Styrofoam container in garage to help control termperature

[Jessiewoodard57]

That originally came from a blog post by Jeff Richgels about balls cracking and a article in the Fall 2008 edition of Pro Shop Insider written by Rich Jacobson.

Click here for The 11th Frame: The Ebonite article that tells you how to keep resin balls from cracking – and how I got it wrong

Click here for the Ebonite Article

Thank you guess the rep got it there interesting article

[jlwonderley]

That originally came from a blog post by Jeff Richgels about balls cracking and a article in the Fall 2008 edition of Pro Shop Insider written by Rich Jacobson.

Click here for The 11th Frame: The Ebonite article that tells you how to keep resin balls from cracking – and how I got it wrong

Click here for the Ebonite Article

That's great to know, in case I need to store a ball long-term. Never considered the effect of gravity here. Although logically, a ball certainly could crack from temperature. Most likely uneven temperatures, or quickly changing temperatures.

Isn't the inner part, surrounding the core and inside the cover, made of less dense material? Wouldn't that mean that it would expand or contract more relative to the cover? Therefore heat in excess of the designed operating temperatures might cause cracking, while cold below that range instead might cause separation.

[Mike White]

That originally came from a blog post by Jeff Richgels about balls cracking and a article in the Fall 2008 edition of Pro Shop Insider written by Rich Jacobson.

Click here for The 11th Frame: The Ebonite article that tells you how to keep resin balls from cracking – and how I got it wrong

Click here for the Ebonite Article

From the Ebonite Article...

"Bowling balls cure during the manufacturing process at a very specific temperature for a certain amount of time. Though the surface is fully cured by the time it leaved the factory, they continued to cure for a period of months to years."


So when it leaves the factory is it fully cured, or not?

I think not, and that is the source of the cracking.

I've had a ball in the shop, on the display wall crack, and it was handled by customers rather frequently.

[jlwonderley]

From the Ebonite Article...

"Bowling balls cure during the manufacturing process at a very specific temperature for a certain amount of time. Though the surface is fully cured by the time it leaved the factory, they continued to cure for a period of months to years."


So when it leaves the factory is it fully cured, or not?

I think not, and that is the source of the cracking.

I've had a ball in the shop, on the display wall crack, and it was handled by customers rather frequently.

I don't know... he's contradicts himself there. Obviously it'd can't both be fully cured, and also continue to cure. I think he meant that they are cured as much as can be during manufacturing process, but continue to cure to some extent afterwards.

Also, what does it mean for it to "cure?" Curing in terms of plastic, etc. means hardening right? So the cover continues to harden for months to years... To me that would mean cracking would become more and more likely, as the material loses elasticity.

BTW, if storing long-term on a flat surface causes cracking due to all the weight being rested on a single point on the ball's spherical surface, why not just distribute the weight, instead of having to rotate it? Might a ball cup/holder be sufficient?

[bowl1820]

BTW, if storing long-term on a flat surface causes cracking due to all the weight being rested on a single point on the ball's spherical surface, why not just distribute the weight, instead of having to rotate it? Might a ball cup/holder be sufficient?

While a ball cup might be better than a flat surface, it can still happen.

If you leave a ball sitting unmoved on a ball cup long enough, it can develop a dent in it from the holder.

[jlwonderley]

While a ball cup might be better than a flat surface, it can still happen.

If you leave a ball sitting unmoved on a ball cup long enough, it can develop a dent in it from the holder.

I have a holder that is a ring type, so the middle is open and I believe the ball doesn't contact the surface below it. It's made of a soft rubbery material with well-rounded edges. I haven't calculated it or anything, but I'd guess this would be enough.
If not, how about this idea: take some kind of bag, fill it with sand, and use that to hold the ball. It'll make it's own perfectly molded hole to nestle into.