Author Topic: What am I seeing at the breakpoint? (Read 1451 times)

chaiyz · « **on:** August 03, 2011, 12:47:10 PM »

I've seen several different bowlers crankers, tweeners and strokers all do the same thing and I'm trying to figure out what I'm seeing. When throwing the ball after the skid, it looks like I can see either their fingertip grips or thumbslugs migrate from the center of the ball down the lane to the left axis of the ball creating a very noticable visual spot that seems to tighten up to a very concentric circle right at the breakpoint.

What is this? I thought it might be a weight hole but I'm realizing that it is not. It's either fingertip grips or a thumbslug that I'm seeing get tighter and tighter right at the point of roll.

I recently saw a show on TV and it showed Ebonite balls being made and the guy showed us a machine that spun the ball and he made a mark on the side of the ball that was the balls preferred roll axis. I think it's marked on ebonite balls with a bomb and tha't confusing too since that bomb is supposed to be the mass bias.

Which has me thinking even more, are these skid/flip balls I'm seeing with the mass bias very close to the thumb, hence producing a very neat optical of the thumbslug spinning on axis as the ball makes its move at breakpoint?

Does anything I just asked even make sense? I'd just like to know because it seems that it could be a good advantage if I could watch my ball do something consistent on the backend.

Thanks for looking.

Chaiyz

dizzyfugu · « **Reply #1 on:** August 03, 2011, 11:40:31 PM »

It makes sense and it is physics at work, no magic.

The MB is on the PSA, on any ball, and it is the axis towarsd the spinning core wants to migrate - under the assumption that the pin has been placed more than 3 3/8" away from the PAP. The PSA is the second most "powerful" though the ball/core, and it is at 90° to the axis right through the pin.

With this "normal" case, you frequently see the ball rolling "around" the thumb hole, when the MB/PSA is placed in a strong position about 90° from the PAP.

If the pin is closer to the PAP, the most stable rotational axis towards the rotating core want to migrate is the axis through the pin, because it is easier for the core to "move" into this direction, away from the MB axis. You get a much different ball reaction: smooth, early rolling, a rather arcing hook and potentially a weaker hit because the ball tends to roll very early. In a much more extreme version (aka pin axis drilling, with the pin at 2" from PAP and even less) you almost get a dead ball, which is easy to control and great fro blending wet/dry conditions.

DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany
2010/11 Benrather BC Club Champion
Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section

Author Topic: What am I seeing at the breakpoint? (Read 1451 times)

chaiyz

What am I seeing at the breakpoint?

dizzyfugu

Re: What am I seeing at the breakpoint?