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Author Topic: Interesting idea about bowling balls  (Read 1497 times)

Slopsurprise

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Interesting idea about bowling balls
« on: December 19, 2005, 12:28:23 AM »
By trade I am a luthier (guitar builder, and I work on stringed insturments). Alot of the mass produced items dont fit a customers requirements or desires. Thats where folks like me come into play. Also, alot of the parts companies like pickup company's (the part of an electric guitar that picks up the sound) have a custom shop that will do about anything for the right price.

I have heard on here alot about people who would like this core in this cover and all of that. I wonder why a ball company has not jumped on this kind of band wagon??? For a certain upcharge you would be able to custom order what ever core you want in whatever cover and whatever color. Granted I dont know much about the process that is used to manufacture bowling balls but, would it be that hard to drop a different core into a ball or to change its color? It seems like to me that for an upcharge it could be very proffitable.
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chitown

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Re: Interesting idea about bowling balls
« Reply #1 on: December 19, 2005, 08:40:06 AM »
That would be an awesome idea but don't know if that would be too much work to make it profitable.
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dizzyfugu

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Re: Interesting idea about bowling balls
« Reply #2 on: December 19, 2005, 08:53:01 AM »
Serial mass production stands against this... imagine all the costs through handling, preparing machines etc. A ball would be expensive beyond commercial interest if it was produced on demand.
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shelley

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Re: Interesting idea about bowling balls
« Reply #3 on: December 19, 2005, 05:10:37 PM »
In addition to being very expensive, there's the issue of approval.  The ball would have to be approved by the USBS and PBA before it could be used in sanctioned competition.  That's not to say that any particular core/cover combo would be difficult to get approved because no one really releases balls that don't meet the standards, but it is an extra step that would have to be done for each core/cover combo that came through.

SH
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BrunsMike

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Re: Interesting idea about bowling balls
« Reply #4 on: December 19, 2005, 05:31:32 PM »
I agree, it would be sweet to beable to better match up the cores and covers to your particular style or just change up the color to something that you like a little better. But as mentioned, it would be a nightmare to get all the different combination cores/covers approved for competition in leauges or tournaments.

Great idea though. I just wish you could order your ball in any color or mix of colors you wanted.
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Mike Zadler

charlest

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Re: Interesting idea about bowling balls
« Reply #5 on: December 19, 2005, 06:39:15 PM »
And if you actually got a few hundred people to committ to buying 500 balls (a minimum) from a major manufacturer, what poor schmuck would agree to coordinate all the hassles, haggling and general run of BS that hundred of people would be arguing about. Can you imagine handling all the calls or emails or voice mails that would entail?

If you could actually get a hundred people to agree on 1 cover and one core nd one surface preparation and one logo and box decorated, then imagine trying to get these 100 people to cough up the minimum amount of money in cold, hard, cash?? Cash is needed because promises won't cut it.

Knowing some of the people who post here,do you really think this could ever happen? Yes, when that poor scmuck of an organizer puts up the $10,000.00 or so of his own money with only spit and a promise of seeing the others actually put up their end of the bargain. Ha!

This isn't pessimistic at all. Just cold hard pragmatic facts. Ain't gonna happen, no way, no how!
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Edited on 12/19/2005 7:29 PM
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Re-Evolution

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Re: Interesting idea about bowling balls
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2005, 06:43:20 PM »
quote:
In addition to being very expensive, there's the issue of approval.  The ball would have to be approved by the USBC and PBA before it could be used in sanctioned competition.  That's not to say that any particular core/cover combo would be difficult to get approved because no one really releases balls that don't meet the standards, but it is an extra step that would have to be done for each core/cover combo that came through.

SH


Approval could be worked around easily as long as the USBC and PBA didn't decide to be buttheads about it. All they would have to do is give separate certifications for cover and core once, then the manufacturer could advertise all of the core and cover choices. The cover only has to be a certain hardness to pass and cores only have to meet the RG and Diff specs. Neither of their specs can be influenced by the other so it shouldn't be a big deal.

I wouldn't think it would cost that much more since the process of manufacturing a ball is done in several steps. Why would it be that difficult to take ball A's core over to ball B's coverstock line or vise versa. To keep track of what they actually have would only require specific colored pins for each different core and the covers are obvious by their color.
Getting custom colors may add quite a bit to the cost but if I could choose the core and cover makeup I could care less what color it was. Then again urethanes are all pretty much the same color before the pigments are added.
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Edited on 12/19/2005 7:57 PM
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DP3

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Re: Interesting idea about bowling balls
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2005, 06:46:02 PM »
I remember about 3 or 4 years ago, there were rumors that Columbia was going to do such a thing with 4 predetermined core/covers(that way they could mass produce the different combinations and when someone wanted them they could just send them one that they already made), but obviously the idea never went through.  I wish I had archieved it as I actually remember reading it on ballreviews.
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BallsDeep

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Re: Interesting idea about bowling balls
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2005, 07:10:51 PM »
Really, all this, "Oh! I would love to throw this cover with this core" buisness is a bunch of bull.  If the core cover matchup (and the reaction obtained) was not covered in a ball line or if a certain cover matched up so well with a certain cover, the ball would be made.  People thinking that they know better than the company are sadly mistaken.  Pretty much any reaction that one wants can be obtained from the equipment that is out now.  Any gaps should be filled by versatility of the person's game.
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chitown

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Re: Interesting idea about bowling balls
« Reply #9 on: December 20, 2005, 12:08:09 AM »
quote:
Really, all this, "Oh! I would love to throw this cover with this core" buisness is a bunch of bull.  If the core cover matchup (and the reaction obtained) was not covered in a ball line or if a certain cover matched up so well with a certain cover, the ball would be made.  People thinking that they know better than the company are sadly mistaken.  Pretty much any reaction that one wants can be obtained from the equipment that is out now.  Any gaps should be filled by versatility of the person's game.
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four fried chickens and a coke[/size=4]


No doubt a bowler can find many balls to match up to there game.  It's all about what a person wants.  Not what a person needs.  I would love to have the animal core in a reactive cover but will probably never see it.
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The great one

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Re: Interesting idea about bowling balls
« Reply #10 on: December 20, 2005, 10:08:36 AM »
quote:
quote:

four fried chickens and a coke[/size=4]


No doubt a bowler can find many balls to match up to there game.  It's all about what a person wants.  Not what a person needs.  I would love to have the animal core in a reactive cover but will probably never see it.


But the great people at track have already posted WHY you will never see the animal core in a reactive cover.
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chitown

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Re: Interesting idea about bowling balls
« Reply #11 on: December 20, 2005, 10:23:12 AM »
quote:
quote:
quote:

four fried chickens and a coke[/size=4]


No doubt a bowler can find many balls to match up to there game.  It's all about what a person wants.  Not what a person needs.  I would love to have the animal core in a reactive cover but will probably never see it.


But the great people at track have already posted WHY you will never see the animal core in a reactive cover.
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Yes they said that they tried the goo ls cover on the animal core and said it was to over under in reaction.  They said because of how strong the animals core is.  I still feel that if they really wanted to do this they could.  They could find a reactive cover that would work with the animal core.  They are just going in a different direction.
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