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Author Topic: Big Block Diesel  (Read 14966 times)

admin

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Big Block Diesel
« on: December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM »
Ball NPS Score: Not Available
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Big Block Diesel is the most hooking reactive resin ball in the Hammer line. Featuring the high-revving original Diesel core and reactive coverstock, Big Block Disel gets started in the mid-lane and continues with a strong hook motion to the backend.

Specifications:
Line Diesel
Color Red/Blue
Coverstock Reactive
Core 2-piece
RG 2.44
Differential 0.062
Weights 12 thru 16lbs
Cleared ABC Cleared
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hammerman11

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2004, 04:06:24 AM »
Hello, This is my first time posting a review.  I have been a Hammer man for the past 5 years dating back to the old Burgundy Hammer(Sledgehammer, Spike, Spike HPT, Vicious Particle and Strike).

Anyhow, I just purchased the Big Block Diesel and this ball is probably the best Hammer I have ever thrown.  Way to go Hammer/Ebonite.

I drilled the ball label leverage.  I am a medium Rev , medium ball speed bowler who mostly plays "Down & In"

First Series out of the Box (190, 300, 135, 236) on a semi-fresh house shot with Synthetic lanes.  The 135 game involved four straight splits as this ball does hook hard when it starts its roll.  A slight adjustment and I followed up with the 236 game.  This was also my first 300 game, too bad it didn't count as this was practice.

I will be bowling a tournament this weekend and PBA pattern B next Tuesday.  I will update the review then.

This is an excellent ball and well worth the money.  Probably one of the best shiny balls Hammer has.
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pba6285

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2004, 11:13:47 AM »
I drilled one stacked leverage both pin and CG 3 3/8 from PAP (5 1/8 x 1/8 up) with the CG in the Thumb positive quadrant. Balance Hole on the midplane on a line drawn from the Center of Grip through the CG. I left this ball in an "Out of the box" condition.

This ball rips the rack, I was able to play multiple lines with great success. On a 42' sport shot I was able to play up the boards. In league I was able to play a little deeper. If I got the ball too far right I got a little over reaction. If i pulled the ball I got some hold and was able to carry a couple of Yanked shots

I have another blank waiting, Just need to make up my mind what I want to do with it.

Rick Oelkers
Rick's Pro Shop
Valdosta, GA
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HavokXXX

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #3 on: August 02, 2004, 11:11:58 AM »
Great match to the Reactive Pearl and the particle versions.
I would take this ball out of the bag first and then adjust (unless you already know the lanes). You probably should use it if the Particle Pearl is setting too early.

I've only thrown six games so far, but when the ball isn't on a 25-30 unit dressed lane, it does a great job. Definitely a medium oil ball and it's a beautiful thing when matched correctly. I shot 714 although the first game was low, it was a matter of grip and release. After that, it was strong rolling and hitting (threw 18 in a row between two games). I love the roll, arc and finish. This makes me happy and confident that I can throw reactive equipment again.
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PikevilleBwl

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2004, 12:49:25 PM »
This is the ball of the year. I threw this yesterday at a demo day and I tell you what if you let off your ball, if you threw it perfect, if you got it to far out or to in...this ball forgave you. This ball is the best I have seen if not the ball of the year it is in the Hammer Line.
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fbila35

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #5 on: September 13, 2004, 06:39:57 PM »
It definitely is the best Hammer I have thrown in years. It is a great ball when you have some backend to take advantage of. It is a smooth rolling ball with a hard hit once it reaches the pin deck. It sends messengers in every direction on the deck. I really think this is one of the best balls I have ever thrown. The ball does not like swirly lanes and needs some dry boards on the back to do some serious damage. My main ball is the Columbia Bully but this ball if used on the right condition can put up some huge numbers. The ball does not like oil so you have to have one of the following: clean backends, some dry boards on the back, or point your shot. However, the ball is not designed to be an oil monster. I am extremely pleased that I decided to drill this one and am certain most players will be also.
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stormfanken

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2004, 10:31:12 PM »
I've had my Big Block for a couple of weeks so I figured I would post my review now. I'm not an expert on ball drilling but I can tell you that I have my ball drilled what they call "stack leverage". I have to say that in the out of the box condition the ball went way too long. The ball seemed to start to hook and then just did nothing. So I gave it a light scuffing, nothing drastic, just enough to take the factory shine off the ball. I have to say now that the ball is a monster!!!!!! I can move 10 boards further left with this ball than I can with my Sharp Blade (although I have to confess that the blade is a little oil soaked.) I have to say that this is an awesome ball. Although I am a Storm fan, I have thrown a few of the Hammer balls and this one is the best one that I have thrown by far. Just wanted to write this because the ball is getting a reputation as a ball that doesn't like oil, but with just a little fine tuning this ball is alot stronger than you might think.  The houses I have been bowling in have been floods of oil lately, I wish that I had another one of these balls in the box condition for when I bowl tournaments in houses with a more normal oil pattern.
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AussieThunder

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #7 on: December 21, 2004, 12:27:03 AM »
I have this one a while and played wood and synthetic with it and i must say it's a dud. Probably doesn't suit me and my style but i expected a big hook from this one given its differential. I have to play down and in the ball goes a mile down the lane and has trouble making any kind of move for me. The pin is beside my ring finger 4" from my pap no x hole. This ball just goes on forever and wont turn. Even when it does turn it is not strong which is what i was looking for. It hits ok. I am going to sand it and see what happens but i can say now that i have seen a lot of guys use hammer and none of them look that good. The coverstock seems weak on them all and i think i will stay away from them in the future i think there are better options for me.
--------------------
 Its only bowling     but what else is there
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RUGAS-300

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #8 on: December 26, 2004, 12:31:20 PM »
I've been a Columbia man for years because their balls have never let me down. I was talked into trying out the hammer line when demo-day came to our town. I loved the Big Block and bought one that day. I'm a right hander with med. 16 mph speed, med.-high rev. bowler with a 230 avg. I had the ball laid out with my favorite lay out pin centered right under the finger tips with the cg under a little to the right and left the factory finish. We have a 40' oil house shot were I bowl 4 times a week. At first the ball was a monster, with alot of 279's and high 750 series for about a month. Then the ball just sort of died . . . ? It quit rolling up hard and hit like a sponge, I know odd. I never had a ball quit like this. My proshop played with the surface and even added a lev. weight hole to try and help the ball roll up harder on the back ends, but with just a little success. At first I was able to get left and swing it right and not have to worry about the ball coming back hard, now I have to soften my speed alittle and hit on it some more.
I don't want to down the ball, but maybe I should have drilled it a little more aggressive, but don't know why the ball quit hooking after 60-70 games?
I also liked the switch blade at demo day and just got one for x-mas by surprise. I will drill this one with the pin a little to the right under the finger tips and post my review after I try it out.
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RevLefty

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2005, 09:56:17 PM »


This ball was strange!  It moved the least out of any hammer ball i had.  I used to go straight up with this ball ehn i had it. Had great hitting pwoer if could get it to pocket.

Specs:  15lb 4 in pin 2.75 top weight

Drilling  Ball is drilled with pin below ring and cg kick to positive side one inch  no balance hole needed.

This ball only oworked on really dry conditons then i could wheel it.  The ball didnt fare well on anything but that.  Any carry down it was scrwed and little more oil than dry i could go down the boardsw with it.  Not the ball it was advertised to be.  But still good ball given the right codition.give it a med 7of ten.
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I have a few hammers and know how to nail the pocket with them!
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EboniteSmurf

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2005, 07:59:29 PM »
Bought this ball at the tail end of 2004. Drilled with a slight label shift, had to put some polish to this ball to get it through the front of the lane. Used in two centers on their house shot, having greatest success in an AMF house that has a guardian lane surface, house shot is known to be wide open outside of ten. Unfortunately ball is too strong to keep in play all three games of the set, two is the most I've gotten out of it.

Ball has exceptional hitting power, my game is not known for having alot of flying wood but this ball truthfully makes me look like I'm one of the big boys. Carries just as well as my particle pearl diesel, just wish I had an extra ten boards of lane so that I could use the ball for all three games.
--------------------
Rob Moore
Charlotte, NC

Support your Junior bowlers, they are the future of our sport.

Bowl to Win.....
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Rob Moore
Charlotte, NC

Support your Junior bowlers, they are the future of our sport.

Bowl to Win.....

Spike2112

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2005, 10:35:46 AM »
I've had this ball for just under a month and feel I can write an honest review about it now. Specs- 15lb, 2-3", 2.5oz tw. Went with a basic label leverage drill, just looking for a good heavy oil house shot ball. Took factory polish off before I ever used it after recommendation by several BR members. Surface around 1000 now. Bowl in 2 leagues. One is freshly dressed first shift and the other is a late shift. Have had sucess on both conditions, just have to play more inside on the second shift league. On a fresh shot, ball works best playing down and in. Very easy to get through the heads and easy to read breakpoint if you have the oil. Carries excellent on flush and lighter hits keeping the pins low. Higher shots can get you in trouble. Through the nose, forget about it. Hit a major flood last week and the ball went way long before making a move. Have a Diesel Particle for the really heavy oil, so the Big Block went back in the bag.
I've been able to use the ball for an entire set without moving more than 1-2 boards. Ball will reward you if you execute well. Will also punish you if you don't. I would recommend this strong resin ball to anyone who bowls on oil and doesn't want to spend top dollar for a top quality ball. Great job Hammer!
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DrBob806

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #12 on: March 19, 2005, 06:55:49 PM »
I recently bought one after a Hammer Challenge...this ball is a good one for a deep inside line on a tough condition. I bowled a PBA Regional & the ABC at Baton Rouge, and used this ball almost exclusively at both. The ironic thing is that in my league, it doesn't handle the house shot well, as it jumps hard, and is hard to control the breakpoint. At the ABC, a tight inside line is usually required, and this ball made it's move predictable, and the hit is great.
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xratedbowler

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #13 on: June 22, 2005, 09:23:55 PM »
ball drilled pin above ring and drilled to go long a little im left handed tweener. first started throwing the ball liked it allot nice hook and hit hard but after while  notice if got any oil ball strait out plus theirs no forgiveness if you miss your mark still ok ball but not first out of my bag bought razor blade and absolute inferno drilling those up soon post review soon!
overall 6 out of 10
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B.F.L
Bowling World Order
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alcornel

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Re: Big Block Diesel
« Reply #14 on: February 24, 2006, 01:28:10 AM »
Well... I am a somewhat fast (19 mph or so) medium revs kind of player. Got back into bowling last fall after about 10 years off or so. Used to average around 200-215 depending on the house.

I started back up with my out of date "arsenal" of a Purple Buzzsaw, Columbia Power Torq and a Blue Hammer

After Fall and summer leagues, I had a 189 average. It was frustrating - I knew it was a combination of only bowling once a week and having old equipment.

This fall I started off with a Big Block Diesel that was given to me. It is 15 lb drilled with the pin just above the ring finger. This drilling along with keeping it polished has made for a pretty good skid/flip reation for me. I have lifted the average back over 200. This balls fits nicely with The One I just got (and just put on a review). Now I just need to find the right dry lane ball for my game and I will be set (for a month or two at least )
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Andy
Las Vegas, NV
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