Expert: Russ King - 7/29/2007

Question
HI Russ-
Please explain the different oil conditions. (not the patterns, eg shark, viper, etc) light vs medium vs heavy.  e.g.,viscosity?

Length of oil pattern? how is it tied into the light medium and heaviness of the oil?
Reason is I want buy some needed equipment and don't want 2 balls for medium oil and have nothing for heavy oil.  and I don't want spend time or additionial money having the ball sanded.

thank you.

Kevin

thanks Kevin

Answer
As for viscosity , the newer oil machines have fine spray patterns on them so the oil is a thinner oil.In the old days there was 501 & 511 like 10w-30 & 10w-40.Now it seems like for every companies oil machine, they make a special oil for that machine.
 It also has to do with the different types of lanes. You are not just dealing with only wood. Now you have to deal with many different manufactured synthetics.Each synthetic from different manufacturers are different. The poar configureation & sizes are very different.Also the weather/humidity has a lot to do with it.Weather thins out the conditioner.
The balls like particles soak up the oil as soon as it comes in contact with it.The reactives don't soak it up as much as particle but manages to soak up some & push it around crating a funnel type of pattern break down.
I believe the oil patterns are shorter than the old days because of this breakdown in lane condtions.If the carrydown reached the machines, the machines would not be able to return the balls & the pits would soak up the oil & coat the pins.I used to bowl on 45-50" patterns. Now the longest is 43" & few over 38".
 As the softer balls reach the break point,they need dry to react to their descriptions.A softer ball will try to hook way sooner than the urethanes,plastics & rubber.This is why the shot not just moves but dissapears.They(particle,reactives) won't hook on oil at all.
>>>>>>YOU ARE CUTTING OUT THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE EQUASION ( CHANGING THE SURFACES!).<<<<<<<<<<<<
Theres the pin #1 & surfaces #2!!! If you really want to be a strong bowler, you have to be versital & make your equipment versital.Or you can carry 40 balls in your 18 wheeler.

 All manufacturers ( you know them ) have very different forms of rating their equipment.There is no universal rating system!!They just give a form or referance to the common traits of the ball.Weights,pins,surfaces & mainly your personal style has a lot to do with performance.
 A ball out of box with no changes is like bald tires. There ok on dry roads but, wet they skid & in snow they just make slush.They have many different treads for different conditions.Changing the surfaces of the ball will fit the ball to your style for the certain conditions.There is absolutely no guarrenty on how it will work for your certain style.MOST PBA BOWLERS DO SURFACES!!!I can hit the pocket with any ball. I have to customize the ball to constantly carry strikes.
 Getting back to oil patterns,
   there are so many variables such as  patterns,oil viscosity,weather,speeds,roll,surfaces,lift,other balls crossing your line,carrydown & a few others.If you want just that out of box surface,you have to adjust to the lanes & ball.Each different type of oil pattern is for a cretain type of line you WILL have to play.One is for a down & in shot & another for hooking around trees.
 I bet you didn't know this,
  the new machines can run what is called an OVERLAY.This is where the machine runs a pattern on the first run & on the second run puts down a completely different pattern.As the lanes break down usually after 7 frames with 2-5 member teams on that pair of lanes the shot dissapears & turns into another type of shot.This is why bowlers that never move/change bowl 160,260,145.
 A BALL SPINNER WITH MANY GRITS OF WET/DRY SAND PAPER IS A BOWLERS BEST FRIEND.
 WAIT UNTIL YOU GET A PARTICLE. YOU HAVE TO CLEAN IT EVERY 5-15 GAMES WITH EXPENSIVE CLEANERS.