Author Topic: Dry Lane balls.....? (Read 7887 times)

Mike Austin · « **on:** January 12, 2011, 01:13:43 PM »

Are there really any true dry lane balls? What do people in your area use for dry lanes? What do you use?

Have been doing a number of Avalanche urethanes, but am curious as to what other people are using.

Mike Austin's Bowling Dynamix Pro Shop
Houston, TX

I'm back doing what I love and couldn't be happier!!!

Locke · « **Reply #1 on:** January 12, 2011, 09:16:09 PM »

Dryer conditions have me pull out my pin up Roto Grip Mercury. But when it really gets dry then its time for the Tornado with a pin to pap under 2 inches. That always does the trick.

Always be sincere, even when you don't mean it

charlest · « **Reply #2 on:** January 13, 2011, 12:53:11 AM »

Of the current crop of such balls, I find the Slingshot to be just above my Ice Storm (plastic spare ball). The next mildest seems to be also from Brunswick, an Avalanche Slide. Both it and the Slingshot have the pin over the center of the bridge. The Slide has more backend and handles almost as little oil.

Next is an older Storm Hot Rod, the original pearl, with a Curyleon coverstock. I sanded the cover to 4000 grit Abralon and added a dose of polish to it. It is similar to the Slide. It has a little stronger drilling, pin in the ring finger, but still, at this finish, needs quite a bit of dry to make the turn.

All three of these balls handle/require less oil than my current weakest urethane, Avalanche Urethane. It being urethane, tends to hook earlier but still out-hooks the above 3 balls.

I also have a much older Storm Blue Hot Flame which used to be my favorite dry lane ball, but the above 2, Slingshot and Slide actually handle drier lanes better, with more length and only the Slide has slightly more backend.

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J_w73 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 13, 2011, 01:13:40 AM »

You can kill the hook potential a bit more with the drill..

A low diff , low flaring ball works best .. but use a short pin to PAP or a very long PAP so that the ball will not flare. That way any oil will be on your track all the way down the lane and limit the hook potential of the ball..

I have a creature and a slingshot like this.. Creature is 5.5 " from my PAP.. pin at grip center..

and the slingshot is 1.5 inches from the PAP..

Balls are nice and weak and smooth.. as long as I can find a bit of head oil to get the tack wet it will tame the ball down the lane..

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dizzyfugu · « **Reply #4 on:** January 13, 2011, 01:15:54 AM »

Second the Slingshot, due to its very low RG differential, higher RG and the smooth (but not necessarily weak) PK17 cover.

I have seen two Avalanche Urethanes in action, but these looked pretty rolly - probably due to the lower RG core. But it seems to me a suitable ball, esp. when you have both hand and speed.

The Urethane Ogre is another dedicated dry lanes offer - I think it is a ver good option, even though I haven't seen one in real life around here. But I'd trust VBP's description, they use to be very correct.

Another ball I recently tried for late games and to suppress over/under issues is a RX1 solid. OOB I found the ball to read the lane much too well for dry lanes, but with a 4.000 grit base plus a coat of non-abrasive polish, the ball has become a very good option for me for rather direct lines (it is also drilled pretty weak, though). Its high RG and lower differential really tame this thung down, I'd say it is a tad stronger than a Slingshot.

And my personal all time favorite is my old black Pure Hammer. It is good for light conditions, but the low RG core lets it revs up quickly so you have a lot of hook potential. Nevertheless, the cover reacts smoothly, and I can do a lot with the ball thorugh simple release changes - I can even use it with a suitcase grip on really burnt lanes, it s a very versatile ball!

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six pack · « **Reply #5 on:** January 13, 2011, 04:31:47 AM »

I picked up a 14 Lb. Natural Pearl so I can loft the arrows,worked good. I bought a silver recon but quickly found it way to strong.

The harder I try the harder they fall

3835 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 13, 2011, 04:34:25 AM »

I use an Ogre Urethane, and if it is even too dry for the Ogre, my XXXL comes out.

3835

dudester300 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 13, 2011, 04:43:02 AM »

roto grip mercury, great ball when the lanes get dry!

scotts33 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 13, 2011, 05:39:04 AM »

The issue with any dry lane piece IMO especially if a righty is carry down. The only time I ball down/shell down is if I can't get something deep inside to work. That's the last option for me. This would be in longer format tourney's when those options might come into play. 5 man leagues around here now that the lane beds are solid and it's deep into winter I have no use for dry lane equipment on a league shot. For instance, last night in 5 man I used a pin down Cell and a pin up Jigsaw Trap. I started at 11 at the arrows to 6 at break point and finished at 16 at arrows to 8 at break point. The carry with these types of balls is so much better than any dry lane piece it wouldn't even think about using a weak ball. My rev rate (dropped slightly) and ball speed ( up more) are matched now and now can use equipment that I never could use a few years back unless on a heavy lane condition. But, I digress.

Scott

laddog54 · « **Reply #9 on:** January 13, 2011, 10:24:37 AM »

An AMF Orbit and Orbit Extreme (pre Ebonite acquisition of Columbia). They were both drilled by a short guy that moved to Oklahoma but is now back in Texas. The Orbit is Rico'd at 4000ab and the Extreme has the pin below the bridge, cg stacked right below it at 2000ab. Surface keeps both from squirting but the old BASF Super Flex is really mild by todays standards. Orbit worked really good at AMF Alpha here in the Houston area (old wood with hooking track) on a 34 ft sport condition last weekend.

ROTO GRIP - King of Them All

milorafferty · « **Reply #10 on:** January 13, 2011, 10:31:38 AM »

The Lane Masters Hornet is an excellent dry lane ball.

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notsohotshot · « **Reply #11 on:** January 13, 2011, 10:53:42 AM »

I like my Slingshot for dry but if they get to be real toasty I go to mr Dry R that I have drilled up to use for my spare ball. It will move a little on a normal oiled lane but very little but works great on toast.

KyleTomnay · « **Reply #12 on:** January 13, 2011, 11:27:29 AM »

I use a Storm Thunder Road for dry, I love it.

Jesse James · « **Reply #13 on:** January 13, 2011, 11:30:42 AM »

I have a whole arsenal of dry lane balls that I use. All are pretty effective. The only difference is the amount of hook, length and pop on the backend.

My favorites are my Sonic-X solid and my Mercury, slightly scuffed. Both of these I use to play the middle of the lanes, between 15-20. Very slight gentle arcs.

I also use a rico'd Total Inferno, scuffed to 800, and a Supersonic scuffed to about 500. The differential in the SS still gives me the downlane push, while the cover gives me a great midlane read and total control of the backend. I tend to play more right with both of these pieces. Bigger but more controllable arcs.

If I am totally at a loss, I'll revert to urethane. I have an older black Hammer drilled pin under middle, surface at about 1000 that usually gives me good results. I have seen the Slingshot in action and I like that movement a lot, though it seems to have quite a bit of pop on the backend.

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Djarum · « **Reply #14 on:** January 13, 2011, 12:04:24 PM »

In my area, I don't think anything with a reactive coverstock, no matter how polished, works on baked lanes. If there is still some oil on the lanes, any weak core/weak reactive can work. But once they are really dry, reactive just hooks to much. This has been my experience.

I have a black angle that was made back in the 80's that I use for really toasted lanes. My Jolt pearl is usually too strong.

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Author Topic: Dry Lane balls.....? (Read 7887 times)

Mike Austin

Dry Lane balls.....?

Locke

Re: Dry Lane balls.....?

charlest

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J_w73

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dizzyfugu

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six pack

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3835

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dudester300

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scotts33

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laddog54

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milorafferty

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notsohotshot

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KyleTomnay

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Jesse James

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Djarum

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