Pin Length? Top Weight? ?????

[scruffwhor]

I've bought a bunch of balls without taking these 2 factors into consideration. Pin length??? is that right???

and top weight.

I've learned that, generally, pin down has more of a snap at the backend. Pin up has a more swooping breakpoint.

These can be drilled accordingly to USBC regulations if you get a ball with the right PIN and top weight???? right??? wrong???


Help!!!!

I buy balls like my wife buys shoes!!!:p

[bowl1820]

Assuming these are undrilled balls.

Top weight is just weight to compensate for weight loss when the holes are drilled.

Pin length is referring to how far the pin is from the cg. Too Short/Long distances can limit layout options that about all.

And as long as they are not on the unapproved balls list, they all can be drilled.

Pin Up/Down is referring to the layout used and where the pin is in relation to the finger holes after drilling.

[Mike White]

I've bought a bunch of balls without taking these 2 factors into consideration. Pin length??? is that right???

and top weight.

I've learned that, generally, pin down has more of a snap at the backend. Pin up has a more swooping breakpoint.

These can be drilled accordingly to USBC regulations if you get a ball with the right PIN and top weight???? right??? wrong???


Help!!!!

I buy balls like my wife buys shoes!!!:p

Depending on what you refer to as pin up vs pin down, you may have it backwards.

Pin Down is when the pin is located somewhere between your fingers holes and your thumb hole.
There even is a layout that has the pin on the opposite side of the thumb than the fingers.

Pin up has the Pin on the opposite side of your finger holes than your thumb.

A Pin down ball tends to stay in the hook phase longer than Pin up, producing more of an arc compared to a Pin up's hockey stick.

These are general observations since other factors are also involved.

Pin length problems can usually be dealt with via "weight" holes.

If however you want to drill a "balance" hole to change the shape of the ball path, short or long pin lengths can present a bit of a challenge.

[Doghouse Reilly]

I've bought a bunch of balls without taking these 2 factors into consideration. Pin length??? is that right???

and top weight.

I've learned that, generally, pin down has more of a snap at the backend. Pin up has a more swooping breakpoint.

These can be drilled accordingly to USBC regulations if you get a ball with the right PIN and top weight???? right??? wrong???


Help!!!!

I buy balls like my wife buys shoes!!!:p

About that pin up pinn down stuff, i just happened to see this on another site.

Taken from a Lane Masters drill sheet.
"Moving the Pin up and down, in relation to your centerline, changes the length of the ball reaction. A Pin placed towards the center of your grip provides an earlier roll (It is not recommended to place the pin any lower). As the Pin is moved up, the length of the ball reaction will increase."


1. Do the terms "pin up" and "pin down" actually mean anything, or is the pins ending position merely a function of using the appropriate angle to VAL, and the fact that the pin is either "up" or "down" is really irrelevant?

They mean something, in relation tot he grips, but the actual placement of up and down is extremely dependent on many other factors (span size, how far "up" or "down" for instance) In general it is a super inexact method of drill notation, and is OUTDATED in that, it tells the reader/driller absolutely nothing about the expected reaction. The Pin's ending position should be a 100% product of the angle to the VAL and the distance to the PAP. The up/down is 100% irrelevant.

[scruffwhor]

Assuming these are undrilled balls.

Top weight is just weight to compensate for weight loss when the holes are drilled.

Pin length is referring to how far the pin is from the cg. Too Short/Long distances can limit layout options that about all.

And as long as they are not on the unapproved balls list, they all can be drilled.

Pin Up/Down is referring to the layout used and where the pin is in relation to the finger holes after drilling.

So if I buy a ball with a 0-1" Pin, then I have more drilling options compared to a 5-6" Pin?

[J Anderson]

So if I buy a ball with a 0-1" Pin, then I have more drilling options compared to a 5-6" Pin?

"Too Short/Long distances can limit layout options that about all."
Can't get any shorter than 0" pin distance so you might still be limited. Most options would probably be in the 2"-4" range.

[bowl1820]

So if I buy a ball with a 0-1" Pin, then I have more drilling options compared to a 5-6" Pin?

"Too Short or Too Long distances can limit layout options"

Like JA said "you Can't get any shorter than 0"" that would be "Too Short" which would mean you would have fewer options, not have more options.

And 5-6" is what they call a pro-pin ball and they have limited drill options also. Because it's too long.

Now it's not that you can't use them, just that there are not as many options on how you lay them out.


As JA said 2"-4" pins are a more standard range and would give you the most options.

[Terrier]

While we're on this subject, what is the difference between pin in vs out?

[dnhoffman]

Pin length - if it's between 2.5-4.5 a good driller can do most everything with. This is why you see a lot of cheaper balls on ebay.

[bowl1820]

While we're on this subject, what is the difference between pin in vs out?

A Pin-in ball is when the pin is located within two inches of the CG.

A Pin-out ball is when the pin is located more than two inches from the CG.

[scruffwhor]

"Too Short or Too Long distances can limit layout options"

Like JA said "you Can't get any shorter than 0"" that would be "Too Short" which would mean you would have fewer options, not have more options.

And 5-6" is what they call a pro-pin ball and they have limited drill options also. Because it's too long.

Now it's not that you can't use them, just that there are not as many options on how you lay them out.


As JA said 2"-4" pins are a more standard range and would give you the most options.


Is there any benefit to getting a ball that has a 1" or 5-6" pin length depending on the bowlers style, that sort of makes up for the lack of drilling options?

[bowl1820]

Is there any benefit to getting a ball that has a 1" or 5-6" pin length depending on the bowlers style, that sort of makes up for the lack of drilling options?

Is there any benefit? It would depend on the bowlers style and the type of layout they wanted/needed to use.

You would need to discuss it with someone with a more in depth knowledge of layouts than me.


Talk Bowling Episode 9 - Pin Lengths, Pro Pins, Pro CG's Defined

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upQpXgNL2JI