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Author Topic: Smash Zone, Kinetic Pearl, or Tantrum, or...  (Read 1208 times)

802dave

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Smash Zone, Kinetic Pearl, or Tantrum, or...
« on: October 02, 2008, 10:56:04 PM »
I have an Odyssey, an Enriched Uranium, and a Rising.

The Odyssey and Enriched Uranium are too over/under on our house pattern the Rising is a nice piece, but I want something with very low Rg and a smoother arc on the backend than the Odyssey or EU.

I had an orignal One at 16lbs and liked its roll it was very low Rg and had a smooth arc.

I haven't seen much info on the Smash Zone, but would like to have it compared to any of the above mentioned balls and the Kinetic Pearl, and the Tantrum.  What does BTM and/or BJ say about the Smash Zone?

Thanks!!!

Edited on 10/3/2008 7:57 AM
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charlest

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Re: Smash Zone, Kinetic Pearl, or Tantrum, or...
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2008, 09:59:03 AM »
Dave,

While some balls can be sensitive to oil, usually it's the combination of the ball, your release and the drilling that makes them "over/under" on any pattern, even when the pattern seems to be a wet/dry one.

The Enriched U is a super low RG ball with older, fairly hard Brunswick particles even though the ball is a pearlized one. Either your release or the drilling might be making the ball "over/under".

Many balls can be made less sensitive to such using lower pin drillings, such as the Rico. Mnay times even a low pin with the MB/CG moved towards the VAL will help the ball a lot.

Surface is also an important factor. Changing polished pearls to 4000 grit Abralon, lets them handle the same amount of oil as their polished states, but makes them much smoother and allows them to handle wet/dry and carrydown much better.

That said, a ball like the Visionary Gladiator Pearl or some milder solids like the AMF Villain or the Brunswick Avalanche Solid would be much better choices than the Smash ZOne, Kinetic Pearl or Tantrum. The Smash Zone is smooth for a pearl, but much less smooth and even than the Gladiator Pearl. The Kinetic Pearl and the Tantrum are more flippy than your EU, in general.
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802dave

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Re: Smash Zone, Kinetic Pearl, or Tantrum, or...
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2008, 10:31:04 AM »
Charlest,

Thanks for the reply!

The Visionary Gladiator Pearl: besides the Rg, BTM gave it basically the same #’s as the Tantrum & Kinetic Pearl.  Respectfully, I have a hard time believing the Tantrum and Kinetic Pearl would be flippier than my EU - BTM’s #’s (CT and Back-end) are a lot different.

The Avalanche Solid & the Gladiator Pearl are higher Rg than my Rising and I’m wanting something with very low Rg as the balls I’ve had the best luck with have been very low Rg with a smooth arc/continuous back-end.  I know drilling and surface has something to do with that as well.

The EU was given to me and it was drilled pin above and slightly to the right of the ring finger - I would have liked to try a Rico drill on it if it was new.   Same situation with the Odyssey.  The Rising was drilled Track’s standard drill - it doesn’t rev-up as soon as I’d like some nights – basically the same thing as I’ve experienced with Rg in that range.  My profile is similar to yours.

Our house pattern is very wet in the middle and pretty dry outside 8 - you can actually sit in the bowlers area and see where the oil is and isn’t.  I prefer a more flat shot and a little lower volume, but I keep my mouth shut and adjust as best I can - I know a lower Rg ball with a Rico type drill would work much better for me!  And about 1000 Abralon.

Dave

Edited on 10/3/2008 10:40 AM

Edited on 10/3/2008 10:41 AM
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charlest

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Re: Smash Zone, Kinetic Pearl, or Tantrum, or...
« Reply #3 on: October 03, 2008, 12:16:00 PM »
quote:
Charlest,

Thanks for the reply!

The Visionary Gladiator Pearl: besides the Rg, BTM gave it basically the same #’s as the Tantrum & Kinetic Pearl.  Respectfully, I have a hard time believing the Tantrum and Kinetic Pearl would be flippier than my EU - BTM’s #’s (CT and Back-end) are a lot different.


Don't put all your faith in the numbers, and I am a "numbers person"!
I saw one friends KP last night and know what he had to do to the surface to tone it down. I'f seem another's Glad Pearl and I guarantee that the ball's path are VERY different. The Tantrum is probably more even that the KP, but more flippy (not necessarily flippy) than the Glad Pearl.

quote:

The Avalanche Solid & the Gladiator Pearl are higher Rg than my Rising and I’m wanting something with very low Rg as the balls I’ve had the best luck with have been very low Rg with a smooth arc/continuous back-end.  I know drilling and surface has something to do with that as well.


I understand how you feel, but the old saw/proverb remains true today as it ever was: "You buy a ball reaction, not a ball."
Believe me when I say I have seen Medium RG balls, drilled the same as low RG balls, behave in a more even manner, even when throw by the same person on the same oil pattern. Ball = (core + coverstock). Think of those 2 elements as a black box that you cannot see into.

No, not really. Drilling and surface can  change the entire personality of a ball.

quote:

The EU was given to me and it was drilled pin above and slightly to the right of the ring finger - I would have liked to try a Rico drill on it if it was new.   Same situation with the Odyssey.  The Rising was drilled Track’s standard drill - it doesn’t rev-up as soon as I’d like some nights – basically the same thing as I’ve experienced with Rg in that range.  My profile is similar to yours.


(I need to change my profile. I've changed my release/delivery over this past summer, but it is not yet totally settled.)

The Rising has a 4000 grit Abralon finish. If yours is stock, it needs to be refreshed every 12-20 games because that surface is the most sensitive to change and oil absorption. If you have 50 games on it or more, it needs the be "rejuvenated".

You may even want to take it to 2000 grit Abralon and try it that way. I wouldn't make it any rougher than that.

Do not be afraid to re-drill the EU. It has a relatively basic and farily stable core. Redrilling 2 or even 3 times should still retain a very high proportion of its dynamic contribution to the ball. If you drilled it in place when you got it, this would only be a 2nd real drilling.

Heck, rethinking what I wrote, you may want to try a complete surface change of the EU to 4000 grit Abralon, or even 2000 grit, if you think that would help. That would make it read the midlane earlier to a lot earlier.

quote:

Our house pattern is very wet in the middle and pretty dry outside 8 - you can actually sit in the bowlers area and see where the oil is and isn’t.  I prefer a more flat shot and a little lower volume, but I keep my mouth shut and adjust as best I can - I know a lower Rg ball with a Rico type drill would work much better for me!  And about 1000 Abralon.

Dave


Unless you're using the EU somewhere else, and need its reaction as is, before buying any other ball, I'd do 2 things: one, redrill it Rico. Two, test it redrilled. If it remaisn too flippy, get a light grey nylon Scotch-Brite pad and scuff about 30% of the shine off the ball. Lightly, by hand. If needs be, do it again, lightly, re-test.

1000 grit Abralon is about 500 grit US/CAMI grade. That is a VERY rough surface for a bowling ball. That wet inside oil better be darned heavy if you really need that much sanding. I'm inclined to doubt it.
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802dave

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Re: Smash Zone, Kinetic Pearl, or Tantrum, or...
« Reply #4 on: October 03, 2008, 02:26:58 PM »
Charlest,

Well, let me tell you a story…  A couple weeks ago, the right-side had more volume than I’ve seen since I’ve been back bowling.  I had my Odyssey taken down to 500 Abralon for Travel league, just in case, a few days prior.  I pulled it out when my Rising at 2000 Abralon took out the 10-pin on one of my 1st warm-ups…  I started out standing on the 9th board and only moved about 3 total boards over the set with the Odyssey.  There were a couple crankers playing inside of me, but there wasn’t any over/under for me that night.

I typically keep my Rising at 2000 Abralon and I had the Odyssey taken to 2000 last night, but it was too over/under to use.

I will have the EU redrilled Rico and try it at various grits before I buy another ball – I really like how quickly it revs up - I just need a little better mid-lane and a little calmer back-end out of it.

The Rising is probably in need of rejuvenating, so thanks for the suggestion!

Dave
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charlest

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Re: Smash Zone, Kinetic Pearl, or Tantrum, or...
« Reply #5 on: October 03, 2008, 03:04:07 PM »
That is a lot of oil, Dave. Oh how I would love to see that around my way! It's been so many years I don't know what I would do. Here I was thinking "normal" wet/dry.

If you need to take the EU down in grit, those particles should help. Once the pearl cover is taken down, it will hook. Heck, if you need 1000 Abralon, do't hesitate.

GOod luck.
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802dave

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Re: Smash Zone, Kinetic Pearl, or Tantrum, or...
« Reply #6 on: October 06, 2008, 03:20:51 PM »
I had the EU taken down to 1000 Abralon and its reaction is much more even I'm going to leave it as is for now.  

The Odyssey was a litle more unpredictable than the EU, so it's going to be redrilled Rico.  

My pro shop guy is a track staffer and he's going to look into possibly laying out a Kinetic Pearl Rico.
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