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Author Topic: Every buy a ball....  (Read 1746 times)

Lower_Level

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Every buy a ball....
« on: May 26, 2003, 06:29:12 AM »
Has anyone from this site every bought a ball that was drilled illegally?

I had a talk with my proshop guy yesterday about a ball that I recently bought from someone on this site.  I was finding that the ball always seemed to start slipping off my hand on the release; and thought maybe I should check out the pitch of the thumb (the ball was never redrilled because I spent alot of time finding a ball that already had the right span & wouldn't require plugging).  So We take the ball into the shop & he checks the pitch of the thumb & as I thought it's drilled to allow the thumb to come out VERY easily.

Anyway; while the driller is looking at the ball, he is looking at the odd position of the balance hole & decided to throw it on the scales.  "Ball has 3/8oz of finger weight" he says...  and then checks out the side weight.

All I hear is "ohhhhhh"

He checks the weight again.

"The ball is borderline illegal" he proceeds to tell me.

Seems that the ball has about a hair's weight under 1 oz of side weight & the proshop warns me about using this ball in major tournaments in it's current shape.  Thankfully it can be brought a little closer to legal by punching the balance hole a bit deeper, but it's a damned good thing I checked it out!

I never thought I'd have to verify the legality of a ball that was already being used in sanctioned play; but I guess it's always better to be safe than sorry!!!


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Lower Level

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MI 2 AZ

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Re: Every buy a ball....
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2003, 10:07:11 PM »
1. Always have a ball verified by a proshop you trust.

2. Scales vary from proshop to proshop.  I am not sure if they are ever calibrated or not.  I know that one shop I used to frequent had a calibration sticker on their scale that had an expiration date on it but I dont know about other shops.  A ball that is legal under one scale may be slightly out of legal on another scale.  Seen that once or twice and even had one ball that was 'a hair' over by the ABC Nationals scale, even though it was legal by the proshop's scale.

3.  "a hair's weight under 1 oz of side weight " is still legal, isnt it?  But like you, I would have had it drilled to make sure it was a bit more under because of point 2 above.

4.  Thanks for bringing this up.  Always a good idea to check the weights on every ball you purchase, NIB or used.

5.  I bet there are thousands of illegal weighted balls out there, some deliberate.  Many potgames won that way in the past.  I ran across a ball once that was 17#.  

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solid9

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Re: Every buy a ball....
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2003, 10:07:43 PM »


I don't understand your post, you say the ball is not legal and then tell everyone that it falls within ABC's spec's for side and finger weight, am I missing something?

Lower_Level

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Re: Every buy a ball....
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2003, 08:28:56 PM »
MI_2,

Those are all valid points & ones that everyone should abide by (and I will from now on!)

solid9,

Never said my ball was illegal.  Just wondering if anyone has had that happen.  Mine is borderline & I would never have known that if I hasn't got it weighed.  But now I am glad that I did.
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Unofficial Member Of The Canadian National Beer Drinking Team    

Doug Sterner

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Re: Every buy a ball....
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2003, 09:23:45 PM »
Been there and had that happen....

picked up a used Big Hit Pearl. Interesting length drill with a monstrous weight hole in the side. I reslugged the thumb and used it for a set in league. Decided it worked ok so I weighed it out...holy buckets BatMan...how much side weight? 1-1/2 oz you say!???!?!?!?!?

Well I took out an extra 5/8 oz and the ball sucked. I ended up selling it back to the original owner and he said the ball didn't act anywhere close to what it did before...

Ces la vie.....
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Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
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Think about it....pins are wood, lanes are wood...
the weapon of choice is obvious...
CUT 'EM UP BABY it's BUZZSAW TIME!!!
Doug Sterner
Doug's Pro Shop
Owego, NY

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