Re-surfacing equipment
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I have talked to sales reps from both Ebonite and Brunswick. To my surprise they both said that a particle ball is only good for between 50 and 60 games, if you take good care of it. Then resurfacing is required for continued ball reaction. They stated that the ball can be resurfaced many times or until the label is no longer visible. A reactive ball, on the other hand, has a life span of between 90 and 100 before resurfacing.
The above quote has been lifted from another web forum
I'm sure lane conditions and rev rate also play a part in the life span.
I certainly do not qualify under the "take good care of balls" section of the bowling community. That's not to say that I am awful at maintainance. I'm the middle-of-the-road type, I'd say.
Imagine: if you (like most other people) play about 10 games a week, that means that your ball would have to be sent for re-con after every 5-6 weeks. AND that's assuming you give them nice rub-downs with ball conditioner after every session of use!
Are you doing your part to keep your equipment at optimum performance? Perhaps that single standing pin you left at the last league session or leisure game wasn't the ball's fault afterall.
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Here's something taken from the Ebonite forum.
The SURFACE of the ball and its interaction with the oil and lane surface IS NUMBER 1 in the factors that can be manipulated by the ball-driller. Too much surface texture and the ball will lose energy prematurely, too little and the ball will conserve energy too long. Both are equally undesirable. All of the time spent choosing the correct ball and dynamic layout is completely wasted unless the surface texture creates the correct breakpoint. The factory surface texture of a ball is not always going to be the correct one for you and the lane condition you are bowling on. You can sand or scuff a polished ball, you can polish a sanded ball. Can you sand a pearl ball? Absolutely. Can you polish a particle ball? Yessirree! And you can change it back to its original state and start over again. Whatever it takes to get the proper release of energy. You will need to refresh the surface texture periodically to keep it reacting consistently.
I can't tell you how many ball reviews I've read that state "I threw the ball 3 games and it reacted horribly. I got rid of it. What a piece of junk." There is no way on God's green Earth that a determination can be made in 3 games. This person needs to work with their pro shop operator to fine-tune the surface texture. There is a myriad of choices for surface texture, from 80 grit (yes I know individuals who have used this much surface) to 5000 grit polishes and hook-reducing waxes, that will allow the ball to read the lane correctly. Unless, of course, a huge mistake in ball choice was made (like buying a polyester ball for medium to heavy oil, a particle ball for light to medium oil, my grandfather and his 12 MPH ball speed wanting a low RG, high flare ball).
Surface composition (polyester, urethane, reactive, particle) and texture allow the inner core to express itself on the lane, much like a tire provides the potential for motion for a car's engine. There are several different tires available, from studded snow tires to the smooth racing slicks. Each provides a different amount of traction and friction. Put the wrong set of tires on a race car and you will not be competitive, potentially even dangerous.
It's not just the drilling layout and the ball and the cg and all that. It's the surface. To add on to Harmzuay's post, taking care of, and preparing your ball's surface is very important. Have you been doing it? -
And here's something from the Columbia forum.
Cleaning:
Today's reactive and particle high-performance bowling balls have some unique characteristics that allow them to provide maximum performance. The most significant difference in today's coverstock technologies versus conventional urethane and polyester coverstocks is the ability to absorb lane oil into the pores of the ball. This phenomenon helps to keep a dry ball surface in contact with the lane for more friction creating added hook. Over a period of time, the bowling ball's performance will slowly deteriorate due to oil absorption and dirt build up on the ball's surface. As a result, we recommend the use of a dry towel to wipe oil and dirt off the ball during competition. This will maximize performance by keeping the pores from being blocked by dirt and limit the amount of oil that can be absorbed into the coverstock. In addition, it is highly recommend that a bowling ball cleaner be used immediately after competition to further clean the ball's coverstock.
Resurfacing:
After about 60-80 games of bowling, the track of the balls will become scratched and will require resurfacing. The resurfacing process should only be done with the use of a ball spinner in order to achieve a uniform surface. This requires that the ball be sanded with 220 or 320 grit sandpaper to remove the deep scratches followed by the use of 400 and 600 grit sandpaper to return the ball to factory dull finish. Resurfacing is the same for a factory-polished ball. Except after sanding the ball, it needs to be polished. Start with a rubbing compound such as TRACK MAGIC CLEAN 'N SHEEN and then finish with DEGREE BALL POLISH. Again, refer to the box for the initial factory finish. Some balls are left with the compound finish and others have the DEGREE BALL POLISH 2000 for the final finish. Polish creates more skid in oil and more snap on dry backend. Compound leaves a little more texture on the surface for more hook in oil and more arc at the break point. Over time, the polish will wear off the surface of the ball and will need to be replaced every 20-30 games bowled. Again, this should be done with the aid of a ball spinner.
Did you see that! Resurfacing after 60 to 80 games!!
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i just saw someone called Ming Han or isit Ming Hao bowl. he has double my revs, 1/4 more speed, at least as much smoothness, and makes my backswing look pathetic.He's no slouch in the accuracy department either. with pple like him, who dun recon balls its no problem. almost any form of pocket he strikes. even splits turn to strikes from his pin action generated from revs.
oh yeah, he's 16 yrs old and using 16 pound balls. i feel inadequate.... -
Life's.... not fair....Originally posted by Ian:i just saw someone called Ming Han or isit Ming Hao bowl. he has double my revs, 1/4 more speed, at least as much smoothness, and makes my backswing look pathetic.He's no slouch in the accuracy department either. with pple like him, who dun recon balls its no problem. almost any form of pocket he strikes. even splits turn to strikes from his pin action generated from revs.
oh yeah, he's 16 yrs old and using 16 pound balls. i feel inadequate.... -
There's not much surprise, is there? It is only natural that the next generation of bowlers will always be stronger and more powerful than the last. The theory of evolution seems to apply in the world of sports these days.
As the mandarin sayings (loosely translated) goes, "One wave pushes the one ahead of it" and "There's always a higher mountain". So what if this kiddo is playing the way he is? There will be a time when he'll be overshadowed by a younger, stronger player who beats him/her in every department that matters.
I'm just happy I'm enjoying my game.
Everyone can play well with practice and good direction. But not all players enjoy themselves.