Strong ball, weak drill; Weak ball, strong drill

[grayfin68]

Can the bowling ball guru's step up and discuss the advantages/disadvantages of taking a weak ball and drilling it strong, and vice versa?

I can tell you that I have a weak ball (Dead Flush) drilled strong and I am absolutely enjoying that set up. I can use it on medium and dry lanes. It works well when I throw it hard or easy and is among the easiest balls to control that I've owned. Please don't give me a hard time about it not being a Hammer. The thread is more about the layouts than anything.

Thanks and I look forward to learning something.

[grayfin68]

Wow guys; I'm surprised nobody replied to this thread. I would think some of the more experienced guys like BubbaRay or Slap would have chimed in on this by now with some helpful information.

[Thepainscoming]

I think that the purpose for drilling a weak ball strong is that it'll will get down the lane pretty easy while giving a stronger reaction. It will have a clean reaction up front and save all the energy for the backend. Drilling a strong ball weak could be good for a down and in shot because most stronger balls are a little earlier so it wouldn't jump off the friction but wouldn't be too strong to play that far outside.

[bluerrpilot]

First, the Dead Flush is an awesome ball. You cannot argue with a core that’s been around for so long either.

A lot of people will say that the cover is responsible for 70% or better of a balls reaction. So if you take a strong covered ball, drill it tame or for control, your letting the cover do all the work. It makes for a very, very predictable ball. It’s similar for weak balls. Most weak stuff tends to be symmetric, which is very controllable by nature. Now drill it strong and you have a predictable roll in which the cover wont let it over-react.

[grayfin68]

First, the Dead Flush is an awesome ball. You cannot argue with a core that’s been around for so long either.

A lot of people will say that the cover is responsible for 70% or better of a balls reaction. So if you take a strong covered ball, drill it tame or for control, your letting the cover do all the work. It makes for a very, very predictable ball. It’s similar for weak balls. Most weak stuff tends to be symmetric, which is very controllable by nature. Now drill it strong and you have a predictable roll in which the cover wont let it over-react.

Yeah, I've been really impressed with the Dead Flush so far and the Resurgence is getting rave reviews around my lanes. So, I'm thinking about someday picking one up.

I guess the purpose for both cases is for control. The thing I like most about the Dead Flush is how controllable it is.

Last night, after league, I got to bowl on a fresh pattern that the lane manager put out which was basically a THS with more volume and less of a ratio. My BWB was killer on that pattern and much more controllable than on the standard THS. I was crushing the pocket. A group of us had four lanes with that pattern.

After the second game, I wanted to get a good comparison btw the BWB and the Dead Flush. There is a significant difference in reaction which is great because once the shot breaks down the Dead Flush just picks up the slack when my stronger stuff starts getting too jumpy on me. I even threw my Toxic for the last game and I'd say it's midway btw the BWB and Dead Flush. I played four games and averaged 208 which is pretty good considering I threw a gutter ball on hambone and a gutter ball on a spare in two of the games. My high was 232 and my low was 196. That was fun.

We also had two guys throw 300 on the same pair at the same time on the other 2 lanes next to mine.

[BubbaRay]

Sorry I haven't replied sooner on this I was out practicing on the US Open pattern.

Ok to the point at hand. You can drill a high Performance ball and a weaker cover ball to behave differently based on how you want them to react, like hooking more or less, or going longer or shorter down the lane. Alot of the Hammer line Balls are High Performance balls but for instance you cand drill a Black Widow Solid to react very strong and drill it differently to have it react more of a smooth arc. And you can drill a Cherry Vibe to be strong on the back end or drill it weak to play a much straighter line to the pocket. The purpose of this boils down to style and lane conditions .

Tony Reyes, at a Western Regional PBA Tournament once, had two BWS's on the pair and used both to shoot a 299. One was drilled strong to hook a bit more, and the other one was drilled weak to hook less.

[bluerrpilot]

Yeah, I've been really impressed with the Dead Flush so far and the Resurgence is getting rave reviews around my lanes. So, I'm thinking about someday picking one up.


The Resurgence needs plenty of oil. It rolls very early and very strong. The Momentum is pretty much a pearlized Resurgence and its really nice too. Long and strong. I'd even say its stronger than the BWP

[grayfin68]

The Resurgence needs plenty of oil. It rolls very early and very strong. The Momentum is pretty much a pearlized Resurgence and its really nice too. Long and strong. I'd even say its stronger than the BWP

Yeah, the Resurgence is supposed to be a good heavy oil ball but I see some very good bowlers using it on fresh THS conditions and having great success with it. I haven't heard as much rave about the Momentum but I haven't heard anything bad either.

I'm guessing that Ebonite is loving all of this talk about two of their brands on this thread, lol.

[Rowdy]

Wow guys; I'm surprised nobody replied to this thread. I would think some of the more experienced guys like BubbaRay or Slap would have chimed in on this by now with some helpful information.

I would have but I don't drill strong balls weak or weak balls strong. I only drill strong balls strong. And then I redrill some of them stronger. Less confusion that way.

[blistershurt]

One good reason to drill a strong ball weak would be if it took better surface changes than a weak ball, its more tweakable to what you want to throw on.

If you really want a very usable ball, drilling a weak ball strong will usually give you a good look for most of the house conditions you'd run into on a regular basis.

Basically, if you want options, go with a strong ball drilled weak that takes good surface adjustments, if you want a specific condition covered, go with a weak ball drilled strong.

[Street Racer]

well soon i am going to be putting a no flare drilling on hammers most underated ball(can anyone guess what ball)?

[idlehourlegend]

well soon i am going to be putting a no flare drilling on hammers most underated ball(can anyone guess what ball)?

Duh Cherry Vibe......I know you too well to miss that one.;)

[Street Racer]

Duh Cherry Vibe......I know you too well to miss that one.;)

we have a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

woo, that took forever to answer...

how do you think it will go?(cause i dont have a clue)

[bluerrpilot]

we have a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

woo, that took forever to answer...

how do you think it will go?(cause i dont have a clue)


You will get a ball thats very very sensitive to carry-down and misses inside.

[grayfin68]

I would have but I don't drill strong balls weak or weak balls strong. I only drill strong balls strong. And then I redrill some of them stronger. Less confusion that way.

Well, I know there's gotta be some good reasoning for it since pros do it. The lane manager at our center is the one who recommended me getting a strong drill on my Dead Flush. His point was that if I went with a weak drilling on a weak ball, it probably wouldn't do what I want it to. I was skeptical but he is a cranker with massive revs and and speed and drilled one the same way and by me being able to throw his on dry is what convinced me to listen to him.

[Rowdy]

Well, I know there's gotta be some good reasoning for it since pros do it. The lane manager at our center is the one who recommended me getting a strong drill on my Dead Flush. His point was that if I went with a weak drilling on a weak ball, it probably wouldn't do what I want it to. I was skeptical but he is a cranker with massive revs and and speed and drilled one the same way and by me being able to throw his on dry is what convinced me to listen to him.

I can throw a strong ball weak,but I can't throw a weak ball strong. It's all about getting the most out of the ball.

[slap]

Wow guys; I'm surprised nobody replied to this thread. I would think some of the more experienced guys like BubbaRay or Slap would have chimed in on this by now with some helpful information.

I saw this thread and totally forgot about it.

[bluerrpilot]

I also think if you had a strong covered ball drilled weak its more verstile than a weak ball drilled strong. You can adjust the cover on the strong ball to make it very weak. But its alot harder to do the same with a weak ball and make it very strong

[Street Racer]

You will get a ball thats very very sensitive to carry-down and misses inside.

so good for dry lanes, short patterns and clean backends!

good!

[acvar]

I have a cherry vibe with the pin right in the middle finger. For me that puts it right at 6'. It used to be drilled at 4' pin to pap. Neither drilling handled carrydown well. The new drilling has been a saviour on my Sunday league ever since the state tournament started and the lanes have been completely fried for the league. I can throw it for 1 or 2 games and get strong carry before I am forced to resort to throwing my white dot at the full deck.

[Street Racer]

hmm, my cherry was Pin to PAP 6 inchs... i could use it in the fresh......

[grayfin68]

I also think if you had a strong covered ball drilled weak its more verstile than a weak ball drilled strong. You can adjust the cover on the strong ball to make it very weak. But its alot harder to do the same with a weak ball and make it very strong

Well, I didn't buy my Dead Flush to be strong anyway, but if i wanted it stronger, I could always play with the cover, no?

[bluerrpilot]

Well, I didn't buy my Dead Flush to be strong anyway, but if i wanted it stronger, I could always play with the cover, no?


Absolutely...But lets say you had a Resurgence that was already stronger than a Wrath OOB. You could easily make it just as weak or weaker than the Wrath. At the same time still make it stronger than it was at OOB condition. As an example, if you drilled the Wrath as strong as possible and took the cover down to 500, yes it would be strong, but it would still not be as strong as the surge with a weaker drill and mild cover prep.

[grayfin68]

Absolutely...But lets say you had a Resurgence that was already stronger than a Wrath OOB. You could easily make it just as weak or weaker than the Wrath. At the same time still make it stronger than it was at OOB condition. As an example, if you drilled the Wrath as strong as possible and took the cover down to 500, yes it would be strong, but it would still not be as strong as the surge with a weaker drill and mild cover prep.

Yeah, what you are saying makes sense. I don't know if I'd want to get a strong ball and make it weak unless it was an extra ball that I didn't use much and just wanted to experiment. I'm glad I went with the strong layout on the Dead Flush though because it is really good on medium to dry.

If I want a really weak ball, I'll get a Scout. That ball has a reactive cover but only a pancake block.

[bluerrpilot]

You should deffinetly try it sometime. I have a black widow drilled weak and smooth. I can move way right and use the natural angle of the lane and it hits like a bomb went off. Because of the drill and surface, I can get an angle that I cant get with anything else. It kinda rolls like a smooth burgandy pure but hits like a black widow. :D

[acvar]

hmm, my cherry was Pin to PAP 6 inchs... i could use it in the fresh......

Yes, and I can play my vibe on fresh lanes also, but not on lanes with spotty backends. Also remember that my middle finger is drilled into the pin. That alters the RG differential.

[bluerrpilot]

Also remember that my middle finger is drilled into the pin. That alters the RG differential.

Any hole in a ball will alter the RG diff. Since the pin is only a core locator, how does that make it different ?