Author Topic: Experimented with Cerium Oxide as a ball polish (Read 5640 times)

Gabriel94509 · « **on:** January 19, 2009, 01:29:20 PM »

So i work for a glass shop and i have a nearly endless supply of cerium oxide, so I decided to experiment using it to polish a few balls. I first used it to polish my plastic spare ball, which has become very dulled and tracked up. The cerium oxide did a wondeful job of giving the ball a glass-like and slick surface. The second ball was my roto grip mercury. Even with a 4000 grit polished surface the ball was too much for dry lanes. I kept the 4000 grit polished surface, and on top of that polished it with the cerium oxide compound. Now the surface it even more shined, and only very slightly tacky. I will keep you guys posted on how the mercury works with the new surface.

J_w73 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2009, 10:32:49 PM »

I have used this type of polish too. Not Cerium oxide but a tin-oxide. It is used for rock polishing. less than .5 micron. It provides and super smooth , deep , glassy shine..
Almost too little friction to read the lane at all. I haven't tried to slow the ball down to see if when it does react it really moves..
I'm gonna polish up a ball tonight so I can check it out tomorrow.

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16-17 mph
350-475 rpm
PAP 5 1/2 x 3/8 up
High Game 300 x 3
High Series 782
Book Average 215 / 205
PBA Xperience ave 180
years bowling 22

JessN16 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 26, 2009, 11:33:05 PM »

I would like to acquire some of this to polish spare balls with. Where can you buy it?

Jess

J_w73 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2009, 12:04:53 AM »

It isn't on an approved list but all it is is a fine grit compound. It isn't a chemical that alters the chemical composition of the ball in anyway. They make sanding discs with cerium oxide, aluminum oxide and tin oxide on them.. They are for polishing glass, plexi-glass, and plastic.
I do not believe the USBC has a rule on what type of abrasive discs or pads can be used on a bowling ball.
There should not be any reason the USBC would rule this illegal.

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16-17 mph
350-475 rpm
PAP 5 1/2 x 3/8 up
High Game 300 x 3
High Series 782
Book Average 215 / 205
PBA Xperience ave 180
years bowling 22

J_w73 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 27, 2009, 12:05:20 AM »

quote:
I would like to acquire some of this to polish spare balls with. Where can you buy it?

Jess

pm sent

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16-17 mph
350-475 rpm
PAP 5 1/2 x 3/8 up
High Game 300 x 3
High Series 782
Book Average 215 / 205
PBA Xperience ave 180
years bowling 22

Gabriel94509 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 27, 2009, 07:34:02 PM »

well i"m finally getting around to letting you guys know how it worked out. now no matter how much or how little oil there is on the lane, my spare ball just skids and goes straight as an arrow. my mercury on the other hand now goes longer down the lane but still has the same backend reaction as before. now im able to square up with it and play straight up the boards on dry lanes. also, as far as it being legal or not, i'd like to see someone try to prove i used cerium oxide and not some other regular ball polish.

Edited on 1/27/2009 8:41 PM

Spider Ball Bowler · « **Reply #6 on:** January 27, 2009, 07:46:31 PM »

quote:
well i"m finally getting around to letting you guys know how it worked out. now no matter how much or how little oil there is on the lane, my spare ball just skids and goes straight as an arrow. my mercury on the other hand now goes longer down the lane but still has the same backend reaction as before. now im able to square up with it and play straight up the boards on dry lanes. also, as far as it being legal or not, i'd like to see someone try to prove i used cerium oxide and not some other regular ball polish.

Edited on 1/27/2009 8:41 PM

I can prove it. You just told us

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Ahhh Disco Biscuits!

J_w73 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 27, 2009, 10:56:59 PM »

I am pretty sure that some of the ball polishes out there have aluminum oxide, tin oxide or some other type of matierial like the cerium oxide.
That is probably why the stuff is so expensive.
Actually just looked at the finesse it MSDS. Aluminum oxide 5 - 10 percent and a bunch of petroleum distillates in it that I bet if you used them on the ball by themselves it would be deamed illegal.
There should be no way the USBC would rule the use of fine grit compounds by themselves illegal. The only way would be if they know that is what is in the commercial products and the manufacturers put pressure on the USBC to make it illegal so that they don't lose money.
I will confirm this tomorrow with them.
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16-17 mph
350-475 rpm
PAP 5 1/2 x 3/8 up
High Game 300 x 3
High Series 782
Book Average 215 / 205
PBA Xperience ave 180
years bowling 22

charlest · « **Reply #8 on:** January 28, 2009, 03:04:34 AM »

quote:
i'm pretty sure that stuff is not USBC legal.....have fun cheating, though

There is no list of approved or disapproved abrasives. So all abrasives are technically legal to change the surface of a ball. You just can't do it during bowling. So, it is not cheating in any way, shape or form.

So why would say that?
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

charlest · « **Reply #9 on:** January 28, 2009, 03:09:15 AM »

Cerium Oxide is the abrasive used in/on the Trizact pads.

Trizact was used by Brunswick when they first made particle balls in the late 1990s. It was the only abrasive hard enough to affect the particles used by Brunswick. This is one reason they lasted so long, with some people using them effectively to this day.

I recently used the white pad, their finest, smoothest pad, over a 4000 grit Abralon pad on my Columbia Blue Dot. While it can still hook, the amount it does hook has been reduced greatly.

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

tenpinspro · « **Reply #10 on:** January 28, 2009, 09:31:14 AM »

quote:
There is no list of approved or disapproved abrasives. So all abrasives are technically legal to change the surface of a ball. You just can't do it during bowling. So, it is not cheating in any way, shape or form.

Adding to this is the history of what ABC/USBC concerns have been, "decreasing" ball reaction should not be an issue. They were and are more concerned with developments and adjustments that enhance or "increase" ball reaction by limiting hardness, positive static imbalances, diameter of weight holes, differential etc..

I see no difference in using an ultra fine grit on a ball (prior to bowling) vs sanding a ball to 80 grit (prior to bowling).

--------------------
Rick Leong - Ten Pins Pro Shop
Tag Team Coaching - Co-Founder
"El" Presidente of the Legion

J_w73 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 28, 2009, 03:13:44 PM »

quote:
quote:
There is no list of approved or disapproved abrasives. So all abrasives are technically legal to change the surface of a ball. You just can't do it during bowling. So, it is not cheating in any way, shape or form.

Adding to this is the history of what ABC/USBC concerns have been, "decreasing" ball reaction should not be an issue. They were and are more concerned with developments and adjustments that enhance or "increase" ball reaction by limiting hardness, positive static imbalances, diameter of weight holes, differential etc..

I see no difference in using an ultra fine grit on a ball (prior to bowling) vs sanding a ball to 80 grit (prior to bowling).

--------------------
Rick Leong - Ten Pins Pro Shop
Tag Team Coaching - Co-Founder
"El" Presidente of the Legion

You are correct... Some of the products that are allowed during sanctioned play actual do change the surface to a finer grit and reduce hook.
Like it is legal to toss your ball in the luster-king during competion..
I by the way think this should be illegal. I don't think any change to the surface should be allowed during competition. Only cleaning.. and that is debateable too as I believe some of the cleaners do more than just clean. It does however leave you open to bring heavier grit equipment to a league or touney and then use the products during play to reduce the hook if needed..
example of approved product that change the surface

Pro Finish Step 1 - Storm Products
Pro Finish Step 2 - Storm Products
Pro Finish Step 3 - Storm Products
Storm xtra shine.
It might be tougher to use them during league since they instated the "no spinner" rule during play but it would still do something to the surface.
--------------------
16-17 mph
350-475 rpm
PAP 5 1/2 x 3/8 up
High Game 300 x 3
High Series 782
Book Average 215 / 205
PBA Xperience ave 180
years bowling 22

J_w73 · « **Reply #12 on:** January 28, 2009, 03:18:49 PM »

Just got off the phone with some people from the Spec/Cert division of the USBC. They said they don't see a reason the use of these fine grit compounds before league competion should be deemed illegal. I was a little surprised that they didn't seem to know what these compounds were being I was told one of the people I talked to was a chemist. But they said especially if the same compounds are integrated into commercial sanding pads and products, there shouldn't be a problem with legality.
--------------------
16-17 mph
350-475 rpm
PAP 5 1/2 x 3/8 up
High Game 300 x 3
High Series 782
Book Average 215 / 205
PBA Xperience ave 180
years bowling 22

OddBalls · « **Reply #13 on:** January 28, 2009, 03:21:52 PM »

Many of the particle balls in the late 90's and early 2000 that Brunswick made had ths finish. Mainly the Navy Fuze and the Eliminator
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Inverted 1 and Dead Flush are my Evil Twins...

Author Topic: Experimented with Cerium Oxide as a ball polish (Read 5640 times)

Gabriel94509

Experimented with Cerium Oxide as a ball polish

J_w73

Re: Experimented with Cerium Oxide as a ball polish

JessN16

Re: Experimented with Cerium Oxide as a ball polish

J_w73

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J_w73

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Gabriel94509

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Spider Ball Bowler

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J_w73

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charlest

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charlest

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tenpinspro

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J_w73

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J_w73

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OddBalls

Re: Experimented with Cerium Oxide as a ball polish