Proper Ball Maintenance: Keys to Better Bowling
Part 4: Using Ball Spinner to Create or Alter Surface.
The processes of creating or adjusting a bowling ball’s surface are performed using a Bowling Ball Spinner. Innovative Bowling Products manufactures several different ball spinners that are classified as either professional or personal models. Professional models are built heavily enough to meet the near-constant use of high-volume pro shops. These are available as either High-Speed or Two-Speed units. Either will do the job well but it is believed that the lower speed of a two-speed unit will “cut” faster when using sanding pads, while higher speed units will “polish” faster when applying ball polishes. Either unit will work just fine when properly understood and used in conjunction with “skilled” hands. Personal models are single speed units in either 1/3 HP BallSpinner or ½ HP BallSpinner, they are not quite as heavily built as are professional models, but they are still more equipment than what is needed by most individuals and small volume pro shops.
Skilled and experienced hands know the proper force to evenly apply to the quickly rotating bowling ball. Unskilled hands, when using the lower numbered sanding pads, can very quickly and easily cut a flat spot on a bowling ball. Especially when working the surface of a plugged hole. To avoid creating flat spots on balls, we created our 5” Sanding Block. The inside of these are contoured to the same radius of a bowling ball. This equally spreads hand pressure across 5” of the ball’s surface which greatly reduces the opportunities of creating flat spots on a ball.
Sanding Blocks fit nicely in the palm of your hand and the underside has a hook and loop texture that keeps sanding pads secure between the pad and your rotating ball. Using only your hand without a sanding block, it is easy to focus too much pressure in a small and tight diameter which is where flat spots come from. The 5” size spreads out applied pressure over a large diameter of the ball which greatly reduces the opportunity to create flat spots.
When working above finger holes, remember that the space above a hole is a flat spot. Use caution when working the area of a hole because too much concentrated pressure will aways make flat spots bigger.
Innovative Bowling’s Haus Resurfacing Machines uses rigid diamond cutting wheels. The rigid cutting wheels skip over any flat spots and make a bowling ball “as round” or “rounder” than factory specifications. Any resurfacing machine that does not use a rigid cutting tool is just like unskilled hands on a ball spinner: they make flat spots bigger.
Since wet and rapidly spinning bowling balls tend to be quite messy, we offer an optional Splash Guard. The Flowerpot Splash Guard simply snaps onto the base of our Personal Line of Ball Spinners and keeps the vast majority of the mess in the splash guard away from your clothing. The units can be used with our professional models, but they don’t fit the professional models quite as well since they were specifically made to go with our personal units.
In addition to your Ball Spinner and Splash Guard, you will need a supply of the appropriate grits of Vise Sanding Pads. Vise Sanding Pads are available in the following equivalent grits: 180, 360, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000. The appropriate supply of Vise Sanding Pads is dictated by your bowling style. Type 1 Bowlers (Rev Dominant) will likely never need to use 180, 360 or 500 grit Sanding Pads. While Type 5 Bowlers (Speed Dominant) will likely never need to use 2000, 3000 or 4000 grit Sanding Pads.
Until recently, we have had to “borrow” sanding pads from the automotive industry. The abrasive properties of automotive sanding pads are based upon aluminum oxide which has diminishing properties. If you are using a 500-grit automotive sanding pad, the harder you apply pressure and the longer you use it, the value of the grit equivalent will increase. A 500-grit automotive sanding pad can become 1000-grit equivalent, or higher. This will give you a finished surface that you are not expecting.
Vise Sanding Pads were developed specifically for resurfacing bowling balls. The abrasive properties of Vise Sanding Pads are not based upon aluminum oxide but rather a more natural and durable material. The abrasive properties of our Sanding Pads do not quickly diminish. Vise Sanding Pads will eventually wear but the integrity of the abrasive properties will last much longer than aluminum oxide.
Once you reach the desired the desired grit equivalent of the surface, you will also use your ball spinner to apply ball polish. But remember if you are a Speed dominant bowler (type 4 or 5) ball polish is not generally your friend and will not help you to be your best.
When using your ball spinner, use the ball’s finger holes to help you keep track of the orientation as you move through the processes (Fingers up – process, fingers down – process). Keep your sanding pads wet while using your ball spinner. Wet sanding pads will cool and lubricate the coverstock to avoid getting the cover too hot. The peaks and valleys of the coverstock are part of the technology put in place by the balls manufacturer and too much heat can alter those characteristics.
If you always start at the same place and proceed through the same sequence of events, you should always be able to recreate what you know works for you and avoid surfaces that do not. If you are Rev-Dominant player, begin a few grit values lower than where you wish to end. For example, if the desired surface when finished is 4000-grit, the first process is 1000-grit, next process is 2000-grit, then 3000-grit and finishing with 4000-grit. If you are a Speed Dominant player and you wish to use a finished surface of 500 grit. Begin with 360-grit, then go to 500- grit.
Keep in mind that going from a higher grit to a lower grit can be achieved in a single step (2000 grit to 1000 grit) but when going from a lower grit to a higher grit you need to work your way through the process of lower to higher grits, one grit at a time.