I need an expert opinion??

[azsouthpaw]

Hi All,
I am new to the board, but not so much with the hammer.
I have been out of sanctioned league bowling for a few years and I am looking to get back into it.
I am thinking about update my arsenal to the new products, I currently have:
The Purple Hammer-16#
The Red Hammer-15#
The Nail-15#
(I think they were called faballs)
I use the Nail for spares and very dry conditions and had good luck with it
I am thinking on a four ball arsenal (16#)
I do not know what my ball speed or revolution is and I am not sure of the drilling specs. I am not up on all the technical info. I can tell you I am left handed with some natural hook plus I use the scorpion (sp.) wrist aid, it has the index finger. Also when using the purple I would stand 1 to 4 boards right of the center dot and throw to the first arrow (5 board). I was carrying around a 180 avg. with a high games in the 250's and (1) 700+ series.
Any help would appreciated

[blistershurt]

You would want to look into getting a Toxic or an Anger depending on how much hook you want out of the ball and your home lanes lane conditions

[Stampy79]

4 ball arsenal : If you want to use all Hammer. This is what I have seen so far

No Mercy Beat'n
Black Widow
Black Widow Pearl
Cherry Vibe

If you want to mix and match:

Columbia Resurgence
No Mercy Beat'n
Total Inferno
Cherry Vibe


Just my opinion and it may not be professional enough for you

[bluerrpilot]

Where in AZ are you southpaw? Since I live here as well, I might know where you bowl and can give you an idea of what works good at a particular house or houses

[idlehourlegend]

I like Stampys Hammer Lineup, But ILL just give you a few other options

Heavy oil- No mercy beat'n.BWS(drilled strong), Raw Anger (awesome ball)
Medium oil- BWP, TOXIC, DOOM,
Light- CV or one of the older faballs that you have

[WAL]

BWP
BWS
NM Beat'n
Toxic

[azsouthpaw]

Thanks for all the info.
I was close to some of you I was thinking
No Mercy Beatn
BW
BWP
& either the Blue Vibe or Anger


Pilot - I'm in East Mesa


Also can someone explain what Pin Placement and Top Weight are, I was on a web site that asked for them when ordering?

Thanks Everyone

[idlehourlegend]

Yea thats a good lineup but you still need a light oil ball unless you want to use one of your faballs for that. The Anger is a great ball and hooks a lot, and so does the BV.

[bluerrpilot]

Pilot - I'm in East Mesa


Also can someone explain what Pin Placement and Top Weight are, I was on a web site that asked for them when ordering?

Thanks Everyone


Well that means you probably bowl at AMF Apache, AMF Mesa or Mesa East Bowl. If you bowl standard league at those houses you will find the Anger and No Mercy are too strong and there’s not enough oil for them. Your best bet if you want a 4 ball lineup is BW, BWP, Doom or Toxic and Cherry Vibe. An Anger will fit if you keep it polished.

Pin and top weights when ordering are the distance the pin is from the center of gravity and the amount of weight in the top of the ball. Those can be important when determining what you want the ball to do and how you want it layed out.

[azsouthpaw]

Bluerrpilot

Actually the main house I bowled at was the Bruinswick Mesa on Dobson & Southern

[bluerrpilot]

Oh I figured you would be further out than that. Pretty much the same anywhere here in AZ with the exception of a few places that have alot of seniors bowling. They dont like to use much oil out here. My Anger and No Mercys dont see much use. Unless there is PLENTY of head oil. If you really want one of those heavier oil balls though, you will like the Anger.

[azsouthpaw]

Bluerrpilot
I actually I'm farther out than that, I'm at Greenfield, where as those houses you mentioned are closer, but when I was going there I was closer.

Also thanks for all the info. on AZ lanes, so would a good choice than be:
BW
BWP
Anger
CVibe

Thanks

[idlehourlegend]

Yes that would be very good.

[bluerrpilot]

Bluerrpilot
I actually I'm farther out than that, I'm at Greenfield, where as those houses you mentioned are closer, but when I was going there I was closer.

Also thanks for all the info. on AZ lanes, so would a good choice than be:
BW
BWP
Anger
CVibe

Thanks

Yes, I think you will like that. Have you been to the Zone XL in Gilbert?

[azsouthpaw]

Yes, I think you will like that. Have you been to the Zone XL in Gilbert?

No is that a good house

[BubbaRay]

Thanks for all the info.


Also can someone explain what Pin Placement and Top Weight are, I was on a web site that asked for them when ordering?

Thanks Everyone

My suggestion on a Hammer ball arsenal is this.

No Mercy Beat'n OOB finish drilled Length with agressive backend.

Black Widow Solid drilled strong .

Cherry Vibe for the drier conditions drilled for length.

Black Widow Pearl for med oil pattern with either OOB finish drilled skid/flip or a strong layout.

Raw ANger for the heavy oil pattern. this ball is fantastic. Drill for length and backend.

Now for the Pin placement and Mass bias take a look here -------->


Here's something I posted a while back, I hope this helps,,,,,,,,,,,,,

When drilling a bowling ball, there are generally three points on the ball that will influence the reaction of the ball after drilling. They are the Locator Pin (Pin), the Center of Gravity (CG) and the Mass Bias (MB). You will also need to know the location of your Positive Axis Point (PAP) and the general location of your track (the first flare) on the ball. As a general rule of thumb (well, in my opinion anyway), the pin position controls what the ball does for the first 40 feet of the lane and the MB position controls what the ball does on the last 20 feet of the lane. These two factors combined with the surface preparation of the ball (dull, shiny, grit sandpaper or polish used) will control most of the ball's reaction.


Center of Gravity

We will start with the Center of Gravity, because it is the easiest to understand. First off, the static weights resulting from CG placement only control about 5-10% of a ball's reaction. This number used to be much greater, however, the dynamics of bowling ball cores and the friction generated by new ball coverstocks have given much more precedence to core positioning and surface than ever before.

The CG is usually marked on the ball with a mark, Underneath this mark, there are a couple of extra ounces of weight to make up for the roughly 2.5 ounces that are removed during drilling. This way, the ball retains its balance and doesn't wobble down the lane because of the top of the ball being lighter than the bottom of the ball. However, over the years bowlers realized that they could drill the holes on other places on the ball thereby shifting the CG to the side. This changes the reaction characteristics because now one side of the ball is heavier than the other side, so the ball will want to lean more in that direction.

There are six (6) types of static weights that result from shifting the location of the CG away from the center of your grip:

Positive Side Weight
Negative Side Weight
Finger Weight
Thumb Weight
Top Weight
Bottom Weight

Positive/Negative Side Weight

Positive side weight means that the CG is shifted towards the side of the ball that is hooking into the pins. If you're right-handed and throw a hook, it's the right side of the ball as you look at your grip with the fingerholes up and thumbhole down. It is also the opposite side of your ball from where your track is. This is the side of the ball where your PAP is located.

Positive and negative side weights have effects on when and how much the ball will hook. A ball with positive side weight will hook later and hook more. A ball with negative side weight will hook sooner and hook less.

USBC regulations place a limit of one ounce of side weight, either positive or negative. This is measured by weighing the ball on a "dodo scale." You compare the weight with the ball facing in one direction to the weight with the ball facing in the other direction. The center of the grip faces up and for one measurement, the fingers are above the thumbhole and for the other measurement, the thumbhole is above the fingerholes .

Finger/Thumb weight

Finger and thumb weight mean the CG is shifted up or down towards the finger or thumb holes. Finger weight will make the ball go longer down the lane and have a snappier backend reaction. Thumb weight makes the ball roll sooner and have more of a smoother arc when it starts to hook.

USBC regulations place a limit of no more than one ounce of finger or thumb weight. Again, this is measured on a dodo scale by comparing two sides of the ball. The center of the grip again faces up, but this time, the finger holes face left on one measurement and right on the other measurement .

Top/Bottom Weight
Top weight has a similar effect as finger weight: the ball will go longer down the lane and snap a bit more on the backend. Likewise, bottom weight is like thumb weight in that it makes the ball roll earlier and arc more.

Unlike other static weights, regulations allow up to 3 ounces of either top or bottom weight. This is measured on the dodo scale by comparing the drilled side of the ball (top) to the non-drilled (bottom) side of the ball.

Top and bottom weight are not necessarily caused by shifting the CG away from the center of your grip. They are more a result of how much extra weight the manufacturer placed in one side of the ball and how much weight is removed from that side during drilling. However, you can alter top weight and bottom weight by shifting the CG. Because top/bottom weight are measured by comparing the grip side of the ball (the top) to the non-grip side (the bottom), if you shift the CG away from the center of the grip, you are moving it around the the ball towards the bottom. You would be removing top weight (and/or adding bottom weight depending on how you look at it) by shifting the CG. Therefore, the most top weight you can have in any particular ball after drilling (and before drilling any extra holes) would be if the CG is directly in the center of the grip.


Locator Pin Position

When balls are manufactured, the core of the ball is suspended in the mold by a plastic colored rod. The coverstock is then poured around the core. The plastic rod is then sliced off at the ball, leaving a bright colored dot on the balls surface about one-half inch in diameter. This dot is referred to as the Locator Pin, or just the "pin," and represents the location of the center of the core. By putting this pin in different positions when drilling a ball, you can achieve different ball reactions because the core will be aligned and will rotate in a different way. As stated at the beginning , the location of the pin controls what the ball does in roughly the first 40 feet of the lane. It controls when the ball will change direction, how much the ball will flare and how much hook potential it will have when it does change direction.

There are generally four directions you can place the pin: high, low, towards the PAP and towards the track, or combinations thereof.

High pin position

A "high" pin position means that the pin is located up towards the top of the ball. The higher the pin is placed, the longer the ball will go down the lane before it changes direction. One must be careful, for if the pin is placed too high, the ball will go too long and will change direction too late, if at all.

Low pin position

A pin located towards the midline (horizontal line midway between thumb and fingerholes - use to locate PAP), or even lower, will make the ball change direction earlier. It is also important to note that if the pin is placed too low, the ball might flare or track over the middle finger. There is something called "the safe zone" which is located above an imaginary line from the PAP to the middle finger. If the pin is placed below this line, there is the danger of the flare hitting the middle finger. If the pin is above this line, the ball is "safe" from this result. Generally, this is only a problem for higher-track players and for high flare potential bowling balls.

Pin towards the PAP

The closer the pin is placed to the bowler's positive axis point, the earlier the ball will change direction. Please note this does NOT necessarily mean the ball will hook more - only earlier. There are ways to drill balls involving this method where balls will change direction earlier than most other equipment, but cover less total boards than most other equipment.

Also, a pin on the PAP will generally make the ball have zero flare potential. This is because the core is in a very stable position. Flare is caused by the core "realigning" itself in order to find a stable position to roll in. A ball with the pin on the axis means that the core is laying exactly on its side and rolling much like a rolling pin that a chef would use to flatten out dough. Again, this is a very stable position so the core has no work to do to find stability.

Pin towards the track

The closer the pin is placed to the bowler's track, the later the ball will change direction. This is essentially the opposite of the previous description of the pin near the PAP regarding when the ball will hook.

However, this is very much like the pin towards the PAP regarding flare potential. Pin on the track is also a very stable position. The core is standing straight up and down relative to the axis on which it is rotating. Because of this stability, the ball again will not flare much because it has no reason to find a more stable position...it is already in a very stable position.

[bluerrpilot]

No is that a good house I havent bowled there yet but its a pretty sweet looking house.

[azsouthpaw]

I havent bowled there yet but its a pretty sweet looking house.

That must be a new house because I'm in that area quiet often

You ever eat at the Farmhouse or Joe's BarbQ

Also have you ever heard of the Strike force tour tournaments and if they are still around

[bluerrpilot]

That must be a new house because I'm in that area quiet often

You ever eat at the Farmhouse or Joe's BarbQ

Also have you ever heard of the Strike force tour tournaments and if they are still around

Yes, its pretty new. Its behind Bostons Pizza to the left of the roundabout. No I have not eaten at those places. I live on the West side of town. But I have been Vitos Pizza in Mesa.

Ya, Strike force is still around. Here is a link http://www.strikeforcetour.com/strikeforce/webdefault.asp

There is a better one called AZbowlersclub. More games, better format, one day, nice people, and very well run.http://www.azbowlersclub.net/

And if you want scratch then theres ACBA http://www.azbowling.com/

[azsouthpaw]

Yes, its pretty new. Its behind Bostons Pizza to the left of the roundabout. No I have not eaten at those places. I live on the West side of town. But I have been Vitos Pizza in Mesa.

Ya, Strike force is still around. Here is a link http://www.strikeforcetour.com/strikeforce/webdefault.asp

There is a better one called AZbowlersclub. More games, better format, one day, nice people, and very well run.http://www.azbowlersclub.net/

And if you want scratch then theres ACBA http://www.azbowling.com/

Thanks for the web sites I tried looking for them and got everything but them

Ya, Vitos usually is pretty good

[azsouthpaw]

http://www.hammerbowling.com/tech_info/info.php

In the Tech Info. it has a hook & length (1-60) chart for all the balls does that mean how many feet or is it high to low rating????????
Also what does RG & Diff stand for

Thanks for all your help

I'm hopeing Christmas bonus is good this year so I can update my arsenal

[azsouthpaw]

Can anyone tell me where I can find an arc chart comparing the hammers, I saw one somewhere but can't find it now

Thanks

[bluerrpilot]

Can anyone tell me where I can find an arc chart comparing the hammers, I saw one somewhere but can't find it now

Thanks


your better off getting opinions from people that have thrown them before

[blistershurt]

if you want an arcing ball, the best one in the Hammer arsenal is the Anger. You could layout anything else to do this though.

[TenPinSniper]

Did someone say BBQ? :p

You might get 1 or 2 balls now and see what happens between now and Feburary... rumor has it there might be a new additon to the Hammer lineup . Plus a new spare ball comming out in Dec as we know.

[BubbaRay]

Can anyone tell me where I can find an arc chart comparing the hammers, I saw one somewhere but can't find it now

Thanks


Here ya go az,,,,,,,, Just click on the ball you want to look at the chart for,,,,,,
http://www.hammerbowling.com/trade/index.php

[istrike300]

Obviously Bubbaray has tons of info that was posted. This can help almost everyone. My suggestion is to study all this info, come up with a plan of your own, visit your local Pro Shop with these ideas and compare notes after he/she watches you throw for a while. I have thrown exclusively Hammer for three years (amatuer staff) and would wish for no other options. HAMMER has the best lineup in the game. Use your local resources for technical advice and good luck!!

[azsouthpaw]

Hi Everyone, i wanted to give you all an update and Thank you all again for your help. I was able to get a hold of an old bowling friend who is the secretary of a Thursday night men's league to see if he had any opening at that time he didn't but took my number. He called me the next week and said someone had quit, he held the spot for me since I couldn't make it that week.

So the first week I used my Faball Purple Hammer, well being out of league for several years and this being the same house I used to bowl at. I was surprised when I walked into the place it had been all remodeled and the wood lanes replaced with synthetic lanes. I found that I didn't get as much of a hook with this and a little out of practice, I actually didn't do too bad, I had 185, 146, 214 for a total of 545. The second game I didn't adjust quick enough and a little fatigued.

Before the second week I went to a local pro shop that I had already gone into to get some info. and ordered a BWP and an Anger. They ended up having to order the Anger after saying they had one in stock. But they were able to get the BWP measured and drilled for me to use. So with no practice with it before league I used it the whole nite to get use to it. Big difference I ended up throwing 226, 182, 192 for a 600. Nice ball.

The Pro shop called me Monday which was the 31st and said well since it is close to my work and I live cross town I waited and picked it up on Wed. The owner had to apologize for his assistant put the wrong initals on ball and could fix it but it would take a couple days. Well I told him that I would take it and try it out and bring it back Friday to fix it. Well before league started I had gotten some info from one of the fellow bowlers that is pretty good,and found out that the house oil is usually light to medium. I went and used the Anger anyways because I wanted to see what it did. Well all I can say is wow - 223, 268, 224 for a 715. That was my all time high game and series. The first game started 8/ 9/ then 5 X's only open was the 10th. The second I started with 7 X's 9/(ringing 10), 9/ (solid 7) XXX. All I can say is I think I am going to like these new balls.

Still to come is most likely the CV and some sort of spare ball (got my eye on one on Ebay) I may add to that down the road but I think that be good for now, also I decided to go with 15#. Sorry this turned out to be a novel

Arsenal
BWP
Anger

Faball Purple H (soon to be retired)
Faball Red H (retired)
Faball Nail (soon to be retired)