Ok! about time for another stupid Question

[GrandLeo]

<StupidQ'n>
What is a "known axis measurement"??
How does one obtain/determine thier axis measurement??
</StupidQ'n>

 

[jason_doust]

No such thing as a stupid question. Hope this isn't a stupid answer though...
This looks hard, but if you follow the steps, you'll see it's quite simple. Print this out to take to the bowl.
1. Axis of Rotation
Just in case. Your axis is the "axle", an imaginary line through the centre of the ball, about which the ball rotates. This line leaves the ball at two points, the Positive Axis Point (the one that faces toward you as the ball skids through the heads) and the Negative Axis Point. (Yep, the one on the other side.) Like the North and South Poles of our planet.
2. Axis Measurement
Your axis measurement usually refers to the distance from you Grip Centre (GC) to you Positive Axis Point (PAP). There's a couple of ways to get this. You can try the old and proven method of bowling a symmetrical core ball (a pancake block spare ball is perfect) and placing a piece of white tape about where you think the axis of rotation is and adjust it until the tape remains stationary down the lane. This can take a little while to sort out the first time - be patient. You must use a ball with no track flare for this to work.
Alternately, if you have access to a ball spinner, then you can place the ball with a fresh oil track in the spinner, so that the track is equally distant from the rim of the cup all the way around. Spin the ball gently around and adjust until it is spot on. The use a chinagraph pencil (like the pro shop guy uses - break it and he will kill you!) to mark the axis while the ball spins. You can test this by bowling the ball with a piece of tape on the axis point to see if you've hit the spot.
3. Measuring your axis point
OK, you're through the hard part and three lines from knowing the truth about your axis point.

1. Mark a line down the centre of your grip from the middle of your thumb hole through the centre of your bridge. This is called (not surprisingly) the grip centre line.
2. Mark a second line through the middle of the grip at right angles to the centre line toward your axis. This is called the midline.
3. Mark a third line at right angles to the midline, that goes through your Positive Axis Point. (This line probably has a name too, but who cares. Call it Fred.)
4. Measure the distance along the midline from the Grip Centre to the third line (Fred). This is your "across" distance. Then you measure the distance up (or down sometimes) to your Positive Axis Point. This is your "up" (or down) distance.

You now have a known axis measurement!
Write the measurements down! You sure don't want to do all that again!
Good luck with it. Any questions, feel free to ask.
Jason Doust