This video shows the difference in how surface change impacts different types of bowling ball coverstocks. Here we have two different urethane balls . For more information check out ctdbowling.com
Conventional vs. Modern Urethane (reactive) Bowling Ball Surfacing
Thanks for this video Ronald! Question about a Hammer Purple Urethane – is that closer to a conventional urethane like the Hammer in your video or modern urethane like the Storm Pitch Black?
Hammer in the video
Purple is also Conventional Urethane
@Ronald Hickland Jr so what are the hot cell and the black widow urethane
@déjá bowler Both are conventional Urethane
@Ronald Hickland Jr thx
Thanks for this video Ron. I’m thinking about experimenting with replacing my plastic spare ball with a polished Pitch Black for spares and strike ball when needed. Is the TruCut 1500/3000/P5000D process better than using the Storm Step Two polish process?
@Robert C. I do have a spinner. I like using my plastic ball, but I want to cut down on the number of balls I carry. I’m thinking that if I can pick up that 10 pin with the shined Pitch Black consistently, I’ll start using that ball for spares, but be ready for shorter patterns and drier conditions.
Robert Hill I would think you might be better with more surface on the ball then. So it doesn’t skid further and “snap” more on the dry. It s urethane so it shouldn’t snap too much either way though.
If you are using a spinner either process works the Step 2 on a spinner will be faster for sure.
@Ronald Hickland Jr I’ll be trying both processes to find which shape I prefer. I certainly don’t want any snapping backend. Thanks y’all 🎳
Ok maybe I just need to change the surface on my pitch black but mine doesn’t hook at all I certainly wouldn’t want to polish then it really wouldn’t hook for strikes but I’m worried if I put surface on it then I won’t be able to pick up my 10 pins with it
What is the reason for it being so different, is there a lot of change in the surface structure?
They have very different chemical components that make them behave differently to surface.
Ronald Hickland Jr thank you
Very informative video like always
Can you do a deep dive into what causes a sanded ball to appear dull, and a polished ball to appear shiny.
Then follow that with how those differences effect the ball as it traveled down the lane.
Does changing the surface effect how the ball reads the pattern/lane.
What effect does reading early vs late have on ball motion.
Ok maybe it will take more than one video, but think of it as ideas for chapters in your library.
We can explore this more for sure thanks for the ideas.
Don’t see the purpose of this video. I could understand better if you were comparing reaction on the lanes.
Not ever person learns the same. We use different techniques to educate. The point here is not all urethane balls are the same. We use a visual cue to express that. We will have more videos on this topic.
I’m confused, both of those balls are modern solid cover urethane. Storm Pitch Black and the Hammer Black urethane or did I miss something?
They are completely different chemistries. The modern ball has plasticizer in it whereas the conventional one doesn’t.
Part of the difference is manifested in how they behave to surface manipulation, which is what the video is showing. Basically not all urethane balls are the same.
What are you defining as “conventional urethane”?
The video is showing surface manipulation as a defining character difference. The reality is they are completely different chemistries. The modern ball has plasticizer in it whereas the conventional one does not. So essentially Plasticizer makes it modern vs conventional.
Isn’t the “conventional” urethane just a modern day black hammer urethane?
@thegambler93 yes
Modern urethanes like the Pitch Black, Fever Pitch and DV8 Tactic Control are not pure urethane but have reactive resins in them and that is why they can polish up like Ron is showing.
Black Hammer, Purple Hammer and Black Widow Urethane are modern formulations of pure urethane, and this makes the modern hammer urethane balls much stronger urethane formulations than their vintage counter parts used in the old days with the Faball’s. This is why they don’t polish up well.
True Motion uses the old Rhino urethane and is pretty weak on modern oils.
Purple Hammer has the strongest coverstock of modern urethane balls, though Black Widow can out hook it because it has that huge Gasmask core in it and the Purple has a very weak control core in it.
I bought a Hammer Purple Urethane last year and its my go to ball now, first out the bag. Feels weird throwing reactive now. It can go straight at the 10 pin or curve for a strike.
I have the blue hammer and it is my main ball on fairly dry wood lanes. Works good right down board 5 left side.
I’m in a tight spot, I have the Black Widow Urethane which is the only urethane I have and I’m planning to get a regular urethane since I don’t have one. Either I go for the Storm Pitch Black or Hammer Black Urethane.
One question, what about oil absorption between the modern and conventional urethane? I just want to know before I pick either Pitch Black or Hammer Black to make sure which one is more true urethane and which absorbs oil the least.
The hammer is a pure urethane and doesn’t absorb oil.
Ronald Hickland Jr Thank you so much! Also, I wonder which urethane would hook more, Pitch Black or Hammer? Or are they almost the same? And what about lane shine between the Pitch Black and Hammer urethane?
@Hal Esposito the Pitch Black hooks more. Lane shine is a function of surface. So as long as you have the Sanding pads available both balls are about the same.
Why polish a urethane?
Very interesting video! I’ve had issues with pitch black (yes ik) absorbing oil.
Check my channel I have a conventional vs modern urethane video you may find interesting
@Ronald Hickland Jr I love my purple hammer, but Brunswick bought hammer out :/
Also I can’t find the other video.
Do all modern urethanes have some pearl in their coverstock? Or is that exclusive to the Hammer Purple Pearl?
Some have Pearl and some are solid. The new Purple hammer is a conventional urethane.
Storm had the Nature solid and Pearl and I believe the Pitch blue was a pearl as well.
Some have pearl some don’t
So, to clarify, what you are saying is that the modern urethane ball has a softer (lower durometer) shell while the conventional urethane has a harder (higher durometer) shell?
No a “modern” urethane ball is actually reactive because it has plasticizer in it….just like every other reactive ball. Conventional urethane balls do not. That is the difference.
@Ronald Hickland Jr Ahhhh…and that is what allows it to polish up like a reactive ball? Makes sense.
I have an old AMF Angle Plus urethane that has deep grooves in it cut by the manufacturing sander when they made it.
It has tons of games on it, yet, it has never lane shined up, the grooves are still there. The ball is only slightly scuffed in the track area.
So I have a question if i eat a chicken nugget what happens?
I have a few old urethane balls in my yard. They are surprisingly still in good shape. It’s crazy to me that the new balls are not even close to being that durable
Get a foot switch for your spinner, speeds things up if you’re busy. The old Ebonite blue Nitro urethane by far had the toughest, most difficult shell to sand/polish I ever saw come through the shop.