Low grit, but high polish?

[MICHAEL]

What would a, say storm IQ pearl do drilled strong pin up, if you put a 360 surface on it with a pad, and then put two coats of reacta storm polish cleaner on it!
Would it burn up before it got to the correct break point, or would the polish save the energy enough to give a monster flip at the end?

[dnhoffman]

Depends on your individual PAP, ball speed and rev rate. Change the surface, play with it, if you don't like it, change it back.

[vdubtx]

Only one way to find out. Go roll it and see what it does. Too many factors as dnhoffman mentioned to tell you for certain what it will do.

[sprocket]

I agree that it's worth trying. I have an old Strike Zone that was probably around a 360 finish and I decided to polish the heck out of it. I didn't go directly to polish but I don't think I stepped up my grits gradual enough to avoid leaving the 360 grit lines in the ball. So it's polished but scratched. I don't have Abralon or proper polish yet so I basically use what you would use to restore the clearcoat on a car. 500 grit (which I skipped), 800, 3M Trizact pad (about 1500), 3M rubbing compound and Meguiars Ultimate polish. Yes, sitting on the agitator on my top load washing machine on the spin cycle at 1000 RPM.

That Strike Zone is now a BEAST. It has a control layout but it makes a very angular, strong move to the pocket.

[MICHAEL]

Well I did the 500 grit pad and Reacta-Shine by storm! I did it on the Frantic that has been converted to the Tri Grip! It did get through the heads and look pretty damn sharp going into the pocket! My only problem was, I waited too late to pull it out,,, 3rd game 8 frame.

Now I curious as to what a 180 and 360 will do with Reacta-Shine? Its fun having a spinner, and playing!!! (:)

best game was a 225,,,, I can't believe I missed the fricken 7 pin in the ten frame, or would have had a 235! I NEVER miss the 7 pin!!

Lack of focus!! One of the things I love about bowling is it keeps this Super Hero,, very humble!! LOL

[e-tank]

these experiments are always fun. I took my taboo spare to 500 grit one time to see what would happen. I was pleasantly surprised how much of a beast it was. Not very good for getting 10pins at 500 grit but as a strike ball it was good

[dnhoffman]

Thinking about adjusting some,of my surfaces today..hrm

[MICHAEL]

Each time I make a surface change with sanding/pads/polish, I have a notebook and write down all the changes! That way you can make notes in that same note book as to your observations on ball performance with THAT PARTICULAR surfacing!

Its easy to forget, and good notes might just be very important should you come up with a winning combination!

I know just before I bowled that last 300, I did a complete overhaul of my Virtual Gravity Nano, pearl! I am now selling the magic steps, for $234.32!

If interested just send me a check and private message asking for the formula!

No rubber checks will be accepted!

[dnhoffman]

I put my sync yo 500 to try try playing over the middle deep inside.

well, didn't work... At all.

[e-tank]

I put my sync yo 500 to try try playing over the middle deep inside.

well, didn't work... At all.

And you wonder why you need to de oil it often lol

[bowl1820]

I put my sync yo 500 to try try playing over the middle deep inside.

well, didn't work... At all.

In what way didn't it ? Hook too much, Not enough, it straighten out etc.

[Pauley]

This is why I have a spinner on the way., I just enjoy playing around with different options and tinkering just to see how it will work. Only 4 months in and already have 5 balls with a spinner and oven on the way.

If my other two hobbies (golf and fishing) are any indicator of what will happen, I will have enough bowling stuff in my basement to open my own retail store soon...

[sprocket]

I practiced this morning and quickly hit my Tour IQ Pearl and my Strike Zone with Mequires Ultimate Polish. This was after doing a little degreasing. I just did maybe a one minute polish on each side. My spinner is the top of the agitator on my top load washing machine. The ball spins nicely on center at 1000 or 700 RPM on the spin cycle. This won't work with every top loader but it works with mine due to the design of the agitator. There's a nice hole on top that the ball sits in.

Anywho, the Strike Zone still has scratches from a coarser finish and I am polishing over that. I practiced with several other guys this morning and that ball was a BEAST. I had a look that none of them had. The polish gets it down the lane and that it makes a very angular hard move to the pocket, but a very controlled move. I think the surface under the polish helps gain traction on the back end. I had 279 the third game with the IQ Pearl but shortly thereafter it was going too long, probably from pushing oil. But see, that ball doesn't have much surface under the polish and oil is its worst enemy.

I averaged 227 for 10 games and never any any point had to hunt for the shot. I moved five board left with my feet total and 2 or 3 boards left with my mark. This is my new thing: I LOVE POLISH!

[MICHAEL]

Well I decided it was time to play with the surface of the beatdown! I first used a 500 pad, (not paper), then cleaned it with alcohol/simply green, 50/50!

Then I decided to put a coat of Brunswick Rough buff (factory finish!) I didn't want to use Stroms Reata-Shire on this matte ball, but thought it might be interesting to use the Rough buff!

The ball had great movement, cleared the heads better then without the rough buff, and had lots of energy left to do a beautiful angle into the pocket!

My 687, tonight could have easily been much higher, it wasn't the balls fault when on occasion I would miss my Fricken Mark by a few boards!! LOL ( HEY lack of focus, watching Icewoman bowl ) she had a great evening! 237 last game.

Anyway I like the movement even better now on the beatdown with the two steps I used above!

Having a spinner is KEY to good bowling!!!! I would HIGLY recommend one if you have several balls, the money it can save you will pay for it in no time!!

I was able to stay on the same target arrow all night, and didn't have to move at all!!!

[e-tank]

^^

Sounds like you had some success with the rough buff. I used track clean n smooth(similar to rough buff) on a few pieces and i love it. It seems like the perfect balance of length and bite for the unkept backends of my house on league night. Just a fyi if you didnt know already iceman, rough buff takes a ball from lower grit to a higher grit from the abrasives in the polish so depending how long you polished, you couldved ended up with a ball that was ~1500 grit polished. If you were to add the reacta shine on the other hand, you wouldve had a polished ball with a ton of surface underneath it. Try both and see if you can tell the difference

[MICHAEL]

polish is not the enemy, but how you apply it can be!! That's where a spinner can correct this problem BIG TIME!
I have said it before, and Iceman will say it again, ( If you want to improve your game, and get to the NEXT LEVEL, the best money you can spend on a Christmas Gift would be a Ball Spinner! \

Think about it,,,, doesn't your WIFE NEED ONE REAL BAD!! "Merry Christmas Honey,, look at what Santa Got YOU!" Ho,,HO, HOOOOOOOOO!

even distribution of polish is much easier to apply with a spinner, if done properly!

[MICHAEL]

Last week I started using Rough Buff Stuff made by Brunswick on my Brunswick Beatdown!

After bowling I clean it with 50/50 simple green and Scotch whiskey! I clean the ball with simple green/and drink a couple shots of whiskey!

Then I put a coat on four sides of rough buff liquid made by Brunswick! (using my spinner).

That ball is now my go to ball, had another 600 plus last night! That ball is working great, and I now think that the KEY is finding the right surface condition for each and every ball. As you all know, every ball is different with a unique movement based in part on YOUR STYLE of bowling!

Do yourself a HUGE Favor,,, get ya a spinner!! It will make your Christmas a very jolly one!!! HO,,,ho, HOOOOOO!

[bowl1820]

Sounds like you had some success with the rough buff. I used track clean n smooth(similar to rough buff) on a few pieces and i love it. It seems like the perfect balance of length and bite for the unkept backends of my house on league night. Just a fyi if you didnt know already iceman, rough buff takes a ball from lower grit to a higher grit from the abrasives in the polish so depending how long you polished, you couldved ended up with a ball that was ~1500 grit polished. If you were to add the reacta shine on the other hand, you wouldve had a polished ball with a ton of surface underneath it. Try both and see if you can tell the difference

Powerhouse/Track Clean'N Sheen would be closer to Brunswick Rough Buff

Clean'N Smooth is a little bit finer.

[e-tank]

Powerhouse/Track Clean'N Sheen would be closer to Brunswick Rough Buff

Clean'N Smooth is a little bit finer.

I assumed since rough buff finishes somewhere around 1000 to 1500 grit, clean n smooth would be similar seeing as it finishes around 1500 grit dull?

[bowl1820]

I assumed since rough buff finishes somewhere around 1000 to 1500 grit, clean n smooth would be similar seeing as it finishes around 1500 grit dull?

Both Clean'N Sheen and Rough Buff are compound finishes, they are a abrasive liquids that slightly polishes and more to be used with rougher base grit surfaces.

Powerhouse/Track: Clean'N Sheen:Takes the final sanding stage (500 Abralon and up) to a 1500-grit compound finish. (The old listing was 320 grit to 1000 grit)

Brunswick Rough Buff is basically the same and was used with a base grit of 220 and up.

For a comparable Storm Product it would be Storms Step #2. which goes 320 to 1500 grit.

Now Clean'N Smooth: Which is "Designed to restore to 1500 smooth finish", would be used more with finer base grit surfaces.

Now if you have a ball with a fine base grit, you could get away with switching Clean'N Smooth with Rough Buff or R.Buff with C'N Smooth.

Where you would see the difference would be when you start going to coarser base grits.


It's hard to compare a lot of these because it depends on just how they are used, the base grits, if applied by hand or spinner, plus the terms used (Example: 1500 "smooth" is not the same as 1500 "polished").

I try to base it on what the companies themselves say about the products and what the most common excepted usages are. (Plus what comparisons I've been able to do)

[bowl1820]

Some extra info I ran across:

"Rough Buff is a liquid buffing compound manufactured for Brunswick by Formax Manufacturing Corporation: A supplier of industrial buffing compounds and equipment to a wide range of industries.

Rough Buff has been around for years, It is used to arrive at a matte or sheen finish (as compared to less aggressive compounds and polishes). The underlying finish can be anything from 220-grit to P360, 320, P500, 400, P800, P1000, 600, and 800/P1500 grits.

Once the desired underlying grit is obtained using Abranet/Abralon/Siaair pads or other abrasive pads/papers, the Rough Buff is applied using a pad or towel, by hand or using a spinner.

The coarser the underlying grit, the earlier the ball will read the conditioning pattern. P500 followed by Rough Buff and P1000 followed by Rough Buff are commonly used by Brunswick with similar buffing compounds used by other manufacturers.

Other similar buffing compounds include Powerhouse Matte Finish, Storm Pro Finish Step 2, Track Clean and Sheen, and others. Even more aggressive buffing/rubbing compounds for bowling balls include Powerhouse Sandblaster, Ultimate's Quick Kut, Storm Pro Finish Step 1, and others.

It's important to use liquid abrasives formulated for bowling balls. The bowling manufacturers worked with the industrial abrasives manufacturers to minimize the petroleum, silicon and wax in these products as they are, in many cases, detrimental to the desired reaction.

Using rubbing and polishing compounds formulated for automobile finishes most often has undesirable effects on ball reaction. Remember that silicon and petroleum products are often added to extended length polishes as slip agents for extra length on drier conditions."

[MICHAEL]

And you wonder why you need to de oil it often lol


But,,,,, if you do the 500, then put polish on the ball with your spinner, medium pressure, and do the 4 side technique!
you will be amazed at the movement, and it absorbs much less oil!

I like doing the 500 pad, then Rough-Buff that Brunswick makes! That's what I use on my matte beatdown! It gives mea a GREAT angle into the pocket, and lots of strikes, with great carry!

If you do just the 360, or 500 without the ruff buff, or polish, not only does the ball burn up quick on its way down, but it does absorb much more oil,,,,(((if you have oil lol)!

[MICHAEL]

Some extra info I ran across:

"Rough Buff is a liquid buffing compound manufactured for Brunswick by Formax Manufacturing Corporation: A supplier of industrial buffing compounds and equipment to a wide range of industries.

Once the desired underlying grit is obtained using Abranet/Abralon/Siaair pads or other abrasive pads/papers, the Rough Buff is applied using a pad or towel, by hand or using a spinner.

It's important to use liquid abrasives formulated for bowling balls. The bowling manufacturers worked with the industrial abrasives manufacturers to minimize the petroleum, silicon and wax in these products as they are, in many cases, detrimental to the desired reaction.

QUESTION: How Often should this be done? Does it last long, or should it be done after each cleaning?

Not talking about the abralon pad, but the rough buff! Is it good for a number of games, even after cleaning? Or should the rough buff be applied each time after you clean your ball with in my case, (simple green & alcohol)

[bowl1820]

[COLOR="#FF0000"]

QUESTION: How Often should this be done? Does it last long, or should it be done after each cleaning?

Not talking about the abralon pad, but the rough buff! Is it good for a number of games, even after cleaning? Or should the rough buff be applied each time after you clean your ball with in my case, (simple green & alcohol)

Rough Buff isn't like a coating of wax that wears off.

You would use the rough buff whenever you redo the underlying grit with the pad. Not everytime you clean the ball.

[MICHAEL]

Rough Buff isn't like a coating of wax that wears off.

You would use the rough buff whenever you redo the underlying grit with the pad. Not everytime you clean the ball.

Thanks for the info! I wounder, that being said, what is the real difference between a rough buff, and pads?

For instance DV8 has it used with pads, and polish/high polish in many of their ball prep's!! Is it (that important), and does its use REALLY MAKE a HUGE difference, or is it just another product to sell!?

[dnhoffman]

Put 500/snake oil on the Primal Rage today, liked the reaction much better, bowled 7 games for 1520 today with it.

[MICHAEL]

Rough Buff isn't like a coating of wax that wears off.

You would use the rough buff whenever you redo the underlying grit with the pad. Not everytime you clean the ball.

Just arrived yesterday, from bowlingball.com my 32 oz bottle of Royal compound. I ordered it specifically for the Ruckus!
Upon looking at it, I swear it looks to the naked Superhero eye, like rough buff! Looks like car rubbing compound!

It says its 2500 grit polish on the bottle,,, I need to go back and see what Rough buff is, and the difference

I will say this, after using the spinner, to apply it using 4 sides, it looks very polished, and smooth.

I wounder how different my IQ pearl would react using Royal compound with the 2500 grit polish, instead of Reacta shine by storm.

Might be worth a try....

[bowl1820]

Royal compound feels just a little finer than rough buff and looks not quite as thick.

Rough buff is a rubbing compound.

Virtually all the ball polishes, compounds can be traced back to auto polishes and compounds thats where they came from. They were just repurposed as ball polishes.

If you want to see a shine, put the royal shine on top of the royal compound. i did that on my beatdown.

[MICHAEL]

Royal compound feels just a little finer than rough buff and looks not quite as thick.

Rough buff is a rubbing compound.

Virtually all the ball polishes, compounds can be traced back to auto polishes and compounds thats where they came from. They were just repurposed as ball polishes.

If you want to see a shine, put the royal on top of the royal compound. i did that on my beatdown.

Funny, my ball had one heck of a shine with just the Royal compound! It was beautiful!!! So royal, is a polish?

I wonder what Reacta Shine would do, on top of the Royal compound 2500 grit POLISH!
Reacta shine, looks NOTHING LIKE the Royal compound! I don't feel, or even see any abrasive materials in the polish, but If I remember, it says its a 1500 polish?

I swear, that new DV8 I just purchase, with the royal compound, couldn't' have more shine! It looked like a light bulb!! I was VERY impressed with the results.