Cleaning & maintaining equipment...

[RobbieB]

I've been told someone down south did a study -- When bowling balls are subjected to a lot of heat, it's not just oil coming out of the ball, it's more resin based. He proved this by heating up a ball & retaining some of the moisture secreted from the ball, as well as literally scraping coverstock off another ball (same type), took the shavings & moisture to a university to get tested, showing that both substances were basically the same.
If this is true, then i wouldn't leave gear out in the sun, unless you want it to die quicker. "warm" soapy water would be the more appropriate method of deep cleaning, in my opinion.

Wow, I wonder who that could have been?
http://groups.google.com.au/group/a...d0829374f84c?hl=en&lnk=st&q=#29aed0829374f84c
About 6 posts down.
Adrian, I can't see any reason ammonia would hurt a resin ball.

 

[granat]

"Someone down south" LOL
Checked the USBC (bowl.com) site this morning and ammonia is listed as acceptable for use during certified competition as is Isopropyl alcohol.


From the Bowl.com website:


Here is a list of acceptable and not acceptable ball cleaners and polishes. The determination of "acceptable use" is, the product must not soften the ball surface. Acceptable cleaners are products meant to clean the ball surface.
In the past few years, many new polishes, which are designed to change the surface roughness of a bowling ball (the same as abrasives such as sandpaper and Scotch Brite pads), have been introduced in the market-place. These products, which contain solids or abrasives, are normally thick (high viscosity), paste with the consistency of car polish. Since they change the surface roughness of the bowling ball, these products may only be used before or after certified competition. Products that were tested are listed on the last page of this correspondence.
USBC does not approve ball cleaning products, but does test them for acceptability. The attached list is representative only of those cleaners that were tested and does not include products in the marketplace that have not been analyzed.


Commercial Ball Cleaners
Acceptable during certified competition
2EZ2 Strike Bowling Ball Cleaner - 2EZ2 Clean Products
2EZ2 Strike Bowling Ball Clean-N-Shine - 2EZ2 Clean Products
Ace Ball Cleaner - Netmark Industries, Inc.
Alley Catz - GT Graphics
Alley Catz - Saber Tooth
Atomic Ball Cleaner - Atomic Enterprises
Awesome Ball Cleaner
Ball Bite - Pro Packaging Inc.
Ball Buff - Pro Packaging Inc.
Ball Conditioner - Andrejs Sturis
Ball Pre-Cleaner & Stripper - Grecian Attack
Bean's Ball Oil Off Cleaner
Bean's Pro Shop Instant Length ball cleaner
Bean's Pro Shop Magic Dust Premium Bowling ball polish
Beans' Pro Shop Secret Sauce Premium Bowling ball polish
Best Shot - Earth Clean Systems
Best Shot – Future Clean Inc.
Blast – Mark Baker
Bowl Plus SP101 Bowling ball cleaner
Bowling Ball Cleaner - Forrest Enterprises, Inc.
Bowlers Bowling Ball Wipe - Ivancik
Bowler’s Choice – Bowler’s Choice of Michigan, Inc.
Bowler's Edge Ball Cleaner - BTC
Bowler's Edge Reactive Resin Cleaner - BTC
Bowling Ball Spray Cleaner – Strata Products, Inc.
Bowling Ball Speed Shine – Strata Products, Inc.
Brand X - Brand X Distributor
Captain Bob's X-12 Bowling Ball Cleaner
Cherry Cleaner - Ballshield
Clean Shot - Earth Clean Systems
Clean Shot Reactive Ball Cleaner - Earth Clean Systems
Cleaner/Rejuvenate - B.D.S.
Control No. 24 – Neo Technologies
Dan-Mor "Wipe 'n Strike" Bowling Ball cleaner wipes
Dri-Wash 'n Guard - Enviro Tech Intrn'l
Dry Wash Speed Shine - TWS Industries, Inc.
Elite-Hydro Cleanser
Extreme Clean - Lane Concepts
Fiber Cleen - Fibers of Kalamazoo, Inc.
High Performance Ball Cleaner #311 – Master Industries
Hook-It - Neo Technologies
Hook-It Plus (Liquid Sandpaper) - Neo Technologies
Hy Hudson Ball Cleaner
Hylite - David Greco
Hy-Tek Reactive Ball Cleaner - Hy-Tek Products
INX Products Reaction
Jiffy I, Jiffy II, - J.F. Forsman
Kegel Repel
Knock Out - Rapid Tac Inc.
Lance Ice Ball Polish/Cleaner - Rip the Rack Pro Shop
Liquid Nitro - Neo Technologies
Magiclean - TCB Products
Mark's Home Brew - Marc Pope
Mega Bite - Storm Products
Moon Shine - Storm Products
Mox – E&L Distributing Inc.
Maz's Ball Klean - David Mahaz
MX Bio Cleaner - Raymond Chemical Co.
Oil B Gone - Pro-Tech Ind. Chem.
Oil Magnet - Ballshield
One Grand Products - Liquid Spray Ball Cleaner
Orange Clean Multipurpose Degreaser - Orange Glo International
Perfect Grip - Bowling Concepts
Power House Energizer Cleaner - Ebonite
Print Point Systems - Magic Bowling Wipes
Proacta ShineTM and Proacta CleanTM - Storm Products, Inc.
Pro-Action Ball Cleaner – Gary Rasanen
Pro Bite Ball Cleaner - Pro Bite
Pro Clean - Pro Bowling Products Inc.
Pro-Cleaner - Distribution 2000 Inc.
Pro Edge Products - Wipe-n-Strike
Pro Finish Step 1 - Storm Products
Pro Finish Step 2 - Storm Products
Pro Finish Step 3 - Storm Products
Pro-Grip - DBA Products
Pro-Grip Reaction Ball Cleaner - Columbia
Pro-Shot - Pro Bowling Products Inc.
Protrac 19 - Proline Sports Products
Quick Clean - LBL Enterprises LLC
Qwik Strike Citrus Gel Bowling Ball Cleaner - BKP
RD3 Formula II – Parklane Research Corp.
Reacta Clean - Storm Products
React-A-Foam - Perfection Products
Reacta Shine - Storm Products
Reactive Cleaner "R" - Innovative Bowling Products
Redd Hott Ball Cleaner – Ronald Gales
Reese Brothers Ball Clean
Reflections – E&L Distributing Inc.
Ren Boll - Scandinavian Sport Supply
Renew-It - Neotac/New Technologies
Rev-It Cleaner - Today's Solutions
Revive - Kegel
RIP's Motion Potion Ball Cleaner - Rip the Rack Pro Shop
Row-Del Grime Solver
Snap Back – Baldy Products
Spray Master - Master Industries
Spray Nine Multi-Purpose Cleaner
Squeaky Clean Spray Cleaner - The Wax Shop
Sta-Clean - The Pro Stop
Strike Gold – A.J. Discount Proshop, Rip the Rack Pro Shop
Strike Green – A.J. Discount Proshop, Rip the Rack Pro Shop
Strike It Clean - Bowl Products, Inc.
Strike King - Jim Roberts
Strike-Mor Ball Cleaner - Strike-Mor Pro Shop
Strike Zone - Felix Erickson Company
Striking Ball Cleaner – Louis Cervin, NewKirk, OK
Super Clean - Castrol
Super Cleaner – Don Carter
Sure-Shot Spray Cleaner - Future Clean Inc.
Tacky & Clean - Andrejs Sturis
The Good Stuff - BSE, Inc.
Track Magic Clean N’ Dull - Advanced Polishing Products
Track Magic Reaction Plus - Advanced Polishing Products
Track-Power Wash
U-Clean U-Score - Storm Products
Ultimate Clean - McDonogh Co.
Ultra Ball Cleaner - Ultimate Bowling Products Inc.
U-Turn Reactive Ball Cleaner - Don Breeden
Ultimate Clean Reactive Ball Cleaner - McDonogh Co.
Urethane Cleaner "U" - Innovative Bowling Products
X-Power - David Greco
Xtra Clean - Storm Products
Xtra Shine - Storm Products
Zapp It - Zapp It Bowling Products
Zapp-It Insta-Grip
Zapp-It Distance
Zap-It Polish & Spray Remover


Not acceptable at any time
David Greco Cleaner
Dull It - INX Corp.
Master Ball Cleaner - Master Industries
Power Gel - Tech Line
Strike Power - Veterans Products
SS-25
Ultra Clean - Tenth Frame
Varsol


Solvents and Other Chemicals
Acceptable during certified competition
Rubbing Alcohol (Isopropyl)
CV-88
Jolt Detergent
"Simple Green"
"Windex" window cleaner
Ammonia


Not acceptable at any time
Other Alcohols (i.e. Denatured Ethyl Alcohol, etc.)
Acetone (nail polish remover)
"Armor-All"
"Cutex" non-acetone (nail polish remover)
WD-40
Ethers, Esters and Ketone (MEK)
Kerosene, Gasoline, other fuels
Most commercial solvents (Xylol, lacquer thinner, mineral spirits, chloro-form, Methyl Hydrate)


Products Containing Solids or Abrasives
NOTE: THESE PRODUCTS CONTAIN SOLIDS OR ABRASIVES AND, ALTHOUGH THEY MAY NOT ALTER THE SURFACE HARDNESS OF A BOWLING BALL, CANNOT BE USED DURING USBC CERTIFIED COMPETITION BECAUSE IT WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF RULE 18. HOWEVER, THESE PRODUCTS ARE ALLOWED BEFORE OR AFTER LEAGUE AND/OR TOURNAMENT SESSIONS.
#1 Low % of Abrasives – Don Carter
#2 Course – Don Carter
#3 Medium – Don Carter
#4 Fine – Don Carter
1-Step Reactive Resin Ball Cleaner - Ebonite Intrn'l
2-Step Reactive Resin Ball Cleaner - Ebonite Intrn'l
2001 Pro Roll Bowling Ball Polish - Hi-Temp Products Co.
3M Citrus Base Cleaner
Ball Buff - Pro Packaging
Ball Cleaner & Wax No.III - Grecian Attack
Ball Cleaner & Polish - Pro Shops of America
Ballshield 1000
Ballshield Base Cut & Shine
Bowling Ball Cream Cleaner – Strata Products, Inc.
Brunswick Ball Polish - Brunswick
Brunswick - Rough Buff
Captain Bob's X-12 Bowling Ball Wipes
Clean Right – Baldy Products
Clean Shot – Future Clean Inc.
Control-It - Neotac/Neo Technologies
Cream Cleaner - The Wax Shop
Degree - Columbia
Delayed Reaction Ball Polish - Advanced Polishing Products
Doc's Magic Bowling Ball Elixir
Elite-Performance Polish
Factory Finish High Gloss Polish - Brunswick
Fast Work – Don Carter
Finesse-it II - 3M
Go Long – Don Carter
Kegel Repel Ball Polish (Matte Finish)
Kegel Repel Ball Polish (Medium Gloss)
Kegel Repel Ball Polish (High Gloss)
Khameleon - Neo Technologies
Lane Ice - A.J. Discount Proshop Inc.
Naturoll Finish Ball Polish – Life Time Solutions
NeoTechnologies - 100% Natural
One Grand Products, Inc. - Cream Ball Cleaner, Ball Polish
Orange Power Spray & Wipe* -* Steel Fingers Bowling Products
Perfect-it II - 3M
Power House Extender Polish - Ebonite
Power House Factory Finish Polish - Ebonite
Power House Quick Sand - Ebonite
Power House Particle Polish - Ebonite
Reaction Control System Cleaner - Ebonite
Reactivation - AMF
Reactive Resin Finish Polish - Ebonite Intrn'l
Repel Ball Polish - Kegel
Restore-It - Neo Technologies
Rev-It Polish - Today's Solutions
Scotch Brite Scouring Pad
Scrubbing Bubbles - Johnson & Johnson
SD-20 – Spartan Chemical Co.
Super Cherry - Ballshield
Sure-Shot Polish - Future Clean Inc.
Track-Clean-n-Tacky
Ultimate Plus Polish Cleaner - Ultimate Bowling Products Inc.
Zapp-It Soft Touch
Zapp-It Resinator


NOTE
"The manual application of any lane oil to a bowling ball by a bowler during certified competition is prohibited"

 

[Easy Tiger]

So let me get this.. it makes it clear that some ball cleaners can be used during competition.

An example is Powerhouse ball cleaner.

Can you clean equipment during league or during continuous bowling in a tournament here??? I know you cannot alter the surface (polish, dull, etc) but can you use a cleaner??

 

[RobbieB]

No. It is specifically allowed under USBC rules, but specifically disallowed under WTBA and TBA rules. Clean dry towel only.
Technically, I guess that means you can wipe your ball once, after that your towel will be oily.

 

[johnnybg]

No. It is specifically allowed under USBC rules, but specifically disallowed under WTBA and TBA rules. Clean dry towel only.
Technically, I guess that means you can wipe your ball once, after that your towel will be oily.

Thats interesting,i was told when i was at the Gold Coast in February,that the TBA follow USBC rules.I havent checked it out myself though so i cant say whether its correct or not.

Does that mean we only follow some rules and not others?

johnnyb

 

[granat]

I believe that anything not covered by the TBA rule book then falls in line with the WTBA rules.
RobbieB is of course right, TBA rules state clean dry towel only

 

[Troyza]

Wow, I wonder who that could have been?
http://groups.google.com.au/group/a...d0829374f84c?hl=en&lnk=st&q=#29aed0829374f84c
About 6 posts down.
Adrian, I can't see any reason ammonia would hurt a resin ball.

I wouldn't know as i was told 'someone', & northern is a little uhh... isolated from anything largely related to bowling.

[edit]

Anyways, is it true that heat makes balls secrete resin?

 

[mongoliantreesloth]

"Someone down south" LOL
Checked the USBC (bowl.com) site this morning and ammonia is listed as acceptable for use during certified competition as is Isopropyl alcohol.
From the Bowl.com website

Acceptable is one thing. Whether it has a detrimental effect on your ball is another.

 

[RobbieB]

Acceptable to the USBC means it has been tested and found to not soften the coverstock. Ammonia won't affect plastic or urethane.