When Home Bowling Ball Work/Modifications go WRONG!!

[Aslan]

Now...last year I devised a method to de-oil my bowling balls by essentially bathing them in hot, soapy water. It worked "pretty" well...but was a waste of a bathtub full of water and as you may or may not know...California is in a "bit" (to use that term loosely) of a draught.

So I perfected the method using a 5-tray food dehydrator. It worked GREAT!! I would take off the lid and put 2-3 trays in it...but a 5-gallon metal pail over the top. The pail fit PERFECTLY in the trays!! It was inexpensive (bought the dehydrator used on Ebay for like $38 shipped) and seemed to do a GREAT job....a LOT of oil coming off the ball!

Well, I initially only did it for about 20-24 minutes. But over time, have lengthened that to 28-42 minutes. And one thing that went WRONG initially was due to the weight of the ball and the plastic trays...the trays started to crack and break. This would cause the ball not to sit in the middle, roll to the side, up against the pail, and then unevenly de-oil.

So, after all of the trays had cracked, I realized I could actually use the lid of the dehydrator, upside down, and the ball would sit perfectly in the middle...and it was even closer to the heating element....so I backed down the time to the 22-28 minute range.

Well, last time I tried this, I noticed that the lid was starting to melt. The lid is made from a softer plastic...and not meant to be that close to the heaitng element. But I did it again, less time (22-24 minutes)...no big deal. Well, last night, I de-oiled the Hammer Rhythm and after 28 minutes noticed that the plastic lid had melted and come into contact with the elements...and so did the ball!! So now, there's a 1 inch x 1/4 inch x 1/32 inch (depth) gash in the ball from where it came into contact with the heating element. :(

So now I have to figure out if the ball/gash should be repaired or not. I mean, according to the USBC guidelines, a damaged ball only is disqualified IF:
1) It is out of specifications.
2) It is damaged in a way that would adversely affect the lane surface/equipment.

I don't think a gash like that, given it's depth, will adversely affect the lanes/equipment nor take it out of specification. So I guess I just gotta roll it tonight and see if the damage causes any issues as it rolls.

Looks like I'll need to come up with a new de-oiler. The current system works, I just need a support of PVC or wood capable of supporting the 16lb ball. The heating element and pail combo work well, it's just the trays are designed to hold fruit and beef jerkey...not 16lb bowling balls.

Any comments?

Any other stories of homemade fixes that didn't quite work out the way you'd hoped?

[Amyers]

Just make sure the spot is not in your track and it won't matter in the least. If it is could cause problems I would replace the ball. Are you resurfacing after the oil extraction?

[vdubtx]

If you wanted to get the gash fixed, the pro shop can handle that really easily. Otherwise, stop using jerry rigged equipment.

[bowl1820]

If it's not in the balls track, it's not problem.

If it's really only a 1/32 inch (depth), just get it resurfaced and it's gone entirely or it only leaves a little mark.

Given if you had a spinner, you could fill it in with a little superglue let it harden , cut it down and resurface it good as new yourself.

for a support just cut a short piece off a big diameter pvc pipe or use a big pvc pipe cap or the right size dog dish would work and be real stable or go to the proshop and get a ball cup.



and don't set it on the heating coils (Which shouldn't have been exposed in the first place in a dehydrator)

[Shaneshu87]

i saw a "Po-boys ball oven" idea on facebook and thought i'd try it. basically all it takes is a cardboard box, a hair dryer, and some duct tape. it helps to have a food thermometer, basically cut a hole in box to fit the nozzle of the hair dryer insert ball into box tape it shut and turn it on, bigger boxes can do many balls at one time, the hair dryer can bring the temp up to the 140-165F range, i set mine on low heat and it held at 151F. i first tested this on an old ball, for 30 minutes, just to see how well it worked, and surprise! it worked great so i threw my whole arsenal in there and did it again, i left 3 balls in the box, i figured i should keep them in there just a little longer and i covered the box with a blanket for insulation. i turned it on and set a timer for 45 minutes, and went to play some Xbox... 20 minutes later my smoke alarm in the kitchen was going off and the box was on fire! fortunately is was near my sink hose and i was able to dose the flames and no damage was done to the balls or my house, however the blanket was ruined lol i believe it was the blanket that caused the fire, my wife was pissed, and i slept on the couch that night! hahaha! live and learn!

[Aslan]

and don't set it on the heating coils (Which shouldn't have been exposed in the first place in a dehydrator)
In a food dehydrator, the heating element isn't usually exposed because the trays separate the food sits on the plastic trays. The trays separate the food from the heating coils. But the trays in this case, cracked under the weight of the bowling ball. So I used the plastic cover as a tray...and apparently the plastic cover is of a lower density plastic that melted being that close to the elements.

So I'll need a supports that sits down "near" the elements but doesn't touch them.


If you wanted to get the gash fixed, the pro shop can handle that really easily.

Yeah. He fixed my Frantic after it collided with the pin setter and I thought that ball was a lost cause. So filling in this little gash with epoxy and then sanding it smooth will be nothing.


Otherwise, stop using jerry rigged equipment.

I just can't see buying one of those little ball dehydrators when really, thats all they are is a food dehydrator made specifically for bowling balls. I have a perfectly good dehydrator...I just need the ball supported so it doesn't come in contact with the elements.


Just make sure the spot is not in your track and it won't matter in the least.
Not sure if it is or not. I guess I'll find out tonight.


Are you resurfacing after the oil extraction?
No. I've only resurfaced a ball a couple times. But I de-oil regularly.


i saw a "Po-boys ball oven" idea on facebook and thought i'd try it. basically all it takes is a cardboard box, a hair dryer, and some duct tape.
My initial version of this idea was to use a cardboard box and garbage bag instead of the pail. But when I got a pail of flavored popcorn as a Christmas gift from the company...it fit perfectly inside the trays...so it's made it easier, safer, and more effective than the original design.

I could always go back to the bathtub or try the dishwasher idea...but I just can't justify wasting that much water, especially in an epic draught. Maybe if I was de-oiling 4-5 of them at once less frequently. But the dehydrator works really, really good. It's amazing to see how much oil come off that ball.

[bowl1820]

as a point of reference this is the one I made back in 2009. Still going by the way.

Its a five gallon bucket setting on a magic chef dehydrator. I used one tray so it had a level surface inside to sit the ball on. even without the tray the elements in it are not exposed, they are encased in the base unit and the hot air is circulated out by the fan through vents.

I used a ball cup from the pro-shop to set the ball on.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w89/aloarjr810/bowlingxtras/ballrejuv_01.jpg

[rv driver]

i saw a "Po-boys ball oven" idea on facebook and thought i'd try it. basically all it takes is a cardboard box, a hair dryer, and some duct tape. it helps to have a food thermometer, basically cut a hole in box to fit the nozzle of the hair dryer insert ball into box tape it shut and turn it on, bigger boxes can do many balls at one time, the hair dryer can bring the temp up to the 140-165F range, i set mine on low heat and it held at 151F. i first tested this on an old ball, for 30 minutes, just to see how well it worked, and surprise! it worked great so i threw my whole arsenal in there and did it again, i left 3 balls in the box, i figured i should keep them in there just a little longer and i covered the box with a blanket for insulation. i turned it on and set a timer for 45 minutes, and went to play some Xbox... 20 minutes later my smoke alarm in the kitchen was going off and the box was on fire! fortunately is was near my sink hose and i was able to dose the flames and no damage was done to the balls or my house, however the blanket was ruined lol i believe it was the blanket that caused the fire, my wife was pissed, and i slept on the couch that night! hahaha! live and learn!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh, that is soooo Homer Simpson! Glad none of it was worse! You could have had melted balls and a divorce on your hands and a fire-damaged house.

[rv driver]

Well, this is all new to me. Are there any threads/forums about cooking a bowling ball? Never heard of doing that. I guess I just figured that's something the pro shop would take care of.

[vdubtx]

I used a ball from the pro-shop to set the ball on.


Wow, you are good. You can balance one ball on the other?

http://clintbutler.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/were-not-worthy.gif

[vdubtx]

Well, this is all new to me. Are there any threads/forums about cooking a bowling ball? Never heard of doing that. I guess I just figured that's something the pro shop would take care of.

LINK (http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads/15710-DIY-Personal-Bowling-Ball-Oven?p=96354#post96354)

This is a home made version of the Innovator ball oven. It is as Aslan said, a food dehydrator that has been altered.

[bowl1820]

Wow, you are good. You can balance one ball on the other?


That's ball cup, i've had to edit that a couples times. for some reason it wouldn't update the post with the edit.

actually balancing one ball on the other isn't hard. You just turn the ball so the thumb hole rests on the ball below.
http://www.omgsoysauce.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/bowling-ball-stacking.jpg

[bowl1820]

Well, this is all new to me. Are there any threads/forums about cooking a bowling ball? Never heard of doing that. I guess I just figured that's something the pro shop would take care of.

There's several threads about it, use the search function and you can find them.

Also google it there many articles about it.

pro-shops have machines like the "Revivor" for doing it and there are a couple personal units available also


example:
The rice cooker

check out the information on the website:
http://www.scbp.biz

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4182XENYN7L.jpg
450W unit with enclosed fan moves heated air inside chamber
Custom cup/ball-stand allows heated air to circulate under the ball, and catches oil runoff
Adjustable thermostat - heats ball uniformly and safely
Simple to operate (instructions included)

[Amyers]

I have always been told you need to resurface the ball after cooking is this not correct?

[bowl1820]

I have always been told you need to resurface the ball after cooking is this not correct?

You should sand the ball first, that opens the pores up (where the dirt and grime , old polishes have got trap in them. This lets the oil more freely come out. You should do it with all the de-oiling methods.

After de-oiling then you finsh with the resurfacing.

[rv driver]

Wow, you are good. You can balance one ball on the other?

http://clintbutler.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/were-not-worthy.gif
Love the clip!

[rv driver]

LINK (http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads/15710-DIY-Personal-Bowling-Ball-Oven?p=96354#post96354)

This is a home made version of the Innovator ball oven. It is as Aslan said, a food dehydrator that has been altered.
Thanks!

[rv driver]

There's several threads about it, use the search function and you can find them.

Also google it there many articles about it.

pro-shops have machines like the "Revivor" for doing it and there are a couple personal units available also


example:
The rice cooker

check out the information on the website:
http://www.scbp.biz

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4182XENYN7L.jpg
450W unit with enclosed fan moves heated air inside chamber
Custom cup/ball-stand allows heated air to circulate under the ball, and catches oil runoff
Adjustable thermostat - heats ball uniformly and safely
Simple to operate (instructions included)
I'm clueless. We didn't do this with rubber. Why do we cook our balls? (That sounded NASTY!)

[Amyers]

The newer resin balls have small pores in them that allow the balls to get more traction on the lane. These pours eventually suck up oil and dirt and become clogged. Eventually this can get bad enough to effect the balls reaction ie hook less. The heating process causes the pores in the ball to expand and release the oil and dirt. Thus restoring the reaction of the bowling ball.

Some companies and some particular balls are thought to be worse than others. I could be wrong but from what I have seen solids and balls with low surface numbers like 500 or 1000 finishes seem to suffer more from this. That part is just my opinion.

It is just part of regular maintenance of your ball like periodic resurfacing. I've seen other with lower numbers but I resurface my balls about every 30 games. I have over 100 games on my euphoria and haven't baked it or seen the need to but I also religiously clean my balls immediately after use. Which I think helps the euphoria is also polished I'm watching this with the asylum yo see if it will be effected by it.

[bowl1820]

I'm clueless. We didn't do this with rubber. Why do we cook our balls? (That sounded NASTY!)

Amyers pretty well covered it.

Though all balls even polyester (plastic) absorb oil not just resin balls, just at differing rates. You could see it in the first clear plastic balls like the clear wolf. They would discolor over time that was because of the oil getting into it.

You really started noticing it in the urethane balls, people would bring balls in they left in their car all day and when they pulled them out of their bag, the balls would be sweating oil like a pig.

Solids and rougher surface textures tend to pick up oil more on the surface, so absorb more.

that's why cleaning after bowling is so important, it can really reduce how much oil they absorb. I clean mine all the time and when I try sweating my stuff very little if any comes out and I've have ball's with 100's of games on them and still react well.

[rv driver]

Thanks for the info, guys!

[rv driver]

Haven't been cleaning my ball. :-( It's been mentioned that balls are cleaned after each use. How is that accomplished?

[bowl1820]

Haven't been cleaning my ball. :-( It's been mentioned that balls are cleaned after each use. How is that accomplished?

1-You get a bottle of cleaner and a towel.
2- Next you spray cleaner on the ball.
3-Then take the towel and wipe it off.

here look at this thread again (It said you read it before)

click for-Bowling-Ball-Cleaning-and-Maintenance (http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads/10288-Bowling-Ball-Cleaning-and-Maintenance)

[Amyers]

Haven't been cleaning my ball. :-( It's been mentioned that balls are cleaned after each use. How is that accomplished?

Wax On
Wax Off

RV-son

Jokes aside I really like the Storm Reacta Foam. You can clean the ball right there on the lane no mess no runny liquids. I'm sure available on BowlingBall.com bottle last quite a while.

[rv driver]

1-You get a bottle of cleaner and a towel.
2- Next you spray cleaner on the ball.
3-Then take the towel and wipe it off.

here look at this thread again (It said you read it before)

click for-Bowling-Ball-Cleaning-and-Maintenance (http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads/10288-Bowling-Ball-Cleaning-and-Maintenance)
Man, I don't remember that! But I've slept since then, too. So... I got a microfiber towel with my ball (says DV8 on it and everything!). Do I use that same towel to clean the ball that I use to wipe the ball after every throw? (I used to do that with my rubber ball) -- do I need to wipe the new ball after every throw? Been doing it...

[rv driver]

Wax On
Wax Off

RV-son

Jokes aside I really like the Storm Reacta Foam. You can clean the ball right there on the lane no mess no runny liquids. I'm sure available on BowlingBall.com bottle last quite a while.
Ok. Mr. Mee-Ah-Jee! 8-P

[bowl1820]

Man, I don't remember that! But I've slept since then, too. So... I got a microfiber towel with my ball (says DV8 on it and everything!). Do I use that same towel to clean the ball that I use to wipe the ball after every throw?
You can if thats all you have. I use a different one.


(I used to do that with my rubber ball) -- do I need to wipe the new ball after every throw? Been doing it...

Some say you should, some say you don't.

Kind of a personal preference, I do it's part of my routine. I hold the towel in my bowling hand when I pick up my ball so I don't get any oil on my hand if any on the surface. Then give the ball spin on the towel. Every little bit you might get off helps.

[Stormed1]

you can find bundles of microfiber towels at auto parts stores,Menards, Home depoit etc.

[rv driver]

you can find bundles of microfiber towels at auto parts stores,Menards, Home depoit etc.

God! I'm such a noob with these new balls! Do the ball surfaces dictate that it has to be microfiber? Or can I just use old cotton hand towels from the kitchen?

[vdubtx]

do I need to wipe the new ball after every throw? Been doing it...

I have been on both sides. Had been using my towel as part of my pre-shot routine for years and then our team had a conversation about wiping the ball off after every frame. One did not wipe as his thought and what his dad(won several PBA Senior tour titles) had always told him was that wiping after every shot removes oil from the lane, thus the line gets depleted even quicker. So, I thought that made perfect sense and I stopped wiping after every shot to give it a try. Honestly, I don't think I noticed a difference except that my pre-shot routine had changed.

When I went to my coaching session back in June with Susie Minshew, we discussed it and I told her about not wiping the ball and the reason for not doing so. She told me, that's all fine and good, but what about lane debris on the ball that it's picked up going down the lane, not just oil? I thought for a second and this also made sense to me. If there is debris on the ball, it could possibly alter the roll of the ball on the track area, so I started betting back into my routine of wiping.

[Amyers]

God! I'm such a noob with these new balls! Do the ball surfaces dictate that it has to be microfiber? Or can I just use old cotton hand towels from the kitchen?

Microfiber oil free towels are best because they actually suck the oil up. Cotton will remove some but also just smears it around.

[Amyers]

I have been on both sides. Had been using my towel as part of my pre-shot routine for years and then our team had a conversation about wiping the ball off after every frame. One did not wipe as his thought and what his dad(won several PBA Senior tour titles) had always told him was that wiping after every shot removes oil from the lane, thus the line gets depleted even quicker. So, I thought that made perfect sense and I stopped wiping after every shot to give it a try. Honestly, I don't think I noticed a difference except that my pre-shot routine had changed.

When I went to my coaching session back in June with Susie Minshew, we discussed it and I told her about not wiping the ball and the reason for not doing so. She told me, that's all fine and good, but what about lane debris on the ball that it's picked up going down the lane, not just oil? I thought for a second and this also made sense to me. If there is debris on the ball, it could possibly alter the roll of the ball on the track area, so I started betting back into my routine of wiping.

I usually take the middle road I wipe after every five frames

[rv driver]

I have been on both sides. Had been using my towel as part of my pre-shot routine for years and then our team had a conversation about wiping the ball off after every frame. One did not wipe as his thought and what his dad(won several PBA Senior tour titles) had always told him was that wiping after every shot removes oil from the lane, thus the line gets depleted even quicker. So, I thought that made perfect sense and I stopped wiping after every shot to give it a try. Honestly, I don't think I noticed a difference except that my pre-shot routine had changed.

When I went to my coaching session back in June with Susie Minshew, we discussed it and I told her about not wiping the ball and the reason for not doing so. She told me, that's all fine and good, but what about lane debris on the ball that it's picked up going down the lane, not just oil? I thought for a second and this also made sense to me. If there is debris on the ball, it could possibly alter the roll of the ball on the track area, so I started betting back into my routine of wiping.
If the ball sucks up oil on every roll, necessitating cooking it out after a while, logic dictates that it probably doesn't spit out much in return as it rolls. That sounds like an old wive's tale to me. OTOH, I've never thrown professionally, so whaddo I know?

[rv driver]

Microfiber oil free towels are best because they actually suck the oil up. Cotton will remove some but also just smears it around.
That makes sense!

[rv driver]

I usually take the middle road I wipe after every five frames
I imagine I'll just keep in the habit of wiping before each shot. Old habits die hard.

[Shaneshu87]

I imagine I'll just keep in the habit of wiping before each shot. Old habits die hard.

right there with ya

[rv driver]

right there with ya
Maybe I'll hire a blonde with long gams, a huge rack and a pair of Daisy Dukes, with a T-shirt that says, "Ball Wiper" on it to stand by in the pit to wipe it off for me. That'll create some stir on "Family Night!"

[Aslan]

I wipe my ball before each frame.

I clean the ball with a 50% Simple Green/50% alcohol solution after each night/session (since it's technically not "an approved cleaner", I don't do this until I get to my car or home if it's an official tournament).

I try to de-oil my balls after 1-2 nights/sessions or at least every 1-2 weeks of use.

My food dehydrator is a Ronco 5-tray food dehydrator. A good picture is here.

The set-up is similar to what Bowl1820 uses except this particular unit has exposed heating elements in the bottom. Since it was designed to be used with the trays, you'd never be exposed to them unless it was after use and you took out all the trays.

The unit has worked great at pulling oil out of the ball. The only drawback is the ball is too heavy for the trays and once the heating process starts, the trays tend to crack under the pressure. This causes the ball not to sit flush and roll to the side and lean up against the pail...and then it leads to uneven de-oiling.

The solution is I need to take the trays out of the equation, create a support for the ball to sit on, that will sit in the bottom of the unit without coming into contact with the heating elements.

The downside of all of the little de-oiler units is they differ in one main way from the bigger units; they don't rotate the ball on an absorbent pad during the process. So at the end of the process, that oil is just sitting on the surface of the ball rather than contantly being wicked away...so some of the oil sucked out just gets smeared back onto the ball. But, you save $25-$75. And I'd rather de-oil once per week and do a lesser job than de-oil once a month and do a slightly better job.

[Amyers]

Maybe I'll hire a blonde with long gams, a huge rack and a pair of Daisy Dukes, with a T-shirt that says, "Ball Wiper" on it to stand by in the pit to wipe it off for me. That'll create some stir on "Family Night!"

You have issues man but that might get you the "respect" you've been looking for

[bowl1820]

I have been on both sides. Had been using my towel as part of my pre-shot routine for years and then our team had a conversation about wiping the ball off after every frame. One did not wipe as his thought and what his dad(won several PBA Senior tour titles) had always told him was that wiping after every shot removes oil from the lane, thus the line gets depleted even quicker. So, I thought that made perfect sense and I stopped wiping after every shot to give it a try. Honestly, I don't think I noticed a difference except that my pre-shot routine had changed.

When I went to my coaching session back in June with Susie Minshew, we discussed it and I told her about not wiping the ball and the reason for not doing so. She told me, that's all fine and good, but what about lane debris on the ball that it's picked up going down the lane, not just oil? I thought for a second and this also made sense to me. If there is debris on the ball, it could possibly alter the roll of the ball on the track area, so I started betting back into my routine of wiping.


If the ball sucks up oil on every roll, necessitating cooking it out after a while, logic dictates that it probably doesn't spit out much in return as it rolls. That sounds like an old wive's tale to me. OTOH, I've never thrown professionally, so whaddo I know?

During the pre-reactive resin days oil would set on the surface of the ball longer and would build up somewhat.

You would wipe your ball off before your next shot to help maintain a consistent reaction.
(some, when the lanes started to dry up would stop wiping and leave any oil residue on the surface to help try and compensate for the drying lanes).

Now a days with how fast the balls absorb oil, there are those that think wiping is meaningless because the oil is gone from the surface before you can wipe it. That's a valid idea, the oil doesn't set on the surface like it use too.

But as Susie Minshew said above about "lane debris on the ball that it's picked up going down the lane" is valid also.

That grime is a mixture of dirt and oil that can build up, also as the pores fill and get clogged over time, the rate the oil gets absorbed will start slowing and will stay closer to the surface or even on it more.

Still making wiping necessary.

Also having wiping as a part of your pre shot routine, helps slow you down some, so your not rushing your shot.

[zdawg]

SO, has anyone made one of the DIY deoilers using the exact same dehydrator that Dnhoffman mentioned in the original thread (the Nesco one)? The reason I'm asking is that in his original thread he mentioned using a metal thing his wife used for canning to hold the ball in place, but when I looked for ball cups they all seem to be made out of plastic (or the description doesn't even mention what it is made of). The last thing I want is something that is going to melt while in contact with my ball seems like nothing good would come of that.

[fortheloveofbowling]

I have not tried this yet but there is a video on you tube called homemade bowling ball oven. The guy takes a big box, hair fryer, thermometer and removes the oil that way. Sounds crazy right? Check it out and if anyone decides to try it let us know how it works, maybe take an old ball first?

[Aslan]

I've purchased some items today that I'm going to incorporate into my dehydrator to hopefully solve the problem.

IF it works...IF....I will post some pictures of what I came up with.

[Amyers]

I've purchased some items today that I'm going to incorporate into my dehydrator to hopefully solve the problem.

IF it works...IF....I will post some pictures of what I came up with.

Can you just picture Aslan working on this

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3706/840/1600/muppets.jpg

[circlecity]

I also read somewhere that Storm doesn't recommend baking their bowling balls. They say do the bath method

[rv driver]

I also read somewhere that Storm doesn't recommend baking their bowling balls. They say do the bath method
DON'T SAY THAT, MAN!!! Aslan will read it, and next thing you know, he'll be naked in the bathtub with his bowling balls, lavender-scented bubbles, and a little loofah -- singing "Rubber Ducky"...

[Bunny]

DON'T SAY THAT, MAN!!! Aslan will read it, and next thing you know, he'll be naked in the bathtub with his bowling balls, lavender-scented bubbles, and a little loofah -- singing "Rubber Ducky"...

Eeeewwww! Dang you for that mental image!!

[Aslan]

Eeeewwww! Dang you for that mental image!!

Yeah...he envisions me doing a lot of disturbing things....which is disturbing.

[Bunny]

Yeah...he envisions me doing a lot of disturbing things....which is disturbing.

You guys are too funny!!