BallReviews

General Category => Coverstock Preparation => Topic started by: onlybowling on June 18, 2013, 12:26:11 AM

Title: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: onlybowling on June 18, 2013, 12:26:11 AM
Does anyone know how aggressive microfiber is?

Can aggressive buffing with microfiber towel take surface from 3000 to 4000 grit?

Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: charlest on June 18, 2013, 09:07:29 AM
I wish I knew the answer to that question, but it must have some degree of abrasiveness because some time back, the PBA was considering disallowing the use of micro-fiber towels entirely during competition. That never came to be.

If you press firmly with a micro fiber towel while on a spinner, I'm sure you will change the surface, but how I cannot say.
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: onlybowling on June 18, 2013, 10:03:56 AM
Charlest - thanks for you consideration.

 I remembered a post detailing steps to surface a 900 global ball - final step was microfiber buff.

Obvious sheen is easily acquired with firm pressure.  Would be nice to know where the grit goes.
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: charlest on June 18, 2013, 10:43:40 AM
Obvious sheen is easily acquired with firm pressure.  Would be nice to know where the grit goes.


Don't forget the other side of the coin: there are 49 different types of micro fiber towels, each with a different feel and a different purpose. Therefore a different abrasiveness. If someone tests 1 or 2, then someone else will ask, "But what about this one?". :)
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: raiderh20boy on June 18, 2013, 10:59:34 AM
 :D
Something to test with my ball surface scanner this afternoon!!!!!!!!!  :D
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: charlest on June 18, 2013, 04:32:07 PM
:D
Something to test with my ball surface scanner this afternoon!!!!!!!!!  :D
Thank you!
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: Impending Doom on June 18, 2013, 04:51:13 PM
Obvious sheen is easily acquired with firm pressure.  Would be nice to know where the grit goes.


Don't forget the other side of the coin: there are 49 different types of micro fiber towels, each with a different feel and a different purpose. Therefore a different abrasiveness. If someone tests 1 or 2, then someone else will ask, "But what about this one?". :)

49? Charlest, you wow even me with your knowledge sometimes.
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: J_Mac on June 18, 2013, 05:01:07 PM
Obvious sheen is easily acquired with firm pressure.  Would be nice to know where the grit goes.


Don't forget the other side of the coin: there are 49 different types of micro fiber towels, each with a different feel and a different purpose. Therefore a different abrasiveness. If someone tests 1 or 2, then someone else will ask, "But what about this one?". :)

49? Charlest, you wow even me with your knowledge sometimes.

Ah yes... the subtle art of online sarcasm...

FWIW -
 http://www.900global.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=77 (http://www.900global.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=77)

The above link is to the 900 Global finishing process steps and it mentions nothing about microfiber towels specifically.  I find it unlikely that they are using anything other than plain terry cloth towels...
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: Impending Doom on June 18, 2013, 05:06:23 PM
Hey, I take almost everything he says at face value. :P
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: raiderh20boy on June 18, 2013, 06:22:30 PM
OK THE PURELY UNSCIENFIC RESULTS ARE IN  :D :D :D :D :D
NIB Storm Manic. Out of box 4000 grit Abralon finish is the factory. Actual reading on a PAI Ball surface scanner.
Results estimated grit average 3794
Used a Storm Micro Fiber towel on a Innovative ball spinner high speed for 15 seconds heavy pressure
Results estimated grit average 4010
no noticeable change as far as I'm concerned
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: J_Mac on June 18, 2013, 06:27:45 PM
OK THE PURELY UNSCIENFIC RESULTS ARE IN  :D :D :D :D :D
NIB Storm Manic. Out of box 4000 grit Abralon finish is the factory. Actual reading on a PAI Ball surface scanner.
Results estimated grit average 3794
Used a Storm Micro Fiber towel on a Innovative ball spinner high speed for 15 seconds heavy pressure
Results estimated grit average 4010
no noticeable change as far as I'm concerned

I wonder how hot the synthetic micro fibers can get before they "melt"
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: charlest on June 18, 2013, 06:53:51 PM
OK THE PURELY UNSCIENFIC RESULTS ARE IN  :D :D :D :D :D
NIB Storm Manic. Out of box 4000 grit Abralon finish is the factory. Actual reading on a PAI Ball surface scanner.
Results estimated grit average 3794
Used a Storm Micro Fiber towel on a Innovative ball spinner high speed for 15 seconds heavy pressure
Results estimated grit average 4010
no noticeable change as far as I'm concerned

That is a minimal change, but it is a change.
Thank you again!

One other material you might want to test: Newspaper.
I was told by JustRico that it is an old PBA-truck trick to get an even finer grit level beyond 4000 grit: use newspaper to "sand" the ball after using a 4000 grit pad.
Newspaper is theoretically 20K grit. Of course, as one fellow on BBE.com learned, if you use it too firmly, it puts a shine on the ball. So it is definitely abrading the ball's surface.

My friend dampened it to use over the 4000 grit on his RG Wrecker.
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: onlybowling on June 18, 2013, 08:30:22 PM
Thank you Raiderh20boy. -

 not much difference - but if you need an in-between grit...that could be significant.   30 seconds X 6 sides.  Might be just the thing.
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: raiderh20boy on June 18, 2013, 08:52:50 PM
Just a personal opinion, I can't imagine a micro towel doing anything noticeable to a lower grit surface as much as the higher grits. I don't think a towel would affect to rougher surface enough to warrent to time it would take!  :D
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: charlest on June 18, 2013, 09:29:48 PM
Just a personal opinion, I can't imagine a micro towel doing anything noticeable to a lower grit surface as much as the higher grits. I don't think a towel would affect to rougher surface enough to warrent to time it would take!  :D

Agreed.
These might have a place on 4000 grit dull balls to provide a slighty less over/under reaction than polish over 4000 grit.
Title: Re: Question-buffing with micro-fiber towel
Post by: ValentinoBowling on June 23, 2013, 03:02:29 PM
I don't believe a microfiber towel is capable of adjusting the surface in the amount of time someone uses a spinner. Any change would be so unnoticeable....it would take over 30 minutes to polish a bowling ball from 800 to 1000, and the result would just be a sheen finish.

Also, to speak to Charlest point, there are quite a few types of Microfiber. We have a super plush microfiber towel which has absolutely no ability to remove surface, it is just too soft.

-Kevin