Author Topic: Old ball advice (A.M.F. XS ) (Read 4419 times)

Juggernaut · « **on:** August 09, 2009, 08:31:35 AM »

I just aquired an old ball NIB ( A.M.F. XS, a.k.a. "The CUEBALL" ). The specs on the ball are 3 1/2 pin out and 4 1/2 oz topweight.

Back when this ball came out, it was said to be an asymmetric ( before they started marking the MB ).

What I am wondering is, was the MB strong enough on this ball that I need to spin it up to find it, or should I just drill it using the location of the cg like on a symmetric ball?

I planned on drilling it pin up-strong ( 4X3 1/2, or maybe 4 1/2X4 ) to complement my pin down VILLAIN and ORBIT EXTREME ( both drilled close to 4X4).

I also have access to a long pin ( 4 7/8 ) CODE with about 3 oz top that is going to be drilled with a 4 inch pin-to-pap and small pin buffer as my "length" ball.
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Edited on 8/9/2009 4:32 PM

JessN16 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 09, 2009, 04:50:33 PM »

If you can spin it up, why not? That's the way I see it.

Mo Pinel designed that ball. I think you can see a core picture on bowlingballreviews.com. To me it looks like it probably needs to be spun if that's an option for you. I don't know what the MB strength was.

Jess

Juggernaut · « **Reply #2 on:** August 09, 2009, 04:55:58 PM »

Well Jess, I COULD get it spun up, but would have to take a day to drive nearly 100 miles to the closest shop with a determinator, IF I can ge an appointment on a day that I'm off from work, that's why I was asking how critical it was to spin this one up.

I know when they came out there was a special video that came with drilling instructions for it. I was just sort of hoping that with all the modern advancements in drilling tech that this one would be simple comparatively and could be drilled using symmetrical techniques.
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J_Mac · « **Reply #3 on:** August 09, 2009, 04:58:19 PM »

Tropical Storms spin up rather well despite not being marked. I'd say spin it up. If it takes less than 15 seconds (measure it 3-4 times) I'd consider laying it out as if it had a MB that mattered. If it takes longer than that to stabilize consistently, any X-hole that you add to the ball will likely affect the reaction more than the placement of the MB.

Another way to find out if it's a strong MB piece will have to wait until after you drill holes in it. Even after drilling a strong MB ball will spin up to the PSA. Symmetric and weak asymmetric balls will normally spin up on the thumb hole if there isn't a large balance hole in the ball.

On edit - If you have to drive 100 miles to get it spun, I wouldn't worry about it. Boy am I glad there are 2 top of the line shops within 15-20 minutes of me that have all the fun toys to play with.

Edited on 8/9/2009 5:00 PM

Juggernaut · « **Reply #4 on:** August 09, 2009, 05:20:31 PM »

quote:
On edit - If you have to drive 100 miles to get it spun, I wouldn't worry about it. Boy am I glad there are 2 top of the line shops within 15-20 minutes of me that have all the fun toys to play with.

Yeah, I live about 85 miles east of the Dallas, Tx city limits. There are a couple of shops there who have the capabilities to spin it up, but nothing any closer with that ability. Going the other way is Texarkana, Tx, and that is OVER 100 miles.

I just remember these balls seemed to be "LOVE/HATE" balls and wondered if unmarked, misplaced MB placements could've been the reason?
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J_Mac · « **Reply #5 on:** August 09, 2009, 05:59:06 PM »

quote:

I just remember these balls seemed to be "LOVE/HATE" balls and wondered if unmarked, misplaced MB placements could've been the reason?

I could see that being an issue. I know back in the El Nino era at Storm there were plenty of balls that didn't spin up on their MB mark. Even more recently there were Cells with short pins that weren't spinning up on their MB mark either.

JessN16 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 09, 2009, 06:35:30 PM »

Joe Firpo was on AMF staff when this ball came out and posted on PBA.com that the core was "awesome" or something like that and the matchup problems came from the cover. I don't know exactly what he meant by that, but I had two of those balls and the one I tried to use as an oiler was a turd.

However, the other one I decided to polish (mostly due to selfish reasons, as if you don't polish it it's going to look like an ashtray after one game). That ball was my first 600, first 700, has my career-high series (772, I think) and I have 2,500 games on it at least. It's never been oil-extracted/bathed/baked/etc. and it still moves a good bit. I still take it to league with me every now and then.

My advice, however you drill it, is to polish the ball and use it on mediums and below. I agree with Joe that it doesn't have enough teeth to be an oiler but when it's polished it makes a great league ball.

Jess

p.s.: My XS is one of the few leftover balls I have from before I started drilling for myself. I just took a look at the drill pattern. It is "wacky" to say the least: Pin is way high above the middle finger, the CG is swung way out (this was a long-pin ball) and I have a crater weight hole in it.

charlest · « **Reply #7 on:** August 09, 2009, 06:36:35 PM »

Juggernaut,

Seriously, go to the MoRich web site and see if you can send a message to Mo. The reason I say that is that a few years ago I bought a white XS with a long pin, I had no idea how to drill it. I sent him an email and he was courteous enough to reply. FOrtunately or unfortunately, I sold it before I drilled it.

He, being the designer, is the one best suited to give you the correct answer.
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Juggernaut · « **Reply #8 on:** August 09, 2009, 06:45:30 PM »

quote:
I just took a look at the drill pattern. It is "wacky" to say the least: Pin is way high above the middle finger, the CG is swung way out (this was a long-pin ball) and I have a crater weight hole in it.

Jess, that sounds like MY old one that I liked, except it wasn't a long pin, it was a medium pin.

Oh yeah, I plan on polishing it. Had one back in the day that worked better for me in a polished state as well, not to mention it was easier to keep clean!

quote:
Seriously, go to the MoRich web site and see if you can send a message to Mo. The reason I say that is that a few years ago I bought a white XS with a long pin, I had no idea how to drill it. I sent him an email and he was courteous enough to reply. FOrtunately or unfortunately, I sold it before I drilled it.

He, being the designer, is the one best suited to give you the correct answer.

Charlest, someone else (JessN) also mentioned that Mo had designed this weightblock. Might be worth a try to see if I could get anything from him on it. Guess it doesn't hurt to try.

Thanks guys for all the replies
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JessN16 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 09, 2009, 07:27:35 PM »

quote:
Juggernaut,

Seriously, go to the MoRich web site and see if you can send a message to Mo. The reason I say that is that a few years ago I bought a white XS with a long pin, I had no idea how to drill it. I sent him an email and he was courteous enough to reply. FOrtunately or unfortunately, I sold it before I drilled it.

He, being the designer, is the one best suited to give you the correct answer.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

charlest and Juggernaut,

I contacted someone through Mo's website about a year ago to ask a similar question -- I was trying to get a reaction from one of the newer MoRich balls that would mimic what I could get from the old XS and the response I got was a little different. Mo didn't write back, someone else did (and I forget who). The tone of the email was somewhat abrupt.

My advice would be to call some pro shops in your area or outside of it that were around back then and ask them if they remembered anything.

Jess

DP3 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 09, 2009, 08:06:24 PM »

When I worked in a shop in Delaware I spun up an AMF XS blem and it spun up in around 7 seconds. It'd be close to around .012-.016 Z diff.
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charlest · « **Reply #11 on:** August 09, 2009, 08:07:55 PM »

I had emailed Mo when he was writing BTM column's regularly. He was not abrupt and more than detailed and courteous.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

ucumin2 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 09, 2009, 08:11:45 PM »

I absoultely love this ball . I recently dropped from 16 to 15 and no longer throw it . Ball was drilled pin up at 1000 dull . Handles so much oil i dont have to slow down . My driller right now has my 16 lb along with 4 others at 16lb laying around . There is a group of us who all have them because u will find nothing that reacts the same.. so My question to u is what weight is it and would u like to sell it ?

JessN16 · « **Reply #13 on:** August 09, 2009, 08:13:12 PM »

quote:
I had emailed Mo when he was writing BTM column's regularly. He was not abrupt and more than detailed and courteous.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Hence why, if you're going to do this, contact Mo directly and not rely on someone else at the company. My experience was with someone else.

Jess

Juggernaut · « **Reply #14 on:** August 09, 2009, 08:29:58 PM »

quote:
I absoultely love this ball . I recently dropped from 16 to 15 and no longer throw it . Ball was drilled pin up at 1000 dull . Handles so much oil i dont have to slow down . My driller right now has my 16 lb along with 4 others at 16lb laying around . There is a group of us who all have them because u will find nothing that reacts the same.. so My question to u is what weight is it and would u like to sell it ?

It is 14lb, and no, it is not for sale.
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Author Topic: Old ball advice (A.M.F. XS ) (Read 4419 times)

Juggernaut

Old ball advice (A.M.F. XS )

JessN16

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Juggernaut

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J_Mac

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Juggernaut

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J_Mac

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JessN16

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charlest

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Juggernaut

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JessN16

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DP3

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charlest

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ucumin2

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JessN16

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Juggernaut

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