Here the scenario. By my signature you can see I work for a pro shop. I have been taught a certain way how to measure side weight of a ball. My question to fellow ball drillers is: How do you position the ball on the scale to determine side weight?
Let me try to explain what I am looking for in the answer. I was taught to first place the ball onto the scale with the grip facing up and adjust the weights to level the scale. Then to determine side weight of the ball, I take the ball and rotate it 180 degrees, with keeping the grip facing up.
Here is the argument, another ball driller says that they follow the same beginning step of leveling the scale with the ball sitting on the scale grip facing up. Next they take the ball and turn it 90 degrees so that the grip is facing right and the "left" side of the ball is facing up.
We have taken a ball that this person has drilled and according to his methods the ball is a little less then 1 oz. side weight. We took the same ball and used our method to determine side weight and the ball had 1 3/8 oz. of side weight.
Can anyone verify our methods as to which one is correct? We are looking for someone who may be familiar with how balls are weighed at Nationals. We are afraid that if this person goes to Nationals that they will be bowling with an illegal ball.
All responses are greatly appreciated and if you have any further questions or comments feel free to respond to this post, email me or pm me. I do not have internet access after today again until monday, so any responses with questions or comments will be replied to on Monday.

Thank you all,


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Todd Ginter
ToddDandRsProShop@yahoo.com

Thanks for the reply solid9.

Anyone else with input?
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Todd Ginter
ToddDandRsProShop@yahoo.com

Measure and mark the ball with the grip center line, the grip center, and a line perpendicular to the grip center line thru the center of the grip.

I placed a ball grip side up in the scale. Then using a quarter round made sure the center of the grip was top center and then made sure the grip center line was centered top to bottom. I started with the finger grips on away from me.

You then balance the ball in this position using the main scale slide the other slide is on the zero position.

Then rotate (spin like a top) the ball 180 degrees so that the finger holes are now closest to you.  Use the quarter round again to ensure the grip center is placed correctly and the grip center line is square to the scale.

Then use the small slider to determine how much side weight is in the ball. You are getting the difference of weight of those two halves of the ball. Depending on which side is heavier that is the side weight.

Now rotate the ball 90 degrees with the center of the grip parallel with the scale use the quarter round to ensure accuracy. Balance and then rotate 180 degrees. Use the slider to give you finger or thumb weight.

You can then rotate the ball to where the center of the grip is pointing at the scale. Balance at this point and then rotate 180 degrees so the center of the grip points directly away from the scale. This gives you the top/bottom weight.

The DO-DO scale measure only ½ the ball, the half furthest away from the scale. Side, finger/thumb, and top/weights are the difference the halves on each side of the grip. The above process divides the ball into halves to be measure against.

If you method (grip up rotate 180) produced the 1 3/8 oz it fail.

We don't even like to cut it closer than 7/8 oz, an oz is legal but small variances in balancing can get you in trouble and the 1/8 oz doesn't mean much.

If I understand the other method the are weighing the left half against the bottom half and that measurement means nothing. You have to measure the opposing halves.

They weigh the balls before and will not let them in if they don't pass so that isn't an issue.

But if you have them correct the problem sometimes they can butcher a ball up.

Every ball should be weighed before and after drilling to make sure they are legal.