BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: alex on November 03, 2009, 02:53:16 AM
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I have had my Blue Dot for over twelve years now and have had many chips and crackes fixed on it.Last nite it finaly cracked so bad around the fingers and thumb i can not use it any longer.So my question is since they don't make the real Blue Dot anymore,Columbia calls it a Blue Dot but its its not,What is the hardest ball on the market right now?
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Get a White Dot.
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I think the Storm ICE Storm is the hardest ball out there now.
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16-17 mph,350 rpm,PAP 5 1/2 x 3/8up, HighGame 300 x 3, High Series 808
Book Average 205,PBA Xperience ave180
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+1 on the Ice Storm being the hardest ball
The Blue Dot is still available
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quote:
+1 on the Ice Storm being the hardest ball
The Blue Dot is still available
But I think the OP is correct.. they sell the blue dot but it isn't like the original blue dot where it wouldn't hook..
the blud dots now are just the same as white dots..
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16-17 mph,350 rpm,PAP 5 1/2 x 3/8up, HighGame 300 x 3, High Series 808
Book Average 205,PBA Xperience ave180
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As I understand it, the new Blue Dots are NOT just like the White Dots. More like the relationship between pearls and solids, the pearls being less elastic, not harder, a Blue Dot is designed to also skid further than the White Dot, although they are the same hardness.
(NOTE: the information in the above paragraph was learned from Columbia300 when they were in SanAntonio, TX, before Ebonite bought them. I cannot say the situation remains the same with the acquisition.)
That said, I also use an original Blue Dot. When it deteriorates to the same point as yours, I fully intend to buy a Storm Ice Storm. It is not expensive and it is hard and it is good looking.
FYI Viz-a-Balls are also very hard, if a trifle expensive. A friend has had a Coca-Cola viz-a-ball for 5+ years now. Someone gave it to him. It looks terrible with all the use it gets, but skids a country-mile. I suspect they are 90 hardness but don''t know for sure. I DO know you can''t sand them. It takes the color off them completely. They turn white or they are white under the color pattern. If you find one cheap, it might be a good spare ball.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."
Edited on 11/3/2009 8:53 PM
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I switched to a vis-a-ball from a maxim, definately moves less. Not that the maxim was a hook monster, but it did move enough if the lanes got real dry to hook past the 10.
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Thanks for all of your help.
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AFAIK the current Blue Dots have the same hardness rating as any other polyester ball - not sure whether the material would make any difference in less hook.
I have an Ice Storm, and am very happy with it. I compared it with my Target Zone, and it definitively hooks less. Not much, but it glides better through the oily lane parts and also does not build up traction as easy as the T-Zone. I also put mine on the spinner and hit it with a boat hull polish (a fine rubbing compound that contains wax), and now it is straight as an arrow - but it takes some maintenance because this slick shine does not last long (I'd say 3 months of frequent use).
Only drawback is that the hard material is more brittle. My Ice Storm already has lots of hair cracks around the fingers - nothing damaged yet, but the Target Zone was much more durable in this area.
As a side note: the solid Team Storm ball is also pretty hard (82-82), and the older Aqua Spare from Storm is even better (84-86). Lanemasters' Arrow (a clear ball) was also marketed as very hard.
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DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany
Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section (http://"http://www.ballreviews.com/Forum/Replies.asp?TopicID=74110&ForumID=16&CategoryID=5")
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yeah the ice storm is like throw'n a marble down the lane..
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quote:
- but it takes some maintenance because this slick shine does not last long (I'd say 3 months of frequent use).
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DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany
Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section (http://"http://www.ballreviews.com/Forum/Replies.asp?TopicID=74110&ForumID=16&CategoryID=5")
sounds like your not strike'n very much... LMFAO.
my spare ball is the very very least "maintenance" ball i have, i try not to get it out and use it more than 5times a night... lol
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sounds like your not strike'n very much... LMFAO.
my spare ball is the very very least "maintenance" ball i have, i try not to get it out and use it more than 5times a night... lol
Maybe... but you do more than just 1 game, I suppose?
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DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany
Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section (http://"http://www.ballreviews.com/Forum/Replies.asp?TopicID=74110&ForumID=16&CategoryID=5")
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Maybe... but you do more than just 1 game, I suppose?
]
not sure how leauges are 1 game or even 2...
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I have an Ice Storm, and am very happy with it. I compared it with my Target Zone, ...
Only drawback is that the hard material is more brittle. My Ice Storm already has lots of hair cracks around the fingers - nothing damaged yet, but the Target Zone was much more durable in this area.
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DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany
Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section (http://"http://www.ballreviews.com/Forum/Replies.asp?TopicID=74110&ForumID=16&CategoryID=5")
Dizzy,
Odd about your Target Zone. I use finger inserts and mine started cracking around the fingers and between the bridge. In less than a year, it was all but unusable. A new White Dot also started tracking out very quickly. I'm back using my original Blue Dot, prepped with a Trizact White pad and Finesse-iT II polish. It hooks just a little when I want it to.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."
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In the past year I have thrown the Target Zone, Maxim and Ice Storm. The Ice Storm was definitely the straightest of the three. My teammate ran the pro shop and gave me the Ice Storm when he switched ball weights. The Target Zone is the oldest of the three (7 years) and shows no sign of wearing out and has not cracked.
My spare ball of choice right now is the Maxim. The fit feels better than the others.
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USBC Silver Level Coach
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Are your drillers beveling the finger holes before the grips are glued in? Any hole that isn't beveled is more likely to cause cracking problems. -- JohnP
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I had a TZ also that cracked out around fingers, and yes they were beveled. I dunno what ever happened to that ball, but I have an Ice Storm now. don't use it much though......
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FAILURE IS FEEDBACK. AND FEEDBACK IS THE BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS THAT GOT DIGESTED!
Ten pin?????? Where?? I throw a BUZZSAW there is NUTTIN left on the deck...
Proud MEMBER of the FOS!!
Member of the FOS, if there happens to be a 9 pin standing just toss a saw and cut it down~~!
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Find an old blue dot at your bowling center and ask them at the manager if you can buy it from them.
Plug it and redrill it to your span.
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2nd arrow is for pansies.