Author Topic: Utah brand polished covers (Read 2967 times)

Raven829 · « **on:** January 14, 2009, 01:08:51 PM »

I have had quite a few pieces from Utah that came with a polished cover. The ones I can think of are the Rapid Fire, Cell Pearl, Horizon, Mystic, Rapid Fire Pearl, HyRoad, and Gravity Shift. I did not alter the cover on all of these, but some I did and others were altered by the pro shop after a plug job. IMO, I have always found them to be impossible to get back to a good reacting polished piece after altering the cover. By far the most notable of the bunch was my Gravity Shift.

I got it used with 1 game on it. The shop plugged it for me, cut the plug in a Haus Machine, and polished it back up. Since I didn't throw it at OOB, I didn't know what to expect. I ended up with a ball that wanted to turn the corner but didn't. I tried various surfaces both dull and with various polishes with poor results. I had Hank Boomershine personally look at it and he suggested a new place for the x-hole (it had one but I had it plugged before meeting Hank). This helped somewhat, but I still wasn't happy with it.

It sat in my basement for 3 months until last weekend. I decided to try some of Storm's polish (reacta shine) to try and salvage it. I got the bottle from Buddies and followed Storm's recommendation of 500, 1000, and the reacta shine. I tried the ball out and it was like a totally different piece. Strong midlane that actually turned the corner very well. It was how I expected it to be. I used it in tandem with a Rapid Fire on Viper the other night to shoot my highest ever PBAX series. Then tonight I used it on a THS league for a 797. /figjam

I suppose it's possible that the other polishes out there just don't work as well on these balls as the stuff that's made for them. I haven't tried everything, but I did try Ebonite's FF polish, Beans, Snake Oil, and Black Magic all with different underlying grits with poor results. I'm excited to try it out now on my other stuff that I had written off.

It's worth noting that other brand balls that I have used haven't been this sensitive. I've used the above named polishes on those pieces with good results. Coverstock prep is hit or miss as it is. Not everything will work due to all the variables. I just hadn't found ANYTHING until now that worked on Utah balls. I had read a lot of posts about the Gravity specifically being hard to bring back to box. Maybe this will help someone out there.

Don
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"You cannot change the stripes of a leopard."
~Emmitt Smith

tdub36tjt · « **Reply #1 on:** January 14, 2009, 09:28:24 PM »

Not being able to get Storm balls back to how they reacted OOB after needing a surface refresh is actually why I quit throwing Storm. It was worse than having a ball die because I could at least do oil extraction and get it back. Maybe what your saying is where I went wrong. I just recently broke down and bought a Rapid Fire my first Storm ball since the Domination. I will definitly keep this in mind when resurfacing.

themagician · « **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2009, 09:33:32 PM »

The storm stuff is interesting to get close to factory finish, I normally will finish a Storm ball with a 1000 abralon pad and then use Snake Oil and find it really close. But the best way is to pick up storm step 3 polish, and then follow the directions.
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actsbowler21 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 14, 2009, 10:45:19 PM »

Pro Shops now have a Storm Bowling Ball Chart that has cleaning and maintenance instructions on it. It has instructions for each level of grit and polish..

there are instructions out there on how to get back to box finish, just have to follow them
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Justin Buford
Orlando, FL

2009 Storm Bowling Staff Member
Rich Gibson's Pro Shop at Boardwalk Bowl Orlando, FL

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dizzyfugu · « **Reply #4 on:** January 15, 2009, 01:29:19 AM »

On the Storm balls I had (and unable to get Storm's polish around here), I got very good results with a 1.500 grit wet sanded or 2.000 Abralon base, plus Brunswick's High Gloss polish. Very shiny, almost no sanding lines to see anymore, with very good traction.
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Dan Belcher · « **Reply #5 on:** January 15, 2009, 06:03:44 AM »

I rarely use a Storm polished ball OOB. I don't like high gloss polished finishes anyway (I prefer a lighter coat of polish for a smoother reaction shape), but it also removes the trouble of trying to recreate that same finish. I've had good luck with 1000 abralon plus Snake Oil, or Resurrection plus Snake Oil depending on how much length I need, but again, I don't like the super strong skid/snap look that I get out of the box with Storm's highly-polished gear.

Gazoo · « **Reply #6 on:** January 15, 2009, 06:22:59 AM »

Burgandy Scotchbrite(320grit)/Storm Step 2 will get so close to factory OOB that you are factory OOB.
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"I don't want to be remembered, I want to be forgotten"

WSUstroker · « **Reply #7 on:** January 15, 2009, 07:52:45 AM »

quote:
On the Storm balls I had (and unable to get Storm's polish around here), I got very good results with a 1.500 grit wet sanded or 2.000 Abralon base, plus Brunswick's High Gloss polish. Very shiny, almost no sanding lines to see anymore, with very good traction.
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That's what I used to polish up my Special Agent. Refreshed the surface to 2000 abralon and put a coat of Brunswick FF on it, rolls great.
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Dan Chambers
www.absolutebowling.com

tburky · « **Reply #8 on:** January 15, 2009, 08:49:53 AM »

Storm should put on their website the same info they give pro shops on returning a storm ball to its factory finish. Also, lots of pro shops are removing the cards in the boxes on returning the ball to factory finish.

Dan Belcher · « **Reply #9 on:** January 15, 2009, 09:29:40 AM »

quote:
Storm should put on their website the same info they give pro shops on returning a storm ball to its factory finish. Also, lots of pro shops are removing the cards in the boxes on returning the ball to factory finish.

Oddly, Rotogrip's website has instructions on how to return balls to box finish, but these instructions are very generic -- they don't tell you what underlying grit to use. They just say to use Storm Reacta Shine with a "4 step polishing process"

Mr Straight Ball · « **Reply #10 on:** January 15, 2009, 10:38:19 AM »

I am thinking the grit is not emphasized because you are using the correct product. Reacta Shine

Edited on 1/15/2009 11:38 AM

jbuzz31 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 15, 2009, 10:46:21 AM »

quote:
quote:
Storm should put on their website the same info they give pro shops on returning a storm ball to its factory finish. Also, lots of pro shops are removing the cards in the boxes on returning the ball to factory finish.
Oddly, Rotogrip's website has instructions on how to return balls to box finish, but these instructions are very generic -- they don't tell you what underlying grit to use. They just say to use Storm Reacta Shine with a "4 step polishing process"

yea they do.

its says specifically 1500 polished and 2000 polished. so that means you use that grit then the polish. sheesh
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Ive Eaten From The Insane Root That Imprisons Reason

Dan Belcher · « **Reply #12 on:** January 15, 2009, 11:35:37 AM »

quote:
quote:
quote:
Storm should put on their website the same info they give pro shops on returning a storm ball to its factory finish. Also, lots of pro shops are removing the cards in the boxes on returning the ball to factory finish.
Oddly, Rotogrip's website has instructions on how to return balls to box finish, but these instructions are very generic -- they don't tell you what underlying grit to use. They just say to use Storm Reacta Shine with a "4 step polishing process"

yea they do.

its says specifically 1500 polished and 2000 polished. so that means you use that grit then the polish. sheesh

Wrong. Reacta Shine is a compound polisher that brings the surface up to eventually 1500 or 2000. Storm customer service has told people to use Scotchbright (I believe a red one, but don't know for sure) before using Reacta Shine since it will take the cover up to the grit level they want when you use it long enough with enough pressure. THAT is why people have trouble recreating the box finish on Storm's polished stuff. Hitting it with 1500 grit sandpaper then polishing it WON'T get the same results at all.

tburky · « **Reply #14 on:** January 15, 2009, 04:22:44 PM »

thanks storm tech

StormTechDept

Re: Utah brand polished covers