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Author Topic: Very frustrated....please help with X-Factor  (Read 1620 times)

the humble one

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Very frustrated....please help with X-Factor
« on: May 05, 2004, 10:21:53 AM »
Ok, the first thing I want to say about this ball fresh out of the box is WOW! I shot my highest series with this ball: 706 ( 226, 236, 244) However, after about 20 games later, I quickly realized how sensitive this ball is and how much backend reaction it actually lost. I have never left so many 10 pins in my life. I bought this ball to help with the dreaded corner pin, but now it seems every pocket hit will leave one 80% of the time. My strike percentage is actually higher going brooklyn. I maintain the ball after every session with storm reacta clean, and polish it up with storm reacta shine everytime the surface starts to get dull. Also, I've never seen a ball develop a track so fast!

Here are the specs on the ball: 15.0 lbs, 3.25 top weight, 3 inch pin. I have this ball drilled up layout #2b from storm's recommended drillings. Haven't touched the surface of the ball (1500 grit polished).

As I mentioned earlier, after about 20 games, I can't get this ball to react like it once did. It used to dig through the oil, and continue hooking throughout. Now it just skids way too long on oil, and never can find it's way back to the pocket. And when the lanes break down, I can't throw this ball hard enough to keep it in the 1-2 pocket, and when I hit my mark, it almost always leaves the 10 pin.

My question to all who have this ball is to suggest something that will help me with this ball. I know this is a fantastic ball, but I just need to tweak it to fit my game. I'm right handed with medium speed, medium revs, and medium axis rotation. If all else fails, i'm thinking about re-drilling it to layout #1B.
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hotwire13

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Re: Very frustrated....please help with X-Factor
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2004, 01:49:23 AM »
actually, im a little surprised to hear that.  i drilled a reloaded about 2 months back, and after about 80 games on it the backend is still incredible.  i throw it right through the heart of the oil in the middle or else it wont stay on the right side, and the surface has not lost its reaction at all.  i know they are two different balls, but i havent heard of any storm balls dying out that quickly.  maybe that polish you use is making the ball glide a little more than you want it too?  what type of line are you playing when this happens?
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Erik Olsen - e13ez85@hotmail.com
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Goof1073

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Re: Very frustrated....please help with X-Factor
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2004, 08:06:40 AM »
It could be a surface issue...but it's hard to tell without seeing it / bowling on the condition with you.  The X fresh out of the box has a pretty high gloss on it and therefore will save a large amount of energy for the end.  As you bowl with it the polish does dull slightly and you will loose some backend reaction.  Even if the polish did remain "as is" you would see a difference closer to 100 games as the ball entered stage B of its life.  

20 games does sound odd to me though and I have drilled / seen my fair share of X's in my area.
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-Chris : DJ's Pro Shop Auburn, MA
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Nollster

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Re: Very frustrated....please help with X-Factor
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2004, 08:19:06 AM »
This may sound totally ridiculous, but maybe it isn't the ball -- and I'm NOT being sarcastic here.  I have an X-Factor drilled in the same configuration as yours.  I'd say my game is similar to yours as well.  My first game last night was a 221 and I followed it up with a strong 156 -- tons of splits and 10s.  What I found through the night is that I was just not making big enough moves left to keep this ball in the pocket.  I started the night with the edge of my right foot on 25 and through through the 3rd arrow.  Five games later I through a 5-bagger to end my game playing right foot at 38 throwing through the 5-6 arrows -- just crushing the pocket.  It's a line I've never played before because I never dreamed I'd have to move 13 boards through a 6-game stretch.  Of course there's always the possibility you may have a dud on your hands....
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Goof1073

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Re: Very frustrated....please help with X-Factor
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2004, 10:41:43 AM »
Good point Lefty...it could be a bad match-up!  For me I don't match up well with Particle equipment because of the high amount of rev's I have...have tried a few and really wanted to like them, but no luck!
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-Chris : DJ's Pro Shop Auburn, MA
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janderson

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Re: Very frustrated....please help with X-Factor
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2004, 05:44:24 PM »
Leaving corner pins doesn't necessarily mean the ball is ruined or tracked out.  After all, you're still getting the ball to the hole - the amount of hook is fine.  Likely, you're coming in behind the head pin with too much angle (I can hear the corner pins ringing).  Are you leaving pocket 7-10's as well?  If so, that's just more evidence that you're finishing behind the head pin at too steep an angle.  There are tons of factors that can cause it: longer patterns or carrydown, slight increases in speed, increased ball rotation or tilt, and so on.  This means you'll need to make a slight adjustment, not toss the ball out.  Getting the ball to finish a bit sooner (not necessarily stronger, or more hook overall) is the way to fix ringing corner pins.

Sanding a ball down helps.  So does slowing down, decreasing your axis rotation/tilt, moving your feet right or back, etc.



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Kill the back row
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the humble one

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Re: Very frustrated....please help with X-Factor
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2004, 09:13:13 AM »
Thank you all for the great information. I will have to wait until tuesday to try these new adjustments and see how they work with my game. Perhaps it could be my style/game just not matching up with the assymetrical cores. I also have an eraser and tour power, and love the consistency of those balls. I've seen my friends power charge pearl in action, and I must say that it's an underrated ball by storm. I'm contemplating on getting one unless I can get this X-factor to work for me.
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atomized

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Re: Very frustrated....please help with X-Factor
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2004, 03:12:34 PM »
Humble, have found the X- to be very responsive to polishes. When trying the Storm No 2 ball finisher, which was suppose to take it back to 1500, I could make my ball skid several feet further. I found by using Track's Clean and Dull to work the best so far. It will leave about 1000 grit sheen you can polish for more back-end.
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Moe

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Re: Very frustrated....please help with X-Factor
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2004, 03:17:04 PM »
I thought that is what pear balls were supposed to do, glide through the oil and conserve energy for the backend.  if you had the duece, a soild, and it did the same then i think there would be a problem.  My duece skids and rev's through the oil and then breaks, not always for the pocket either.  

I have left very few 10 pin's with it, recently i have started leaving them, i do not blame the ball, but rather the shot that i have been playing.  It is comming in to light, and i havent bothered to adjust.

quote:
For me, the X-Factor is a great ball, but remember, it is pearl, and it was skiddy on carrydown/longer oil for me
Courtesy of storm lefty who is also a stroker.  He posted that in my "2 ball arsenal" thread.
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AIM = y2moe99

Edited on 5/7/2004 3:12 PM
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