstock finishing...
« Reply #14 on: March 08, 2009, 01:19:31 PM »
I've found the best method of producing that OOB finish look is to sand as usual on the spinner with your desired grit and then finish the sanding by hand,comes close to the OOB look.
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