Question for the ARSEnal experts out there!

[Aslan]

So I'm trying to learn everything I can about balls and arsenals and such. I'm still not confident that I need an arsenal at my level, but I still want to understand the basics.

So I have a scenario type question for you experts…and there is NO wrong answer. Well, unless you purposely try to give a wrong answer…there is no wrong answer.

Lets say you're building an arsenal from scratch and have the following 2 balls. I'm just listing specs, the ball manufacturer and product is of no consequence. You're just basing your decision on the numbers.

You have in your bag:
Ball A: RG: 2.53, diff. 0.045, 1500 abralon, polished hybrid, symmetric core
Ball B: RG: 2.48, diff. 0.045, 2000 abralon matte finished solid coverstock, symmetric core

You acquire 2 balls with equal specifications and can have them drilled surfaced however you want. The specs are:
Balls C & D: RG: 2.5, diff. 0.052, 2000 abralon, pearl coverstock, assymetric cores

Part I of the questions:
How would you drill and finish them to give yourself 2 different balls to fill holes in your arsenal?

The alley pro shop is offering a GREAT deal on another ball with the following specs:
Ball E: RG: 2.539, diff. 0.040, 2500 abralon, hybrid coverstock, symmetric core

Part II question:
Would you buy Ball E? Why/Why not? If so, how would you drill/finish it? Where does it fit in the above arsenal?

[Cart3r27]

I am not a math major or a rocket science but I can tell you, you are over thinking this just a bit lol - From your original post there are many variables that are not applied here for example, not the only one, what type of bowler are you (Cranker, Stroker, 2 hand, etc..) what is your ball speed/rev rate. - then with that answered it will be more easy to figure out your general layouts for the specs you provided on those balls.

Make sense? lol

For myself I have (the way you described above)
1 - RG: 2.50 - diff. .048, 500 abralon (royal compound finish)
2 - RG: 2.48 - diff. .049, 500 abralon (powerhouse finish)

my ball 1 snaps at the end and is very strong, drilled Pin up CG kicked out - while similar specs ball 2 is very smooth at the end, drilled Pin up CG inline.

The numbers do mean alot, if your a pro driller, whom will be able to set the ball up for what you want.

[MICHAEL]

Aslan,,, you mention that at this point not ready for an arsenal yet... How many years have you been bowling league? I thought you have been bowling for many years... ?? You have had lesions form many different teachers....

When,,, WHEN ASLAN will you be READY!! I also though you had a closet full of bowling balls... how many balls do you have! Are you a closet bowler?? LOL

Aslan,,, maybe marbles would be a sport more suited.... LOL

I admire your, what's the word,,,, struggle, but at some point maybe you need to Just Find Yourself A Woman!

Do you want my help again..... I can resurrect the thread and continue our quest!! I still say there is a lonely female coach out there just looking for a guy just like you, that she can mold into a very average bowler!!!

What-a-you-say......

[dnhoffman]

I also though you had a closet full of bowling balls... how many balls do you have! Are you a closet bowler?? LOL

I have no idea what this thread is about, but this quote reminded me of:

[Mudpuppy]

It's simple - find a good pro shop guy (or girl but in your case Aslan probably a dude is better since you repel chicks) and he will tell you what you need / should do. It's your choice to listen.

[Aslan]

Damn...I started this thinking it would provide hours of entertainment and all it got was poked at, the ramblings of a crazy old man, flaming from a troll, and Mudpuppy's minimalism.

Dang it. Maybe it needed "poo" in the title?

[MICHAEL]

Damn...I started this thinking it would provide hours of entertainment and all it got was poked at, the ramblings of a crazy old man, flaming from a troll, and Mudpuppy's minimalism.

Dang it. Maybe it needed "poo" in the title?

Crazy old man!! Old in years, but not in physical prowess, or good looks.... I would Own you on a bowling lane!

I might ride my bike out this summer just to show you "Who You Daddy is", on the bowling lanes! 1800 miles appx, I could do that in 2 days!! But Might just make it a 3 day ride!

Crazy Old man,,, better then a almost 40 year old that writes like a 13 year old, and womanless! LOL

I use to like you Asia,,,, but now your on my questionable list, close to being removed from my list of threads.

[J Anderson]

Damn...I started this thinking it would provide hours of entertainment and all it got was poked at, the ramblings of a crazy old man, flaming from a troll, and Mudpuppy's minimalism.

Dang it. Maybe it needed "poo" in the title?

Sorry but I'm not an expert on arsenals, whether they be of bowling balls or firearms.

I don't think the treads needs any "poo". What I have noticed is that people are much more likely to respond if specific balls are named instead of hypothetical balls described by RG and coverstock. In other words tell us what balls you have and which ones you're actually thinking about. Then we'll tell you that we need more information about how you bowl, what the lanes are like, ect. and then tell you that you need to get our favorite ball because it goes long and snaps really hard.

[Aslan]

and then tell you that you need to get our favorite ball because it goes long and snaps really hard.

See…JAnderson is wise past his years…THAT is the exact reason I didn't use actual balls…I figured using specs would allow everyone to talk about specifics of ball reactions and that type of thing rather than "you should get a DV8 Marauder and a DV8 Hellmonster…because thats what I throw and DV8 ROCKS!!

Failed.

[RobLV1]

Sorry to ruin your fun, but I kind of saw where you were going with this. As you know, I take the numbers, particularly the rg, of bowling balls very seriously. The problem is with the cover material itself. Cover materials are rated using three different tests: the coefficient of friction (COF) in the oil, the COF on the dry part of the lane, and the materials ability to absorb oil. Unfortunately, the manufacturers don't publish the results of these three tests when they advertise their bowling balls. Ebonite did actually assign numbers for oil absorption and put them on their bowling balls for a while, but they never really emphasized them, and they finally went away. They probably figured out that bowlers were starting to learn enough about bowling balls to figure out the balls with higher absorption rates would probably not last as long as balls with lower absorption rates.

Anyway, because these numbers aren't published, it's really hard to discuss bowling balls without names or brands. Many manufacturers have reputations for producing balls with specific kinds of reaction characteristics. The most blatant differences in terms of reputations are exemplified by Storm and Brunswick. Storm has a reputation for producing balls with long and snappy reactions, while Brunswick's reputation is for balls that are very "rolley" in terms of reaction. I have a hunch the Brunswick balls have a higher COF in oil, while Storm balls have a higher COF on dry. From my own observations, the reputations are well deserved and have their uses, depending on a bowlers style. Personally I love Storm balls on a house shot where my goal is to avoid too much friction too soon, and equally love Brunswick balls on tournament shots where I'm looking for friction on the flatter patterns. Again, this is dependent on a bowlers style and preferences. My best friend is a high rev, high speed player who loves to play deep, even on a house shot with a ton of oil in the middle. He loves Brunswick balls and uses them exclusively because they really compliment his game.

The other issue in terms of only looking at the numbers on bowling balls is the whole brand blind loyalty issue. I see this a whole lot with DV8 affectionados who have embraced the whole targeted marketing for the younger market wholeheartedly. When a bowler is obsessively brand loyal, the only balls that he is going to recommend will be those from his chosen brand whether or not they would work for you.