does anyone here drill their own balls?

[Dado]

i want to broaden my arsenal, but with ball prices lately i cant afford it...

if i could drill my own balls that would make it alot cheaper.

i have a suitable drill press and bits. what i really need to know is the procedures and special tools required to drill a ball...

[TenPinSniper]

Questions about your drill press? does it allow you to add pitch front to back and side to side? If no, then I would not even consider it drilling my own stuff. Does it have some sort of jig to hold the ball solid?

Think these are question you have to ask yourself before you proceed.

[Street Racer]

i'm not gamed enough at my age to touch a drill press... i will work out my own thumbs etc but thats about it

[Dado]

Questions about your drill press? does it allow you to add pitch front to back and side to side? If no, then I would not even consider it drilling my own stuff. Does it have some sort of jig to hold the ball solid?

Think these are question you have to ask yourself before you proceed.

are you talking about the actual drill tilting? or the work plane?

i would obviously have to get a ball vise.

[TenPinSniper]

My guess would be the work plane. My proshop guy has digital readouts telling him exactly which way pitching the holes.

[BubbaRay]

Drilling a ball is not as easy as it sounds. First some of the equipment you will need are these pictured below. I would look attend a ball drilling seminar first. These seminars are excellent as they teach you the technical aspects of ball drilling and laying out the ball. Otherwise you could ruin an expensive ball.

Basic 3 Point Ball Jig
http://www.ultimatebowling.com/images/3pointjig.jpg

Drill Bits
http://www.ultimatebowling.com/images/drillbits.jpg


Kaufman Ball Balancing Scale
http://www.ultimatebowling.com/images/kaufmanscale.jpg

Clear Plexiglass Quarter Scale
http://www.ultimatebowling.com/images/clearquarterscale.jpg

Not to mention you will need a bevel sander, Pitch Gauge set ,and a few other tools.

[bluerrpilot]

I do... but I work part time/occassionally in a proshop. Like Bubba said there are alot of small things that youmight not think of right away. If you have the tools then all that is needed is a mill/drill that allows the tables to move in each direction

[Rowdy]

I don't do the drilling,I leave that to the guy with 40 years expierience. But I do lay the ball out. When I give it to him it's already marked where to drill it. He knows all my specs,has them on file,so the thumb pitch and things like that come out fine.