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Thread: Surface Changes - How long do they last?

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    High Roller Phonetek's Avatar
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    Default Surface Changes - How long do they last?

    When you change the surface of your ball, like for example a urethane ball that you sand they typically shine up pretty quick and it's very noticeable. Regardless of the cover stock I would imagine that holds true for any. How many games do you use it before you refresh that surface? Since each time especially when sanding it you're removing cover stock, do you keep track of what surface it is and how many times you do it? Especially a full resurface because you're taking off the most amount of cover stock when you do it. Eventually you'll remove the ball badges and numbers.
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    Bowling Guru Amyers's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phonetek View Post
    When you change the surface of your ball, like for example a urethane ball that you sand they typically shine up pretty quick and it's very noticeable. Regardless of the cover stock I would imagine that holds true for any. How many games do you use it before you refresh that surface? Since each time especially when sanding it you're removing cover stock, do you keep track of what surface it is and how many times you do it? Especially a full resurface because you're taking off the most amount of cover stock when you do it. Eventually you'll remove the ball badges and numbers.
    You'd have to be taking off a crazy amount to remove badges or serials if that's happening find someone else to do your resurfacing. Otherwise it depends on the ball and what you want. A 1000 grit oil hog I might resurface after every use, lots of people found the Storm Rocket to perform much better with some lane shine. Just as a general rule if I want to keep the original conditions balls with lots of surface probably every 10 games or so, balls with polished covers 30-50 games, everything depends on what you want from the ball.

    I've had balls I've resurfaced completely 5-10 times and the labels and serials still looked fine.
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phonetek View Post
    When you change the surface of your ball, like for example a urethane ball that you sand they typically shine up pretty quick and it's very noticeable.
    On true Urethane balls the surface texture usually holds up a little longer than on Resin balls.

    Regardless of the cover stock I would imagine that holds true for any. How many games do you use it before you refresh that surface?
    The surface starts changing as soon as you roll your first ball, You should touch up the surface before each set. Generally the rule of thumb is about every 9 games though. Of course it all depends on surface grit (dull vs polished) and conditions, type of lanes etc. how long it lasts. A dry lane will dull a polished ball faster than a wet one.

    This video will give you a idea how fast surfaces change.



    Since each time especially when sanding it you're removing cover stock, do you keep track of what surface it is and how many times you do it?
    A lot of bowlers keep a surface management log example:

    click for larger imagr


    Especially a full resurface because you're taking off the most amount of cover stock when you do it. Eventually you'll remove the ball badges and numbers.
    A true "Resurface" is where you remove all the track, nicks, gouges and surface blemishes to make a ball look like new again. That's not done that often, Back in the day (pre-resin) it was said you could do that about 4-5 times.

    But you don't see that kind of resurfacing done much these day, except if a ball has been damaged or a used ball plugged and/or for resale.

    As for refinishing and minor surfaces adjustments basically there's no limit, other than if you've sanded to the point your removed all the labels. But most people probably won't have the ball that long.

    A lot of Serial numbers can get sanded off easy, because some are not that deep and can / have to be re-engraved. The USBC Star Logo is just a manufacturing requirement, it would not need to be re-engraved.

    As for names and logos, Once the ball is no longer identifiable by the brand name/logo and ball name it is no longer allowed to be used during USBC certified competition.

    Right handed Stroker, high track ,about 13 degree axis tilt. PAP is located 5 9/16” over 1 3/4” up.Speed ave. about 14 mph at the pins. Medium rev’s.High Game 300, High series 798

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    With reactive resin balls that are not polished, touch up surface after each set and resurface completely after about 50 games. Polished reactives should be touched up as soon as they begin to look a little dull, and resurfaced completely after 50-60 games.

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    Pro shop here has a scanner, I sanded a ball on spinner with fresh 500 pad, it scanned at 871. After 3 games it scanned at 4000. Next week used fresh 500 pad again, bowled three games, cleaned it with Clean & Dull & it then scanned at about 2200.

    There was a good, but lengthy, article on sanding in BTM and a good video on surface changes while bowling on Jayhawks website. Bottom line, if you use surface, and are serious about it, you gotta touch up every set

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    Quote Originally Posted by Davidjr113 View Post
    a good video on surface changes while bowling on Jayhawks website.
    Here you go

    Right handed Stroker, high track ,about 13 degree axis tilt. PAP is located 5 9/16” over 1 3/4” up.Speed ave. about 14 mph at the pins. Medium rev’s.High Game 300, High series 798

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    So... it sounds like polished balls will get rougher, and dull balls will get shiny.

    Are they drawn toward some kind of midpoint? Is there a certain roughness after say, 1000 games that every ball will end up with?

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    Quote Originally Posted by GrumpyCatFace View Post
    So... it sounds like polished balls will get rougher, and dull balls will get shiny.
    Yes.

    Are they drawn toward some kind of midpoint? Is there a certain roughness after say, 1000 games that every ball will end up with?
    Yes.

    All ball surfaces will change with use, polished balls will get duller and dull balls will shine up.

    The old general rule of thumb was that the balls surface would wind up about a 600 US grit surface, given if you never resanded.

    Now this was more when it was mostly wood lanes, because they have a lot more surface texture than synthetic lanes.

    Now this changed over time to about 800 grit (which is about 1500- 2000 Fepa). Do to the synthetic lane surfaces and the change of coverstock materials.

    One thing to remember also is that 1500-2000 grit is just a approximation, a general rule of thumb. Coverstock make up, Lane type, oil conditions etc. will affect what it really is, there could be a big variance +/- on that 2000 grit.

    Right handed Stroker, high track ,about 13 degree axis tilt. PAP is located 5 9/16” over 1 3/4” up.Speed ave. about 14 mph at the pins. Medium rev’s.High Game 300, High series 798

    "Talent without training is nothing." Luke Skywalker

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    Quote Originally Posted by Amyers View Post
    You'd have to be taking off a crazy amount to remove badges or serials if that's happening find someone else to do your resurfacing.

    I've had balls I've resurfaced completely 5-10 times and the labels and serials still looked fine.
    I had my equipment stolen out of my car years ago. As it turned out it was some neighborhood kids that broke in, took my stereo and a couple other things. Later I found the balls in the field near my place so they apparently just bowled them down the street. One of them was pretty severe, I had it resurfaced and it was saved but a LOT of surface had to be taken off to fix it. The badges were barely there. One more resurface they'd have been gone.

    I've seen a few like that donated on the house ball racks. So, I did get all the balls back that were stolen and they were all usable with a little work. Never seen the stereo and other stuff again of course and had glass cubes in the car forever. No matter how hard you try you never get it all.
    Bowling Center Manager
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    Currently 535+ Rev Rate @ 19 MPH (This probably needs to be updated, I think I've toned each down a click or two these days. I'm letting the ball do more of the work as I get older.)

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    I just took a clinic with monacelli and he said all pros keep one in their bag.i never tried one before. He did my pearl ball and sure enough the next ball was a strike then I said..so you turned my pearl into a solid? I also have a solid ball..he said ok now you have two balls that will strike...so..I was a little stumped by the need to resurface it...

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