BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: J_w73 on October 01, 2014, 06:11:35 PM
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I am trying to fill two spots in my bag with one ball. Which urethane ball would be best to be used as a super dry lane ball and a spare ball? I know there are solid, pearl, and hybrid urethanes. Which version could be made the tamest and smoothest by polishing or any other method? Would a low RG drilling (short pin to PAP) be best to avoid any possible down lane flip?
Recommendations on ball, cover prep, and layout please.
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I am trying to fill two spots in my bag with one ball. Which urethane ball would be best to be used as a super dry lane ball and a spare ball? I know there are solid, pearl, and hybrid urethanes. Which version could be made the tamest and smoothest by polishing or any other method? Would a low RG drilling (short pin to PAP) be best to avoid any possible down lane flip?
Recommendations on ball, cover prep, and layout please.
I believe one can't make such a recommendation without knowing whether
1. You're a cranker, tweener or stroker AND
2. You're speed dominant, matched revs/speed, or rev dominant.
All 9 variations have different needs. Some are different enough not to overlap.
I am a tweener & rev dominant. My best urethane driest lanes strike ball is the Blue Hammer (but I already have an original Desperado). My best urethane spare ball would be the Mix pearl (but I still prefer a plastic spare ball).
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You could take a polyester ball and scuff it and get a better reaction than a urethane...most urethane will 'hook' early and burn up in the back part of the lane...not an optimum reaction
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Specific to your answer, I've used my Burgundy Hammer as a spare ball and one to use on drier lane conditions. The ball, which I purchased in 1995, was drilled straight-up, but I've since had a weight hole drilled to allow it to pick up a little sooner. According to a Facebook conversation I had with Bill Hall, who designed the Blue Hammer, he told me the RG on the ball (Burgundy Hammer) was 2.52 and the differential was about an .020.
You can always put some shine on a urethane ball, which would enable it to skid farther down the lane. This was a common thing done back in the day, say, with the Columbia U-Dot: dull finish (first ball), shiny finish (spare ball).
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I am trying to fill two spots in my bag with one ball. Which urethane ball would be best to be used as a super dry lane ball and a spare ball? I know there are solid, pearl, and hybrid urethanes. Which version could be made the tamest and smoothest by polishing or any other method? Would a low RG drilling (short pin to PAP) be best to avoid any possible down lane flip?
Recommendations on ball, cover prep, and layout please.
I believe one can't make such a recommendation without knowing whether
1. You're a cranker, tweener or stroker AND
2. You're speed dominant, matched revs/speed, or rev dominant.
All 9 variations have different needs. Some are different enough not to overlap.
I am a tweener & rev dominant. My best urethane driest lanes strike ball is the Blue Hammer (but I already have an original Desperado). My best urethane spare ball would be the Mix pearl (but I still prefer a plastic spare ball).
I'm pretty matched as far as rev/speed....375 revs, 18-19 mph off my hand.
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You could take a polyester ball and scuff it and get a better reaction than a urethane...most urethane will 'hook' early and burn up in the back part of the lane...not an optimum reaction
Do you think a polyester with a core might be a better choice than a urethane with a weak core or pancake? I hadn't thought of that until you mentioned polyester.
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I would vote for a weak (pancake) core urethane. For me, the urethane gives just enough grab when shooting my corners to take advantage of the dry outside boards if I miss a little outside. The weak core does not over-react to dryer boards.
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I am trying to fill two spots in my bag with one ball. Which urethane ball would be best to be used as a super dry lane ball and a spare ball? I know there are solid, pearl, and hybrid urethanes. Which version could be made the tamest and smoothest by polishing or any other method? Would a low RG drilling (short pin to PAP) be best to avoid any possible down lane flip?
Recommendations on ball, cover prep, and layout please.
I believe one can't make such a recommendation without knowing whether
1. You're a cranker, tweener or stroker AND
2. You're speed dominant, matched revs/speed, or rev dominant.
All 9 variations have different needs. Some are different enough not to overlap.
I am a tweener & rev dominant. My best urethane driest lanes strike ball is the Blue Hammer (but I already have an original Desperado). My best urethane spare ball would be the Mix pearl (but I still prefer a plastic spare ball).
I'm pretty matched as far as rev/speed....375 revs, 18-19 mph off my hand.
I had a Blue/Black Polar Ice (a hybrid) as spare ball for a while. Overall, because I face medium-light to light oil, and I am rev dominant, it just hooked too much for me.I returned to my polyester/plastic ball, but I sanded it to 4000 grit for more consistency.
Because you are rev/speed matched, a urethane could be a good spare ball for you. If you can modify your release for 10 pins and similar, you could possibly use a ball like the Blue Hammer (real dynamic but very weak core) or the SuperNatural (stronger core but weaker surface than the BH) for true dry lane strike ball and for a spare ball. A SuperNatural has more length and much more backend than the Blue Hammer, but I found the Blue Hammer harder hitting (FOR ME).
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I just got a Natural from someone for free, it's been great for me. The 10 has never been this easy and I even shot 924 for 4 games of practice on a burnt pair
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You can leverage the core and put a hole at 6.75" to increase the flare but if there is enough friction and you're bowking on synthetics a polyester will react well...it will allow you to close down your angles easier and still get some movement down lane
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I agree with Ric here. I have tried to use urethane on dry lanes (burned up) and the balls generally puke out half way down the lane. And when I do get it through the heads, the recovery is inconsistent.
I have better luck with plastic or older weak resin. Urethane for me is a good option on shorter patterns.
And I too am somewhat matched at 17.5-19 mph and 375-400 rpm.
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I first posted using a Burgundy Hammer as a spare ball option (that I've used shooting pot games). I also use a Brunswick Slingshot (pin/down) as a spare ball option (on sport compliant/flat patterns).
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Plastic works
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-jnEhAGic0
Urethane is an option as well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylplbarn8GQ
I have a NIB 15lb Brunsiwck red Groove Urethane Ploished if interested. (pancake weightblock)
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The key to all this is the definition of dry. Everyone has different views when they think the lanes are dry.
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I use an Ebonite Gyro from 1991 that is used for 4/7 and 7 pin conversions(lefty). When the lanes are extremely dry,the Gyro does pretty good without burning up.
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I use an Ebonite Gyro from 1991 that is used for 4/7 and 7 pin conversions(lefty). When the lanes are extremely dry,the Gyro does pretty good without burning up.
That is the problem with today's weak balls .. There is nothing that is a truly weak cover. They all jump pretty hard and all can cover 15 or more boards off of any decent amount of friction. Maybe I'll look for an older truly weak cover ball.
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Part of that is the lane surface being plastic...it creates more friction than wood down lane thus the balls continue to potentially hook, as well as the pin decks being phenalic minimizes skid out...
This is the issue with urethane, no matter the surface...they create an earlier response and confuse bowlers..they react sooner and less down lane which confuses bowlers that are used to seeing motion down lane...it's similar to compounding the lane
Now granted, this also depends on where the friction is, if it is wet dry front to back, then urethane can overcome it but hook in the front on away from the pocket (side to side) decreases potential of the urethane
You can take a weak core/cover reactive and use a flare decreasing weight hole to minimize overall reaction also
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I have thrown both the original Natural, and the new Blue Hammer in the manner you suggest. My spare shooting with both is better than it was with polyester. I have also had good success with both as condition specific strike balls.
The key is to keep the cover tame, like 4000. Also remember that I said condition specific. If you just get the urethane out anytime the lanes seem dry you will be disappointed. Urethane is most useful when you can play relatively straight from outside 10 board. If you are forced to play much out angle you will be disappointed in the carry no matter how many revs you get. I actually think urethane is better for us straighter low rev strokers than for power guys
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That is the problem with today's weak balls .. There is nothing that is a truly weak cover. They all jump pretty hard and all can cover 15 or more boards off of any decent amount of friction. Maybe I'll look for an older truly weak cover ball.
It took me 2 ball purchases to figure that out (and that was many years ago). I learned my lesson after that. Now I have a 3 ball arsenal that usually covers conditions on the dry side:
1. Columbia 300 U2 "The Classic" (Urethane): Surface Dull 2000 Grit
2. Columbia 300 Scout Hi-Flare (Urethane): Surface 500 Grit then Polished
3. Lane#1 XXXL (Plastic): Polished
The XXXL has really made a difference for me in some tournaments. I bowled really well in a second set of a county tournament with this ball. Everyone was struggling to keep their equipment off the nose and I was playing a nice inside line. Its a ball that I don't go to much but I sure do like it when the time comes to use it.
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Part of that is the lane surface being plastic...it creates more friction than wood down lane thus the balls continue to potentially hook, as well as the pin decks being phenalic minimizes skid out...
This is the issue with urethane, no matter the surface...they create an earlier response and confuse bowlers..they react sooner and less down lane which confuses bowlers that are used to seeing motion down lane...it's similar to compounding the lane
Now granted, this also depends on where the friction is, if it is wet dry front to back, then urethane can overcome it but hook in the front on away from the pocket (side to side) decreases potential of the urethane
You can take a weak core/cover reactive and use a flare decreasing weight hole to minimize overall reaction also
Great info. I was just thinking urethane since I could use it for spares and also get a different look for those times when I might need it. I am expecting and also like the look that urethane provides. I will also probably carry another medium -light oil ball as well. Looking at a Hy-road pearl.. Not sure that is really that weak though.. I also have an old game breaker that I drilled to hardly flare and be smooth. That ball seems to work really well when I don't want to cover a ton of boards.
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I use an Ebonite Gyro from 1991 that is used for 4/7 and 7 pin conversions(lefty). When the lanes are extremely dry,the Gyro does pretty good without burning up.
That is the problem with today's weak balls .. There is nothing that is a truly weak cover. They all jump pretty hard and all can cover 15 or more boards off of any decent amount of friction. Maybe I'll look for an older truly weak cover ball.
This makes me wonder how something like a Pink Hammer would compare to a Taboo Spare or True Blood. Something tells me that even if taken down to say, 500, the Taboo Spare or True Blood would still out hook the Pink Hammer.
BL.
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I have both the XXXL and pink hammer and have them both at the same surface and polish (1000-2000-4000+black magic XL). The XXXL has more length but more backend reaction than the pink hammer. So if the heads are hooking early, the XXXL is a better choice as I can swing it and the core will allow it to recover and carry. While the pink hammer is more useful for short patterns when the heads start to go if I am using them as a strike ball.
And the pink hammer is the better spare ball because of the weaker core. However, on sport patterns, the pink hammer will not bite at all and the XXXL will grab a board or 2 if I need it.
Also to consider, Motive has the artic sniper which is urethane and the weakest core I have ever seen. One guy had one in travel league last month and he said it is the weakest ball he has even thrown. I may look into it.
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This is the issue with urethane, no matter the surface...they create an earlier response and confuse bowlers..they react sooner and less down lane which confuses bowlers that are used to seeing motion down lane...it's similar to compounding the lane
That is my Gryo in a nutshell, it tends to grab early and by the time it gets to intended pin,it is in a dead roll. If I play it when nothing else works, it is a straight up shot not covering more than 5 boards.
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The biggest difference between polyester, urethane and resin is how they respond to friction...urethane being the earliest or slowest...no matter the condition bowlers still look for motion down lane...it's easier to visualise and adjust to