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Author Topic: Lane oiling procedures with modern technology  (Read 669 times)

MSC2471

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Lane oiling procedures with modern technology
« on: March 21, 2005, 05:57:38 PM »
Given today's sophisticated lane machines that can strip and oil each lane fairly quickly- and the fact that the people who run these machines like to keep the same pattern out there from day to day, league to league- do you think there are other external factors that may make one league night play differently than the next?

The reason why I pose this question is this evening we were bowling our Monday night league and one of the guys who subs on my team also has been subbing on Friday nights in this same house. He was surprised about the moves he had to make on the two given nights, even though the house owner swears the oiling pattern and the amount of oil on the lanes is the same from day to day. On Mondays the moves had to be deeper inside quicker than on Fridays- and he said the lanes played looser in practice and then got tighter after game one, which was different than what he sees on Fridays.

I know weather/humidity can play a factor- but it's been in the 40's up here in the Northeast right now. What do you think of this situation? For the people who bowl in the same house multiple nights, do the lanes play differently on the different days even if the oiling pattern is the same? Is it merely the type of bowlers and the balls they use that plays the most important role in the changes or are there other factors to consider?

Matt

 

Overhand

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Re: Lane oiling procedures with modern technology
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2005, 08:53:28 AM »
1. weather (but you knew this)
2. previous shooters - even though they run the lanes, most houses usually don't clean the backend; just lay a new shot from 30'- 40'.  If there have been a bunch of kids earlier in the day, the oil's been pushed into the backend area with the hard house balls.  
3.  Some houses only clean there lanes only a couple of times a week.  Multiply #2 above and add in league bowlers...not sure what it does to the lanes, but it'll be a lot different.
4.  Number of bowlers per team per league?  Your sub shoots with four and you have five would break the pattern down quicker.
5.  Your team members may shoot your sub's line or use more sponge balls to burn up the line.  Consistency with your bowlers is a factor.


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michelle

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Re: Lane oiling procedures with modern technology
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2005, 09:30:18 AM »
One of the biggest factors can be in ensuring that the same ratio on the stripper solution is used...different ratios can have an impact on just how squeaky clean the lane is before the conditioner is laid down.

Other factors include, as noted, the weather...proximity of a lane to a door or air duct is another oft-overlooked factor.  

I have also seen houses where the lane beds themselves were not all originally installed at the same time.  Some say that can have an impact as the theory holds the lanes can hold a memory of sorts that is not completely removed by recutting the lanes.

thfonz98

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Re: Lane oiling procedures with modern technology
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2005, 09:43:46 AM »
quote:
the house owner swears the oiling pattern and the amount of oil on the lanes is the same from day to day


thats what every house says, ie my house said this for weeks then told us that then conditioner was bad for a few weeks and evaporated like crazy and thus causing the very dry conditions by the end of 1st-2nd game(ie throwing rubber).
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thfonz98

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Re: Lane oiling procedures with modern technology
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2005, 09:46:17 AM »
quote:
I loved it and would have been bored all yr had each league played the same.
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Bones


same here, about a year or so ago our house put out a tough almost reverse block, 60 feet of skid outside and hook inside and while most people whined about it, i loved it.  Something different
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shelley

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Re: Lane oiling procedures with modern technology
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2005, 10:26:35 AM »
I bowl in a 5-man  men's league on Tuesday and a 4-person mixed league on Wednesday and while the laneman may try to lay down the same shot both nights (don't know for sure and wouldn't surprise me if he didn't), the lanes definitely play differently from day to day.

Part of it may be that there are more straight bowlers using plastic balls on Wednesday compared to Tuesday.  Part of it may be 4-person versus 5-man teams.  But even on weeks where there were people missing on Tuesday night (giving 4-man teams), the lanes were still quite different.

SH