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Author Topic: A tale of two balls  (Read 3549 times)

Juggernaut

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A tale of two balls
« on: February 22, 2014, 06:21:10 PM »
 I have a question, and a quandary of sorts, that I would like to get some opinions on as to what my next step might be.

 Early in the season, I drilled two new balls. The cores were different shapes, but the numbers were similar.

 I drilled them both with a "5 X 4" drilling (no, I do not know what dual angle this left them at. Sorry.)

 I tried to drill them to compliment each other, and not go against their supposed natural tendencies. The one with the "weaker" cover was drilled with the pin above the finger line to promote length and reaction, and the one with the "stronger" cover was drilled with the pin IN the finger hole to help it smooth out the "over/under" I would be seeing when playing deeper and swinging the shot some.

 Now, here is the strange part that I cannot figure. The "weaker" covered ball is really great at reading the pattern, and has a pretty strong reaction at the breakpoint. This ball gets strong in a hurry.

 The "stronger" ball seems to do very little (and no, it isn't burning up). Unless I really put some "hand" into it, it didn't want to do much.  SO, I then polished the cover to try and use it on a drier condition. Now, the supposed "weaker" ball is actually the stronger of the two, and will handle more oil.

 I have been contemplating a p3 or p4 x-hole in the second to help it not labor so much to make the turn.

 I have enclosed pics of the two with the best approximation of the angles exhibited. Let me know what you think might be the problem, please.
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itsallaboutme

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Re: A tale of two balls
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2014, 07:10:18 AM »
I'm stumped. 

Of the guys I have watched that have both of these balls and the Demos I have done with these balls, they aren't even in the same zip code.  All the demo balls are drilled with the pin over the bridge and most people are at least 7 or 8 deeper with their feet with the Espionage. 

Before you polished it did you go the other way?  Hit it with a little more surface?  The ball comes at 2000, but you never know if you're getting the first ball done with a set of pads or the last.

batbowler

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Re: A tale of two balls
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2014, 12:31:21 PM »
I had both drilled the same and it was no comparison in reaction. They're a great compliment to each other and when the Espionage is getting to much to handle, I'd switch to the Echo!
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Juggernaut

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Re: A tale of two balls
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2014, 02:32:07 PM »
 Like you guys, I am kind of stumped.

 After watching the vids of them, and having had luck with these drillings in the past, I thought I was pretty sure what to expect from them.

 The Echo has been a very pleasant, if not exceptional, surprise. I would put this ball up against anything comparable on the market today. It really is that good.

 I can roll the Echo, watch it read the condition, and make a good turn to the pocket, then throw the Espionage on the same line, and it doesn't want to make it back.

 I can then move in to the point that the Echo doesn't want to read the heavier oil, and the Espionage (at factory surface) still doesn't seem to read the pattern, or have much backend reaction.

 Right now, the only way I can get much reaction out of the Espionage is to use a "urethane" release with it, hitting up on it at release

 I think I will check flare pattern and the static weights on the Espionage and, if possible, use a p3 or p4 x-hole to increase the flare and see if that makes a difference.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2014, 02:38:22 PM by Juggernaut »
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charlest

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Re: A tale of two balls
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2014, 04:49:38 PM »
I'm stumped. 

Of the guys I have watched that have both of these balls and the Demos I have done with these balls, they aren't even in the same zip code.  All the demo balls are drilled with the pin over the bridge and most people are at least 7 or 8 deeper with their feet with the Espionage. 

Before you polished it did you go the other way?  Hit it with a little more surface?  The ball comes at 2000, but you never know if you're getting the first ball done with a set of pads or the last.

When I first got my Espionage, I thought the surface was far too rough. SO I took it to 4000 grit. When I took it out onto our sport shot, it barely hooked. I then took it first to 3000, then to 2000 grit. It was fine and good on that pattern at 2000.It just didn't look right when I first got it, but the 2000 grit was perfect for my needs with that stock surface.
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Juggernaut

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Re: A tale of two balls
« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2014, 09:25:07 PM »

 Well, my pap is only 4 1/8> 1/2^, so I don't think I got it too far over.

 And, while I realize static weights aren't supposed to be much of a factor, their existence might indicate a dynamics problem, especially on a somewhat "normal" drilling.

 I checked it at the lanes this evening and, sure enough, it weighed out as having 1oz of bottom weight, and 0 side.

  Decided to go 8inches from grip center, perpendicular to the grip line, and put a x-hole in that area. After making sure it was in a flare safe position, I added a 1 1/8 hole, 2 1/2 inches deep.

 Ball now weighed in with just over an ounce and half of topweight, and a little positive side. If nothing else, I felt better about the whole thing.

 Took it to the lane, but didn't like it in warmups, so I put it away. At least it was now turning the corner better, and seemed to have a bit of "smack" when it hit the pins.

 Well, to make a long story short, I struggled the first two games. The house just got a new Kegel Kustodian oiling machine, and they don't have it "zeroed in" yet. It put out a heavier shot than we are used to, and there was no defined breakpoint. After two games, I was sitting at 355, and was 2nd high on the pair. So I thought "What the heck, I'm struggling anyway", and brought out the Espionage.

 276, thank you.

 With it like it is now, and polished, I can play up the inside track area, and just let it read the backend. Ball made a really good move now, and since it didn't have a ton of boards to cross, seemed to pop now where before it had not.

 Don't know if I "fixed" it, but it is better now than it was before, and may actually get back in the bag for a while!
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batbowler

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Re: A tale of two balls
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2014, 10:22:39 PM »
That's great news and it sounds like you're on the right path. Let us know how things go and how the lane machine works out. It took us a few weeks to get our shot right and they come loaded with a lot of different patterns. We modified stone street for our ths and made it a 41' pattern from the 42' and changed the amount outside where it had 2 loads on the outside.
Bruce Campbell
Coaches aren't born, they are made!
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www.rotogrip.com
www.stormbowling.com
www.radicalbowling.com
www.damngoodbowling.com

Changing bowling, one bowler at a time!