First Time Sanding

[grumpter]

I have been looking at countless videos on maintaining my ball and have purchased the Abralon pads for my ball as well as my fathers. OOB mine is listed as 500/2000 my fathers is 500, 500, 500, 4000. So just get the pad wet and sand with each grit for about 20 seconds per half of the ball? Is that all there is needed or are there steps I am missing? DO I need to worry about polish or taking off too much surface of the ball?

[classygranny]

Most refinishing is done based on a 4-sided cube or a 6-sided cube. I prefer to use the 6-sided version as I seem to get a better overall finish. Bowl1820 has posted a link to this...search for this post "The 6 sides of a bowling ball" chart.

Others will jump on here with more knowledge than I have to assist you along the way.

[grumpter]

I had run across that chart somewhere over the last few weeks but didn't pay much attention to it as the sport is so new to me. The bottom four images are self explanatory as you can see both the finger holes and thumb holes. For the top 2 I am going to assume the thumb hole is directly on the back side, middle (left to right) of the ball?

[GrumpyCatFace]

Based on what I’ve read, you’ll never get close to the desired grit with wet sanding. It has to be done dry. Just use a regular ball cleaner when you’re done with each grit.

[RobLV1]

Based on what I’ve read, you’ll never get close to the desired grit with wet sanding. It has to be done dry. Just use a regular ball cleaner when you’re done with each grit.

I've never seen anyone, PSO or Professional Bowler use a dry pad. Just sayin'!

[GrumpyCatFace]

I've never seen anyone, PSO or Professional Bowler use a dry pad. Just sayin'!

I’ll have to dig for it. It was either on here, or bowlingchat... somebody got ahold of a ball scanner, and tested sanding wet/dry. He got a very small change wet, and nearly matched the desired grit with lightly sanding dry. Using a lot of hand pressure got a weak result as well.

[GrumpyCatFace]

Sorry, it was BTM. Here you go: https://www.bowlingthismonth.com/bowling-tips/surface-management-whats-your-number/

[RobLV1]

There is another issue that is often referred to in discussions on sanding: do you really want to inhale particles of resin material to perfectly match an existing surface? Most PSO's and bowlers don't!

[GrumpyCatFace]

There is another issue that is often referred to in discussions on sanding: do you really want to inhale particles of resin material to perfectly match an existing surface? Most PSO's and bowlers don't!

I did have questions about that lol. I’d like to know if they’re particularly harmful.

[J Anderson]

Sorry, it was BTM. Here you go: https://www.bowlingthismonth.com/bowling-tips/surface-management-whats-your-number/
Thanks! It was an interesting article to re-read

Back to the original question. Sanding a ball, whether by hand or with a spinner, doesn’t take very much material off. Feel free to experiment with different grits, with and/or without polish. If you don’t get the reaction you want, try something else.

By the way, I have seen bowlers dry sand in a pinch, but sanding dust and human lungs don’t play well together. Whenever you can, opt for wet sanding.

[bowl1820]

Based on what I’ve read, you’ll never get close to the desired grit with wet sanding. It has to be done dry. Just use a regular ball cleaner when you’re done with each grit.

Most all sanding instructions recommend wet sanding and it's not just to keep the dust down. It helps make your abrasive pads/paper last longer, reduces heat from friction, it helps keep your pads from loading up which affect the grit it's sanding at.

If your doing your surfaces right your adjusting your surfaces at the lanes during warm up. That's dry sanding there so it doesn't matter that you did all wet sanding at home for your starting surface.


There is a option though if you don't adjust your surfaces at the lanes, at home wet sand for all grits except for the last. Then do the last grit dry by hand (not on the spinner)

[GrumpyCatFace]

I should have been more clear - I don’t have a spinner. i do any sanding by hand.

I’d imagine that the dust would be a definite issue, with a spinner.

[Tony]

As has been stated wet sanding is the best way to go, without a spinner I usually would set the ball in a cup in the sink and run the water over the ball.

Don't be afraid to use the sanding pads dry when trying a alternative finish at the bowling center, try not to snort up too much of the dust and you should be ok.

[Amyers]

What I've found personally is during practice or before you start you can dry sand by using an abaron pad lightly around a ball to do minor surface modification if you truly want the surface changed consult your proshop that has a ball spinner or Haas machine and have them do it if you don't own your own. Often times once you become a regular they will cut you a deal. My proshop allows me to use their machine as long as I buy my pads from them.

[boatman37]

Well picked up my new Conspiracy tonight and my PSO hit it with 3000 before he gave it to me. He had another new one on the shelf and mine was much shinier. He said he has seen some discrepancy in the OOB and the actual (not sure if he meant all brands on just Radical). So he hit mine with a brand new 3000 pad for a baseline. I told him I used the CTD's on my other balls and he asked if I wet sanded. I told him I didn't and he said that is probably why I have been having trouble. He said my balls were likely burning up, which is what I had thought had been happening.

So my PSO says no dry sanding

[grumpter]

Based on most of the recommendations here I went with wet sanding rather than dry. I didn't use polish on the ball afterwards but used some Tac-Up cleaner. The finish definitely has a duller look which I honestly prefer but the performance is really the deciding factor. There was a notable difference in reaction at the lanes. However, I was using a Wrist Support for the first time and bowling at an alley that I don't go to often (my usual place was packed).

Next I will have to try extracting the oil as I am 40+ games in with this ball.

[RobLV1]

As long as you wipe the ball after each frame and use some kind of cleaner weekly, you really don't have to extract the ball after only 40 or 50 games.

[grumpter]

The first few sessions I didn't wipe or clean the ball at all so I still plan to do an extraction tomorrow. Now I am much more diligent about wiping/cleaning.