Author Topic: The Natural - Initial Thoughts And a Question (Read 3243 times)

n00dlejester · « **on:** September 29, 2009, 03:35:24 PM »

So, I think I posted a thread about dryer lane balls a while back. Did some research, and ended up punching up a Natural for me. It is drilled 4x3.

I got the luxury of bowling with it on a burnt up THS after I got it drilled up, and OOB it was a LOT stronger than I anticipated. Threw some shine on it, still too strong. More shine, getting better. A bit more shine, and it gave me the best look. So I have it at 2000 Abralon with a whole lot of shine, lol.

My 2nd shift league comes, and come the third game the lanes are hooking at about 5 feet before the foul line. I took out my really shiny urethane wonder and shot a 195. I hit the pocket a lot, left a few nasty splits, but otherwise the ball performed quite well. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO mellow on the back end, it's almost intoxicating to throw lol. But so far, I like it. I'd like to just say thanks to anybody who helped me in my research for a new ball.

I'm going to end up getting myself the other ball I was looking at long and hard, the pearl Jolt, just to give myself a weaker resin ball to compliment my urethane toy.

To those who have one, have you tried the surface at 4000 abralon? 4000 abralon with shine? If so, what are your reactions like? I'm thinking about trying 4000 with just a little shine instead of 2000 with a lot.
--------------------
Proud Supporter of Rob Stone
Obviously, you aren''t a golfer.
Some stayed in the foothills, some washed logs like teeth.

Southern California Bowl · « **Reply #1 on:** September 30, 2009, 12:05:22 AM »

I would recommend a Jolt Pearl to anyone. What I get out of this ball is great length without over-reaction in the back. I placed the pin above my fingers in the middle of my bridge, making it 5 inches from my PAP. So the ball glides through the front part of the lane no matter how dry the heads are. And the nice thing, this ball is great on shark as well. With the lower volume overall on that pattern, I can keep my angles close and till they open up in games 3-4, at least lets me start my days with a few good games. By the time they open up, doesn't have the ability to get the corners out like the Black Vibe or the Hy-Road does. I am thinking of getting what you got or a Hammer Razyr for my next comedown ball.

scotts33 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 30, 2009, 12:30:25 AM »

quote:
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO mellow on the back end, it's almost intoxicating to throw lol.

Welcome to bowling prior to reactive.

--------------------
Scott

charlest · « **Reply #3 on:** September 30, 2009, 06:04:20 AM »

Steve,

Just out of curiosity, how did you drill the Natural?
4x3, but how high is the pin or how close to the VAL??
Above or below the bridge makes a big difference.

I find it strange that it was so early given how many people use the stock surface. Even a slower ball speed friend finds it easy to throw. Of course, when balls begin to hook 5 feet BEHIND the foul line, they ARE dry.

--------------------
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Edited on 9/30/2009 12:43 PM

Mr Straight Ball · « **Reply #4 on:** September 30, 2009, 09:33:11 AM »

I can see why you are shining your Natural with a 4x3 drilling, it should stand up pretty well in the dirt.

My "Nat-U-Ral"(lol) is punched up with the pin and cg on the centerline with the pin above the fingers. The OOB surface was a bit much for me too as it just reacted to soon. My solution was to cut it from 2000 to 1000 and hit it with a touch of Moonshine. Then I grabbed a real old 2000 abralon and went practicing with it so that I could rub it as needed to tweak it. Man I like this ball, takes me back to my youth league days when I could "catch it" and not worry about it duck hooking off the lane.
--------------------
Bakes...Why is the 9-pin standing?
40 Boards & A Ball - www.40boards.com
Is your Ball ready to cross 40 Boards?
40 Boards is proudly supported by Storm Products & Stepp's Glen Burnie Pro Shop

Scott_in_PA · « **Reply #5 on:** September 30, 2009, 12:07:53 PM »

Hey N00dle:

I have nothing to add regarding the Jolt, but I wanted to echo your comments about the Natural. A few weeks ago, I wrote this in the Drilling forum:

----->
I got mine for a very particular purpose. One house I bowl in has old wood lanes. The condition is a total flood inside of 9 or 10 with carrydown, so everyone is forced to start in the track area, which burns up in about 5 frames.

For most of the last 3 months of last season, I successfully used my 1980-era Turbo pearl urethane around the first arrow. Biggest problem was weak ten pins, as I couldn't get quite enough angle. What I was hoping for with the Natural (because of a dynamic core) was to get a similar reaction, maybe a little stronger with just a touch more in the back.

I asked my driller to get me one with a 3-4" pinout so we could drill something like 5 x 5 pin over bridge. He said of the roughly 25 balls in stock at his wholesalers, the longest pinout was 2.5". We thought about putting the pin and CG on the centerline, pin just over, CG just under, but this would require deep finger holes to make it legal. I wasn't comfortable with it.

Biggest mistake I made was reading the reviews, especially BJI where they have the Natural in the very bottom-left square on their grid (most length, least angle), many squares away from even relatively weak balls like the Fast. If the ball was that weak, I didn't want to kill it even more with a weak drilling. So I decided on putting the pin in my ring finger (about 4.75" from PAP), CG straight down, with a tiny hole on my PAP.

This ball is surprisingly strong. Sure, it will probably hook 3 boards on a fresh Shark pattern, but on light to medium conditions, it is stronger than I was expecting or hoping, about 8-10 boards stonger than the old Turbo. It starts pretty early (as I was expecting, regardless of the reviews) and then it just goes and goes. Very continuous arc and roll. Carry is not an issue. Very quickly I hit it with a 4000 Abralon pad by hand, which tamed it a tiny bit. Then I tried a light coat of polish, which didn't seem to change the reaction much. I will try to come up with a way to get a high gloss finish on it. I can use it as is, but it requires me to swing it more than I want to swing a urethane ball.
-----<

Since I wrote that, I have further adjusted the surface. First, I hit it with some old Ebonite 5000 grit liquid in the spinner for quite a while, then two coats of non-grit polish, and finally two coats of Control-It. It's hard to pick the thing up now, it practically slips out of my hands. But WOW how it works on the toast. The shine gives me the little bit of extra length I needed, and then it just rolls like a steamroller. No more over/under and the carry is amazing.

-Scott.

FBM357 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 30, 2009, 12:21:08 PM »

quote:
quote:
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO mellow on the back end, it''s almost intoxicating to throw lol.

Welcome to bowling prior to reactive.
--------------------
Scott

+1

isn''t it wonderful?

Looks ''old-school'' when polished!!!

Edited on 9/30/2009 12:23 PM

dogman666 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 30, 2009, 12:23:52 PM »

I used mine exclusively last week rather than cart three or four balls to the lanes. Was pure pleasure rolling it up the 3 board and getting either a 9 or a strike for the first sixteen frames. Can''t wait for Friday so I can throw it again. Is pleases me that I''m called Mr. Natural again but for a completely different reason!

Edited on 9/30/2009 12:24 PM

n00dlejester · « **Reply #8 on:** September 30, 2009, 01:01:35 PM »

quote:
Hey N00dle:

I have nothing to add regarding the Jolt, but I wanted to echo your comments about the Natural. A few weeks ago, I wrote this in the Drilling forum:

----->
I got mine for a very particular purpose. One house I bowl in has old wood lanes. The condition is a total flood inside of 9 or 10 with carrydown, so everyone is forced to start in the track area, which burns up in about 5 frames.

For most of the last 3 months of last season, I successfully used my 1980-era Turbo pearl urethane around the first arrow. Biggest problem was weak ten pins, as I couldn't get quite enough angle. What I was hoping for with the Natural (because of a dynamic core) was to get a similar reaction, maybe a little stronger with just a touch more in the back.

I asked my driller to get me one with a 3-4" pinout so we could drill something like 5 x 5 pin over bridge. He said of the roughly 25 balls in stock at his wholesalers, the longest pinout was 2.5". We thought about putting the pin and CG on the centerline, pin just over, CG just under, but this would require deep finger holes to make it legal. I wasn't comfortable with it.

Biggest mistake I made was reading the reviews, especially BJI where they have the Natural in the very bottom-left square on their grid (most length, least angle), many squares away from even relatively weak balls like the Fast. If the ball was that weak, I didn't want to kill it even more with a weak drilling. So I decided on putting the pin in my ring finger (about 4.75" from PAP), CG straight down, with a tiny hole on my PAP.

This ball is surprisingly strong. Sure, it will probably hook 3 boards on a fresh Shark pattern, but on light to medium conditions, it is stronger than I was expecting or hoping, about 8-10 boards stonger than the old Turbo. It starts pretty early (as I was expecting, regardless of the reviews) and then it just goes and goes. Very continuous arc and roll. Carry is not an issue. Very quickly I hit it with a 4000 Abralon pad by hand, which tamed it a tiny bit. Then I tried a light coat of polish, which didn't seem to change the reaction much. I will try to come up with a way to get a high gloss finish on it. I can use it as is, but it requires me to swing it more than I want to swing a urethane ball.
-----<

Since I wrote that, I have further adjusted the surface. First, I hit it with some old Ebonite 5000 grit liquid in the spinner for quite a while, then two coats of non-grit polish, and finally two coats of Control-It. It's hard to pick the thing up now, it practically slips out of my hands. But WOW how it works on the toast. The shine gives me the little bit of extra length I needed, and then it just rolls like a steamroller. No more over/under and the carry is amazing.

-Scott.

Hey Scott, thanks for sharing this. What you're mentioning is exactly the reaction I get out of mine. I put a ton, well, not a ton, but a WHOLE LOT of Bean's sauce on my natural, AFTER I shined it with whatever my pro-shop guy used. It looks like a black mirror, but I get the same exact reaction. I can play throwing over 10, looking at the line between 7 and 8 board, and then hopefully watch it hit 5 and just float back to the pocket. This is when the first ball I was using, my Storm Pyro, I'm at like, standing at 18 looking at 12 hitting 7 or 8 and praying it doesn't start up too early lol.

quote:
Steve,

Just out of curiosity, how did you drill the Natural?
4x3, but how high is the pin or how close to the VAL??
Above or below the bridge makes a big difference.

I find it strange that it was so early given how many people use the stock surface. Even a slower ball speed friend finds it easy to throw. Of course, when balls begin to hook 5 feet BEHIND the foul line, they ARE dry.

Hey Jeff,

The ball is drilled...let me check, I forget lol. The pin is above my ring finger, CG straight down from there. I will get a pic of it up in a few minutes for all to marvel at this wonderful black sphere.
--------------------
Proud Supporter of Rob Stone
Obviously, you aren't a golfer.
Some stayed in the foothills, some washed logs like teeth.

n00dlejester · « **Reply #9 on:** September 30, 2009, 01:21:41 PM »

As promised, here is the pic of the Au Naturale: http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc10/n00dlejester/0930091404.jpg
--------------------
Proud Supporter of Rob Stone
Obviously, you aren't a golfer.
Some stayed in the foothills, some washed logs like teeth.

FBM357 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 30, 2009, 01:33:50 PM »

quote:
As promised, here is the pic of the Au Naturale: http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc10/n00dlejester/0930091404.jpg
--------------------
Proud Supporter of Rob Stone
Obviously, you aren't a golfer.
Some stayed in the foothills, some washed logs like teeth.

Sheesh, you weren't kidding about the polish

Mine is drilled very similar (will take a pic when I get home - I used Resurrection & Snake Oil) but didn't apply to get the same high gloss as you.

n00dlejester · « **Reply #11 on:** September 30, 2009, 01:41:32 PM »

lol

I like shiney things

--------------------
Proud Supporter of Rob Stone
Obviously, you aren't a golfer.
Some stayed in the foothills, some washed logs like teeth.

charlest · « **Reply #12 on:** September 30, 2009, 03:57:42 PM »

quote:
As promised, here is the pic of the Au Naturale: http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc10/n00dlejester/0930091404.jpg
--------------------
Proud Supporter of Rob Stone
Obviously, you aren''t a golfer.
Some stayed in the foothills, some washed logs like teeth.

It''s a freaking marble, Steve!
You''re weren''t kidding.

That drilling sounds good to me. I just put similar on an old Glowing Amulet, maybe 5x4 for me. Intend to the same to an AMF Hype urethane. Might also marble-ize it also.

Beans'' Polish is great on urethanes!

--------------------
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Edited on 9/30/2009 3:58 PM

Jay · « **Reply #13 on:** September 30, 2009, 10:05:04 PM »

Is it just me or is that shinier than Storm's OOB polished balls? I think my Avalanche used to be almost as shiny, but since it's not black it's a little hard to compare.
--------------------
Justin
Bowling Boards

charlest · « **Reply #14 on:** September 30, 2009, 10:09:44 PM »

quote:
Is it just me or is that shinier than Storm's OOB polished balls? I think my Avalanche used to be almost as shiny, but since it's not black it's a little hard to compare.
--------------------
Justin
Bowling Boards

While it may seem that way in a photograph on a computer, do go entirely by appearances. Beans polish does put a high gloss shine even on hard urethanes, especially on hard urethanes.
--------------------
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Author Topic: The Natural - Initial Thoughts And a Question (Read 3243 times)

n00dlejester

The Natural - Initial Thoughts And a Question

Southern California Bowl

Re: The Natural - Initial Thoughts And a Question

scotts33

Re: The Natural - Initial Thoughts And a Question

charlest

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Mr Straight Ball

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Scott_in_PA

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FBM357

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dogman666

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n00dlejester

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n00dlejester

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FBM357

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n00dlejester

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charlest

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Jay

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charlest

Re: The Natural - Initial Thoughts And a Question