Ball death survey

[litefrozen]

I see more people now complaining about how thier balls stop performing.
A post in another forum recently had the poster say how great a ball they had was,but it was dead after 30 games.

It use to be about 100 games before talk of a ball being dead.
So thought a small survey would be nice. To see what the trend is.

Dont forget to vote in the poll! we've had alot of views but only 3 votes!

[BowlingTracker]

Well.. I have one ball that only got better with time.. The Apex Infinity is the best ball i've ever had. I'm convinced that the reason it's so consistant now is because it's no longer round. lol

I used the apex for a couple of years before it started "sweating" in hot weather. I recently got a Ebonite Infinate One that had already begun "sweating" after about 70-80 games. But about 30 of those games were on very heavy oil condition. It seems to have trouble in the backend now if there's a little bit more oil than normal.

I've always noticed that a brand new ball can be a bit erratic out of the box, but after about 10 games or so, they tame down a little and are much more consistant. This seems to apply to solid non-polished balls (2000 grit sand and lower). Pearlized balls seem to be a bit more consistant for me out of the box and don't change much.

I've never been very fond of pearlized balls, but am using a Radical Inferno right now that seems to be working for me on medium oil. Have about 16 games on it so far.. I'll come back and post again after about 80-100 games and let you know how it's going.

[litefrozen]

The only real trouble I had with ball death was several years ago with storm balls. They had a habit of bowling real good one week then the next week just quit working. Made me give up on them.

One of my favorites and still going strong is my Track EMB got it back when they came out. Only time it seemed weak was when I polished real high.

I felt the same way about new balls being "erratic out of the box" .
Thats why I think you should take a new ball and surface it some yourself before trying it. that way it has a surface you can replicate easy. Is hard to match that box condition, even when you use the same stuff as the factory. It will be a little different. Then react a little different.

[JoshuaArgenbright]

It depends on the lane conditions you bowl on. With me, I bowl in a house with VERY light oil, or very light-medium oil, my Elite that i have now, it's been thrown about 150 games now, and it's still doing alright. It's not the crusher it used to be, but still a good ball.

[BlackWidow95]

I'm not so sure that a ball can "DIE".. I think with proper maintanence a ball can live for a couple years..

[tenpinsniper]

I'm not so sure that a ball can "DIE".. I think with proper maintanence a ball can live for a couple years..

Tend to agree. Between the good cleaners, giving the ball a bath and Ebonites hook again. Still use my Vicious, because of follow these proper ball care procedures.

[BlackWidow95]

Tend to agree. Between the good cleaners, giving the ball a bath and Ebonites hook again. Still use my Vicious, because of follow these proper ball care procedures.

Nice seein you over here, TenPin.. Anyways hows that Ebonite Hook again work?? Never used it..

[tenpinsniper]

http://www.ebonite.com/products/accessories/hook_again/whyballsdie4.php

This is a good read. I just scanned it over.

Short version extracts oil and plastizers.

[litefrozen]

Short version extracts oil and plastizers.

That was interesting. I like the talk about plastizers.
When the talk about heating balls to get the oil out first started.
They said dont do it because it made the plastizers come out with the oil and the plastizers was what made the ball hook.Now its the plastizers that make it not hook.

One thing I never saw a company do was. Take a oil soaked ball and heat extract the oil out. Then analyze the liquid and post what they found in it.

I see they have a new oil remover machine the "Revivor Oil Extraction Unit" now out.

[tenpinsniper]

Personally, I have heating or baking the ball can crack the coverstock or cause the core and coverstock to separate.

Dont think I want extreme heat or cold around my equipment. When I have put two of my balls and one of my wifes in the hook again system, total of four times used. It works great, what it does not really sure. Would love to know the whole deal.
Here is the way I look at from the money stand point.
Bag: 125-150 (3-ball) Would like a in-line four ball bag.
Balls: 220, 150, 65. 180 in a tote.
Shoes: 150
Tool kit: 30-60
Generally other stuff, towels, wrister... 40-60
(Have ten balls, some I consider worth their weight in gold.)
So leave approx. 1k worth of equipment outside in the car in hot or cold weather, not happening if I have a choice or say. Just Image what I take to a tournament.

[60+bowler]

Ball Death Survey

I think the death or the lack of the balls original breaking has alot to do with the ball maintance. I have balls that are more than 7 or 8 years old with several hundred games on them. They still work. No they don't break as much as the new balls being made today, but when you find those conditions where it is just bone dry or the heads are fried. These are the balls that I go to.