First ball drilled pin-down... I like it!

[Big Nick]

I won a ball in a raffle (DV8 Brutal Nightmare), and after talking to my driller, we decided to drill it pin-down. This is my first ball that's been drilled that way, and I'm really digging the motion of the ball. I haven't had a chance to throw it on fresh oil yet; that won't happen until Sunday night, but I definitely don't have to work as hard to get the ball to turn. In fact, it seems the hard I try to make it work, the less it does. I've been bowling like complete crud for the last two weeks, but I threw several 200+ games during practice today and that's the first time in a long time that I've done that. I'm really looking forward to Sunday night league!

[ArtVandelay]

Despite having high revs, I prefer pin down. I find it more predictable. I think its too common for drillers to assume pin up is the way to go. Im glad your driller suggested it, and I. Glad you had the balls (ok, sorry... Bad pun) to go for it!

[ecub]

I use the RICO layout, which is pin down, actually at grip center. I've been using Hammer bowling balls and they provide 4 generic layouts. I've tried all for and decided with a strong layout, which was pin over, and to the right. This was great, but I had issues with inconsistent ball release. The ball did come back and hit the pocket, but I hated it, because of an inconsistent release. I saw some talks about RICO layout on another forum, so I thought I'd give it a try. My release was more consistent with this layout. Although the RICO layout wasn't as forgiving as a strong layout, if I shot too far right, having the RICO layout allowed me to be more accurate. This is a more predictable layout as well. I have all my bowling balls drilled the same, and just use the ball surface for different types of reactions. In fact, I use my Hammer 1st Blood first and when it gets too uncontrollable, I switch over to the Hammer Taboo original (@4000 with polish), and just the same line.

[CeKnauss]

One of my favorite layouts is a 40 x 5 1/4 x 70 in Dual Angle. For me, this puts the pin under my bridge near the centerline and keeps the mass bias right of the thumb. This gives me the most versatility and leniency on errant shots than any other I've tried so far.

This is a picture of one of my older balls with the layout. I have since drilled a Nexxxus and two Radical balls with essentially the same layout.
http://www.corwinknauss.com/files/bowling/viewer/BES.jpg

[americantrotter]

I also won a ball recently. It finally arrived 2 weeks ago and I had it drilled with a RICO layout. I told my driller I'd like it drilled differently to the rest of my equipment because it was free and it was my best chance to try something new. Tonight will be my first chance to roll it. (My son was born just 5 weeks ago) Looking forward to it, I normally have it pin up just above the ring finger.

Glad to see others doing the same for similar reasons.

[Washout]

I just ordered a brutal nightmare and I am thinking of drilling it pin down. I am not a scratch bowler, however I think this ball is very well suited for my heavy oil lane conditions so my average should go up to 190 or so. Definitely let us know how the ball performed in fresh oil, I am very curious, and axious to get my own drilled.

[Big Nick]

I just ordered a brutal nightmare and I am thinking of drilling it pin down. I am not a scratch bowler, however I think this ball is very well suited for my heavy oil lane conditions so my average should go up to 190 or so. Definitely let us know how the ball performed in fresh oil, I am very curious, and axious to get my own drilled.

I'll definitely report back. If I'm throwing the ball well, I may even have my wife take a couple of videos so everyone can see how the ball reacts.

[billf]

Glad it works. Now ask for the real specs. Pin up, pin down are outdated, generic terms. Given a person's span and PAP two bowlers can have the same dual angles yet see the pin in vastly different locations.
I had the DIVA drilled 40° X 4" X 40° with a PAP of 4" over and 1/4" up (my PAP is 3 7/8" over 1/4" down). The pin is above the fingers. It's also a pound lighter than I normally use. So, this 14 lbs ball rocks. I can miss as far right as I can (or gutter) and it will come back. I had a blast Tuesday having a 20 board margin of error. I may even have to order my own Diva.

[Washout]

I am still trying to understand ball drilling patterns myself. I have roughly the same specs as you billf. I would like to not make a mistake when drilling my Brutal Nightmare when it comes in. Any suggestions for how'd you drill a brutal nightmare?

[ecub]

I am still trying to understand ball drilling patterns myself. I have roughly the same specs as you billf. I would like to not make a mistake when drilling my Brutal Nightmare when it comes in. Any suggestions for how'd you drill a brutal nightmare?

This should be a new post, but your driller should have a spec sheet. On the back, there should be a diagram of a bowling lane with pins. Draw how your ball currently reacts on the sheet. Then draw how you would like the Brutal Nightmare to react. He should be able to drill out a layout for you.

[ArtVandelay]

One of my favorite layouts is a 40 x 5 1/4 x 70 in Dual Angle. For me, this puts the pin under my bridge near the centerline and keeps the mass bias right of the thumb. This gives me the most versatility and leniency on errant shots than any other I've tried so far.

This is a picture of one of my older balls with the layout. I have since drilled a Nexxxus and two Radical balls with essentially the same layout.
http://www.corwinknauss.com/files/bowling/viewer/BES.jpg

I have a ball drilled similar to this, and was old it required a balance hole... Im not sure how I feel about that. Im ok with it, except for the slight loss of weight.

Is this layout regarded the most forgiving? I like it...

[CeKnauss]

I don't know if I can say it's the most forgiving for everyone, but for me, it allows me to play anywhere on the lane with simple changes in ball speed and axis tilt. I have a Nexxxus for which I matched this layout but it required a weight hole and shot an awesome game with it right off the drill. I played a little deeper with it, but found it also plays great straight up 10 with a lot of speed and still turns with no problem. For fun I tried lofting the left gutter and it still recovered fine. No layout is perfect for everyone, but this one is my benchmark layout. Put the equivalent on a Torrid Elite with similar success. The ball in the picture is at 1oz of side weight, so if I went to any tournament that checked that, they would put a hole in it.

[billf]

I just ordered a brutal nightmare and I am thinking of drilling it pin down. I am not a scratch bowler, however I think this ball is very well suited for my heavy oil lane conditions so my average should go up to 190 or so. Definitely let us know how the ball performed in fresh oil, I am very curious, and axious to get my own drilled.

Where do you want to play, breakpoint, lane conditions, axis tilt, rotation, revs?


No layout is perfect for everyone, but this one is my benchmark layout.

Good point and each ball can also react differently with the same layout. You can peel every apple the same way and still have them taste different. (Not sure where that just came from)

[Washout]

Where do you want to play, breakpoint, lane conditions, axis tilt, rotation, revs?

My current ball(C-System 3.5) performs amazing in medium oil conditions, I often go out cosmic bowling on Friday nights and I bowl much better than league night(661 most recently) because the oil is obviously a little worn and dryer. I can also throw it harder at the gutter under those conditions, and the ball will pick up speed when it hits the dry. That is the kind of reaction I want out of the brutal nightmare under heavy oil conditions, that later break and building speed when it hits the dry and hammers the pins. On league night my C-System doesn't seem to have a lot of pop when it hits the pocket, the pins more or less fall instead of explode, and I find I am leaving the 10 pin up a lot up when I am hitting the pocket.

I throw at a medium speed, probably around 16mph with a high rev rate, I am guessing over 450. I throw from board 30 towards the 3rd arrow at a medium speed. I would definitely like to throw from around board 40 towards the center arrow.

[billf]

60° x 4" x 30°

[Washout]

How did the ball perform on Sunday Big Nick?