Is wiping the oil off the ball after every shot overrated?

[sprocket]

Sorry for double posting, but I couldn't edit my last post. Someone also mentioned that not wiping the oil off the balls will cause trouble with the machines, and they're spot on in that regard, too. I was talking to one of the employees at the lanes where my wife bowls in a women's league about why they use a different pattern for them versus the pattern used in the men's and mixed leagues. He said it's because most of the women in that league thrown the ball straight down the center of the lane and that they don't clean the balls before throwing them. If they used the same pattern as they did with the men and mixed leagues, that the machines in the back and the belts on the ball returns would become soaked in oil and stop picking up the balls and cause them to have to do a lot more cleaning work on the machines at the end of the night after the league was finished.

Part of this can be the use of plastic or house balls on those leagues that do not absorb oil and are thrown up the oiliest part of the lane. Also those balls have less grip so they don't grip the belts as easily in the ball returns.

I am biting my tongue to not get into a discussion of why on earth we now need 10 times as much oil on the lanes as we used to. Obviously the balls used today require it, but is there really any benefit? I saw a guy on a lighter house shot bowl 800 with a plastic White Dot. So we are now responsible to help make it possible to continue to use a massive amount of oil on the lanes?

[MICHAEL]

Part of this can be the use of plastic or house balls on those leagues that do not absorb oil and are thrown up the oiliest part of the lane. Also those balls have less grip so they don't grip the belts as easily in the ball returns.

I am biting my tongue to not get into a discussion of why on earth we now need 10 times as much oil on the lanes as we used to. Obviously the balls used today require it, but is there really any benefit? I saw a guy on a lighter house shot bowl 800 with a plastic White Dot. So we are now responsible to help make it possible to continue to use a massive amount of oil on the lanes?

VERY INTERESTING,,, maybe your right on in that regards, (about the oil)! Balls now days get burnt out after a number of games, some swear that sweating the oil out only gives some of the Out Of Box performance back! 800 with a plastic white Dot!! Wow..... VERY INTERESTING,,,,,! And as I have pointed out in another thread, the very oil your talking about in the form of SPORTS PATTERNS, is what average JOE the Plumber does not want. He wants a blocked every week the same house pattern so that his 220 average is not affected with the reality of just how difficult it really is to have a GOOD AVERAGE on Pro like conditions. I call it, (THE BRAGING AVERAGE)! hum,,,,, I do think that the Sports Patterns added another dimension to bowling, for the REAL MEN/Women! LOL...Few chose to accept the challenge!! (

[sprocket]

While I totally understand the idea that your question originates from, I think there's one part of the puzzle that you're missing and I'm surprised that no one has mentioned it yet. Not all balls react the same way, some are designed for light oil conditions and others are designed for heavy oil conditions. We all know that the core plays a part in the reaction of a ball, but do you really think that a strong core in a plastic-shelled ball is going to read the lane the same way that an identical core wrapped in a strong cover will? I think the obvious answer is no, but why is that? Well, it's because bowling balls with strong cover stocks are designed to start reading the lane while they're still in the oil. If you soak the track with oil, then you're negating that effect and YOU WILL LOSE BALL REACTION. Also, when you're talking about the flare lines, a vast majority of those that you see occur while the ball is in the oil and if it didn't help the ball's reaction, why would ball manufacturers be designing cores that cause bow-tie flare lines instead of just a single ring around the ball? They're there so that you're rolling over a new part of the ball for every rev so you get the most out of the cover. Once again, if you let your ball soak in all the oil over the flare lines, then you're negating the effect of the cover and the design of the ball.

I speak from experience when I say that wiping a ball down after every shot, even if it's with a "dirty towel", and then cleaning the ball after every bowling session with an approved cleaner or 91% alcohol will drastically extend the life of the cover. 10 months ago I purchased a Storm Manic and I quickly put a ton of games on it, however I wasn't cleaning it like I should and before long it just wasn't making the move off the end of the pattern that it had in the past. I had the proshop de-oil it and resurface it, and it helped for about a week and then it was dead again. Then I had the proshop work on it again, and they used their ball degreasing hotbox on it, and he said it bled oil for almost 8 hours. Since then, I've used it quite a bit more but I've been very stringent on my cleaning routine and the cover is holding up far better than it did the first time around.

If you don't believe us, then you'll just have to try it for yourself. It won't take long for you to come to the realization that cleaning a bowling ball both during play and especially after will make a big difference in prolonging the life of the cover.

It's important to take this thread as a whole. I know it is a lot of reading. Yes, I did suggest in the original post that there may be benefit to just leaving the oil on the ball entirely, but I also asked whether wiping the ball might have the effect of spreading the oil around the ball, including to areas of the ball that would have no oil unless it were put there by the towel.

During this thread I came to the conclusion that it does make sense to remove the oil from then oil rings but then asked what is the best way to do that. I suggested that doing it the wrong way could have results that were not intended or desired.

You make very good points on the ball needing to read the mid lane when it is still in the oil. That makes perfect sense to me. Thank you for your well written explanation of the subject.

See, this is not a topic where the OP (me) is just going to cling his original argument no matter what. I come here to learn. I expect threads like this to evolve which it has.

I think we still have the question of the truly best way to remove the oil JUST FROM THE OIL RINGS without smearing it around the entire ball or driving the oil into the ball. I think it can be done with the right towel and the right technique. It was interesting to read about the pro shop owner who says there is research that shows that wiping the oil off the ball just pushes it into the ball. That is a VERY BROAD statement which does not discuss the types of towels used, the condition of the towel and the technique used to wipe down the ball. Any study would have to look at those things.

I personally line up the oil rings and give my ball a quick turn on my shirt. As silly as that sounds it might actually work reasonable well. My shirt is clean and the light turn just either removes or slightly spreads the oil on the surface of the ball but does not spread it around the whole ball. They have excellent lane maintenance where I bowl and I haven't noticed my shirts getting dirty.

[bowl1820]

I am biting my tongue to not get into a discussion of why on earth we now need 10 times as much oil on the lanes as we used to. Obviously the balls used today require it, but is there really any benefit?

It's a catch-22 situation

We have more oil because the balls have got stronger and they make the balls stronger because they put out more oil.

[MICHAEL]

I think we still have the question of the truly best way to remove the oil JUST FROM THE OIL RINGS without smearing it around the entire ball or driving the oil into the ball. I think it can be done with the right towel and the right technique. It was interesting to read about the pro shop owner who says there is research that shows that wiping the oil off the ball just pushes it into the ball. That is a VERY BROAD statement which does not discuss the types of towels used, the condition of the towel and the technique used to wipe down the ball. Any study would have to look at those things.


That Pro shop individual, Bruce, BP's Pro shop, has 40 something 300 rings, has clinic's at his lanes with big name pro's coming in to give classes! Bruce, who I would call a friend, has helped this old broken down burnt up Iron worker reach that elusive goal of 300! ( I just started bowling at the young age of 61, and now 64 lol) Bruce is an X pro, that Drilled balls for many big name Pro's in the past, he knows his stuff. I thought to myself, (when he told me about the latest research concerning wiping the oil off of balls while in play, (THAT's HARD TO BELIVE!)

But then who am I to question a man of his knowledge, talent, and ability!!??

I will get that information today, I have already sent an email asking for that study..... We will get to bottom of this!!! (to be continued)!!

[MICHAEL]

I'm not exactly sure who came up with it. I'm sure it's probably one of the big level coaches like Fred Borden, Bill Hall, one of those guys.

Sent from my iPhone

This was sent to me today from James, Bruce's assistant mgr, and apprentice! He is the one that drilled my IQ, (the one that gave my the 300) (

[WolfGirl1980]

I bowl 6 games a week maybe 7 but that is rare 3 in League 3 in practice maybe 4 if not too tired should I be cleaning my ball with ball cleaner after I am done bowling each session like Tuesday night is League come home bring my ball up and take ball cleaner to it and then practice do the same? And if so what type of ball cleaner is the best to buy that will keep the hook cause ball cleaner usually takes the hook off it usually makes it not hook as much so is there a cleaner out there that won't do that?

[MICHAEL]

For sure after each session!! The debate is if it does more damage then good to wipe it after each shoot! I will get, from Bruce, the place he got this latest research, backed by scientific data, stating not to wipe after each shoot.

[sprocket]

I wonder what mineral spirits would do to a ball? Nothing works better at work to remove oil. I suppose solvent is just a bad idea no matter how carefully you apply it, even if it were just sprayed on a towel and used after each session.

[bowl1820]

I wonder what mineral spirits would do to a ball? Nothing works better at work to remove oil. I suppose solvent is just a bad idea no matter how carefully you apply it, even if it were just sprayed on a towel and used after each session.

Mineral spirits are not USBC approved for use at any time. It would be in a class like acetone and would soften the cover over time.