Daily Process Verification
It is critical now more than ever in the game of bowling to verify your lane maintenance procedures on a daily basis. This simply means using your basic senses to ensure the lane machine that is being run has actually performed the task adequately. Why is this you may ask?
Simply put, the daily responsibility of lane maintenance has somewhat shifted away from the operator and directly to the lane machines that are currently being used. Many bowling centers have automated lane machines that move themselves or manual machines that are pre-programmed and the operator simply presses a button while the machine does all of the lane maintenance.
Just remember it is still the responsibility of the operator to ensure the machine has achieved what it was programmed to do. Just because the lane machine went down the lane and returned back to the foul line does not necessarily mean the lane has cleaned and conditioned properly.
Simply training your eyes, ears, and hands to focus on specific aspects of the lane machine as well as the lane surface will give you daily peace of mind and your customers will be more than satisfied with the end result.
If you utilize these simple tips every time you perform lane maintenance your customers will keep coming back for more. The thing that people look for the most in bowling is consistency, not high scoring. However high scoring inevitably evolves from consistency which means there is a way to give your customers both. Just spending an extra ten minutes per day will guarantee your customers satisfaction every time they come to your center to bowl.
Scan the QR code below to view these daily lane maintenance tips.
Sound, sight, and touch will prevent lane maintenance disasters that can occur when everything seems to be operating normally from a lane machine standpoint.
Sound:
Listening to a lane machine while in operation is much like listening to your own personal vehicle every time you start it and proceed to drive. There are different types of noises within all mechanical things that will sound good, bad, or normal. The more you familiarize yourself with the equipment you are running, the quicker you will be able to tell when something is about to fail or already has. Most lane machines have error codes that will shut the machine down in certain situations, but there are a lot of things that can go wrong, and the machine will still appear to be working to the untrained operator.
A great starting point is for you to train yourself and your staff to hear the vacuum motor when the machine is going down the lane and when it turns on and off during operation. Familiarize yourself with the sound of the cleaner pump when the machine is in the cleaning mode. A conventional spray jet pump can have a faulty diaphragm and still spray cleaner, but there will be substantially less volume than what is needed. A peristaltic cleaner pump will change sound as the tubing starts to wear which is a sign that it needs to be changed.
Neither the vacuum motor nor the cleaner pump failing will prompt an error on the lane machine. It will continue to run every lane and you will not know there is a problem until the lanes are turned on for play and by then it will be too late.
Sight:
Visually inspect the lane machine before every use to ensure there is enough lane conditioner, cleaner, and cloth to complete the number of lanes you need to run. If you are operating a battery lane machine, verify there is enough battery power to complete the total number of lanes that are going to be cleaned and conditioned.
Personally confirm that the program settings match the program sheet for the pattern that you will be applying and if applicable perform a volume check for the cleaner output and the oil output for the pattern in question. Proceed to enter the starting sequence to enable the lane machine. Start the lane machine and walk beside it as it travels down lane towards the pin deck.
Pay attention to the data that is displayed on the keypad such as drive speeds, distance traveled, program number being run, and anything else that your lane machine displays. The numbers should always be consistent from lane to lane and if a variance is noticed the operator should stop the machine and investigate why there may be inconsistencies.
Watch the machine as it applies lane cleaner and lane conditioner. Inspect the pin deck area to ensure there is no residue or lane cleaner being left behind and the machine is traveling far enough before it reverses out of the pit. Excess moisture on the pin deck will result in sliding pins, possible out of ranges and reduces scoring due to lack of pin carry. The “Backends” as they are referred to in our industry consist of every inch of the lane past the oil line and up to the pin deck. This area of the lane should be residue free and squeaky clean.
Once the machine returns to the foul line, walk back down the lane and look over the oil pattern that has just been applied. The lane pattern should look relatively smooth and uniform depending on the type of pattern being run. After the machine has returned to the foul line make sure there are no drips of lane oil or cleaner, streaks in the lane pattern, or anything that looks abnormal to what you are used to seeing every day. Once everything has been verified you may continue running the remainder of the lanes.
Touch:
Once the lanes have been cleaned and conditioned, it is always a good idea to at least do a tactile inspection of your backends as well as your lane pattern. This is something lane maintenance personnel have done for decades, and at one part in our history, was the primary inspection regarding the passing or failing of a lane pattern in sanctioned play.
Our Kegel Team has always made a habit of walking our lanes for a visual and tactile inspection after every lane maintenance routine. Walk the length of the lane and locate the end of the oil pattern and confirm all of the lanes have the same look and distance.
Inspect multiple lanes in the backend area to ensure they are clean and free of residue. Use your knuckles as a way to accurately feel the cleanliness of the lane surface by rubbing them across a section of the backend. There should be no marks or film on any portion of the backend of the lane as this will affect carry down and create inconsistent ball motion.
Pick a lane in the middle of the center and use this lane every day as your gauge on what you feel when you run your fingers across the oil pattern at various distances. Start in the head section of the lane eight feet from the foul line. Using your index and middle fingers, lightly place them on the 2 board on one side of the lane and push your fingertips across 2-20 board and get a feel for how the pattern has less oil on the outside of the pattern and more towards the center. Move to the arrow section of the lane and repeat the process. Here you will feel more of a difference between the outside volume versus the inside boards in the lane pattern than you would have at 8 feet. Continue this at 30-35 feet and in the middle of the pattern taper somewhere between 36-44 feey depending on the pattern length.
Most successful lane patterns are crowned in shape or blended from outside to inside by increasing oil volume board-by-board. These patterns will typically be 40-44 feet in length for a standard house pattern and will have a front to back taper of 7-10 feet depending on the lane surface and chemical being used.
If you utilize these simple steps to verify your lane maintenance procedures on a daily basis you can rest assured, you have given your clientele a consistent bowling experience day after day and week after week. As outlined earlier in this article, consistency is the key to happy customers and a successful business operation.
These are but a few suggestions that our lane maintenance personnel uses at every event we do around the world. There are more complex verification procedures that we at Kegel perform at specific events, such as measuring the topography of every lane in the bowling center, monitoring temperature, humidity, and a variety of other things.
In closing, if you are every at an event where a Kegel representative is present, please feel free to approach that individual at anytime to learn more about all of the procedures that we verify to ensure a successful event.
10 Frequently Asked Questions about Conditioning Lanes
Before making any adjustments to the conditioner pattern, make sure that your lane machine is cleaning properly.
Question: Ball reaction is weak after a game and a half. How do I reduce my carry down?
Answer: Typically the applied oil distance forward is too far creating too much conditioner towards the end of the oil pattern. Reduce the applied distance of conditioner and add to the reverse to prevent the loss of durability.
Question: Ball reaction is strong from the beginning and does not weaken making ball reaction unpredictable. How can I tame my back ends down?
Answer: First, try lengthening the pattern, one foot at a time to the desired result. Second is to change to higher speeds earlier in the pattern to raise the level of conditioner at the end of the pattern.
Question: The pattern plays good from the beginning yet loses hold through the night. How do I increase the hold?
Answer: The applied conditioner on the reverse is what creates durability, this area known as the mid-lane provides direction to the breakpoint and dictates score-ability. Starting reverse oil further down the lane increases hold.
Question: My bowler's tell me "the heads dried out". How do I control early hook?
Answer: First, watch ball reaction, bowlers rarely see what they think they see. In most cases the ball actually hooks too early through the mid-lane. Poor lane surface or lack of conditioner in the lay-down area can also be a cause. In this case, slowing the travel speed in the head area on the return will increase the amount of conditioner in this area. Adding loads in Sanction Technology along with a slower machine speed will increase skid through the heads. However, many times today with the amount of conditioner being applied to the "heads", if the ball is hooking early, there are lane surface issues.
Question: If I get the ball right, it "hangs" outside, 2,8,10 city! How do I create more room right?
Answer: This is a hard one to recognize, because it has multiple and opposite causes.
Too much conditioner on the outside (ball skids too far) or in some cases not enough conditioner on the outside (ball loses energy) can cause "hang".
If the ball skids to far, reducing the length and/or volume of the applied conditioner will help.
A wet/dry condition will result in too much skid inside, giving the appearance of "hang" and a loss of energy if the ball enters the dry too early creating a weaker back-end reaction. Many times the amount of conditioner in the middle is the cause of "hang" and not the amount on the outer boards. Reducing the amount of conditioner in the middle, raising the outside, and using speeds to lower the overall height of a pattern will increase ball reaction and create more playable angles.
Adverse lane topography can affect swing. If this is the issue, reducing the outside condition will allow bowlers to play a more direct line to the pocket.
Question: The bowlers seem to move left very quickly because the track dries up. What can I do to prevent this?
Answer: The volume at the end of the pattern should be slightly more than the outside boards. Applying oil to the track on the reverse can provide more durability without greatly affecting overall ball reaction. With Sanction Technology and board-by-board capability, widening loads one board at a time to get the desired affect can provide the quickest way and retain stability.
Question: How do I determine my cleaner ratio?
Answer: The best idea is to phone the manufacturer for their recommendation. All conditioners are different and clean off the lane differently. For example, Defense lane conditioner is usually stripped at a 4 or 5 to 1 ratio, while Offense can be cleaned at 8 or 10 to 1. This is something that you can experiment with, however, it is not recommended to weaken the stripping solution throughout the entire lane to control the back-end reaction. This can cause for poor cleaning and create numerous other issues.
(Note: With the FLEX lane machine, the ability to weaken the cleaner ratio mix ONLY on the back-end is an option to control back-end ball motion. The FLEX lane machine can keep a strong cleaner mix in the front part of the lane where it is needed.)
Question: How does temperature affect my lane conditioner and lane machine?
Answer: If you are using wick machines, it is highly recommended that you store the machine and conditioner in a place where it is room temperature and will remain constant. This will prevent inconsistent flow through the wicks due to changes in viscosity. In some conditioners, a 1-degree change in temperature can affect viscosity by 2 points cps. This is important for those with Sanction Technology to control the pressure and prevent possible damage to the gauge.
Question: Separate or Simultaneous?
Answer: This is an issue related to wick machines more so than Sanction Technology. Most centers try to reduce depletion one of two ways, either running in separate mode or stopping every so many lanes and letting the machine rest. The separate mode is recommended due to the consistent time in between the oil and strip mode. While the lane is being stripped, the wicks have that time to recover and it is the same from lane to lane. A major issue in resting the machine several times across the center is that it creates a stair step effect of gradually less, than more conditioner, repeated across the lanes.
Question: How does buffer brush wear affect my condition and what should be done upon installing a new one?
Answer: The buffer is designed to taper an oil pattern based off the pattern settings and speeds. As a buffer wears the amount of conditioner at the end of a pattern gradually diminishes over time. This is usually not something bowlers notice and will not come to your attention until you are told that you do not have "three units" any longer. Simply put the brush doesn't hold the conditioner as long as when new and "dumps" it further up lane and creates a steeper taper in the pattern. When replacing the buffer after this gradual wear and even though the pattern settings are the same as when the buffer was new, the effect of a new brush will seem dramatic to the average bowler.
It is highly recommended that this be done in August so the change is not taking place mid-season. The frequency of changing the brush is affected by many factors including number of lanes, how good the lane surface is, and what type of lane surface it is. The more friction the faster the wear. Smaller centers with 24 lanes or less may see two years between buffer changes. Centers with 24 lanes and up may change the brush every year to every six months in centers with a lot of lanes.
How to prevent decreased battery life
As we all know, batteries are not created equal and they do require maintenance. It is important that batteries are charged properly and to make sure the source that is using this supplied power is not abused so that they reach their maximum potential. After reading this, you should be familiar with two causes of decreased battery life and some charging standards for Odyssey batteries.
One of the biggest problems that can decrease battery life is a machine that has been abused. When a machine is not kept clean or well maintained, it can cause an overall higher amp draw and result in the battery dropping out faster.
For example, if the vacuum motor has had waste sucked into it, like the images of abused vacuum motors below, this can greatly affect the battery. Damage like this could hinder machine performance and easily cause a NEW set of batteries to do 25 lanes less than it should.
Another battery issue that is often overlooked is whether the charger is giving the batteries a proper charge. This can take into account any portion of the charging mechanism. The Odyssey batteries require different stages of charging which should be as high as 29 volts within the first 30 minutes of being on charge to as low as 27 volts after being on charge for 6-8 hours. If proper charging does not occur, this will also affect the life of your batteries.
Periodic checking of the charging system along with regular maintenance of your lane machine will greatly extend the life of your batteries.
Synthetic Approach Maintenance
Let’s face it; approach maintenance can be a sticky, or slippery, business. There is a fine line to walk when trying to keep the approaches as consistent as possible. Some products offer too much slide causing bowlers to slip while other products can leave behind films and tacky residues that could cause bowlers to stick. Both scenarios are a recipe for disaster that could lead a bowler to an unplanned “Machuga Flop”. And while a flop can be funny, we all know it can hurt and it’s uber embarrassing. But, what is a bowling center to do? How can you maintain the delicate balance of not too slick and not too sticky? We’ve got the answers to your approach maintenance questions.
Some history
Before there were synthetic approaches, all approaches were made of wood and coated with a finish that allowed for proper slide. The only real maintenance to be done to these approaches was the occasional spot cleaning for spills and sticky marks and daily dusting. Then, once every year or so, the approach needed to be sanded and recoated to “refresh” the finish. Wooden approaches have a fairly even slide as long as the finish isn’t worn down. Once the finish started to wear, the approach could be spotty. Generally though, this was just an indication that it was time to refinish the approaches.
Synthetic approaches were introduced when synthetic lanes were introduced. Synthetic approaches were virtually maintenance-free since they eliminated the need for refinishing - or so it was thought. Synthetic approaches came with their own set of problems.
Think of synthetic approaches like your kitchen countertops; not the granite, marble, Corian, and fancy varietals, but the Formica and laminate variety. Layers of materials are pressed or bonded together and an outer layer with the approach image is pressed or bonded to the top. The top layer on which a bowler will slide is often textured and porous. This means dirt and residues can get into those tiny pores and cause build-up. It also means that repeated sliding in the middle of the approach can wear down the texture and cause inconsistencies in the slide-ability of the approach from the middle to the sides.
Because of these issues, a variety of different products and procedures have been developed to help bowling centers maintain their approaches. And what was once billed as an approach that was basically maintenance-free has now become even higher maintenance.
So what’s the right way to maintain synthetic approaches?
If I were to ask 50 different people the proper way to maintain the approach, I’d likely get many different answers. There would be variations of cleaning techniques that used various cleaners and solutions and even just hot water. There would be dust mops, wet mops, buffers, and spot cleaners. The only consistent thing would be that bowlers still complain and the approaches are inconsistent. It’s a vicious and never-ending cycle.
Synthetic approaches require temperature and humidity control. I did some digging, well, Googling, and I found that humidity over 50% can cause approaches to be tacky. We all know tacky isn’t good when trying to slide. To combat this, having some temperature control in the bowling center is absolutely necessary. Additionally, having circulation that pulls or pushes moist air away from the lanes/approaches can help keep moisture from the air from settling onto the approach. The optimal humidity is around 40%.
Dusting the approaches is a necessary task. Dust can settle on the approach and get embedded in the pores. Aside from just causing the approach to look dirty, dust can cause inconsistent slide-ability as well. Dust can cause approaches to be slick and, well, too slick is just as bad as too tacky.
Spills happen
It’s important to clean the spills and wipe away residues. Lane conditioner, soda, beer, and an infinite number of other materials can be spilled on the approaches and every one of them can cause sliding issues. When something is spilled on the approach, wipe it up as soon as possible with a clean, dry cloth. Use a weak dilution of cleaner to remove any sticky liquids. Go back over the area with another clean towel and some IPA (isopropyl alcohol). IPA is very good for removing sticky residues and leaves no residue behind of its own. It isn’t a “cleaner” but it will help remove sticky residues.
Clean those carpets and floors!
The carpets and flooring areas around the bowler’s circles must be kept clean as well. Wax from tiles and residues from carpets and carpet treatments can stick to shoes and can easily be tracked onto the approach. It’s just as important to keep the non-bowling areas clean as it is to keep the bowling areas clean. And, be careful what products you choose for cleaning. Many cleaning products leave behind residues and, as I said before, the residues can easily be tracked onto the approach.
The quest for consistency...
When all of this is done, sometimes you still need some help getting consistent slide on your approaches. There are many products on the market designed to help you with this. Unfortunately, so many of the products available have their own sets of issues. When sprayed, they can get on the lane surface and cause issues with the lane conditioner and pattern.
Dust type products can leave dust residue on the lane and the residue can settle in nearby areas. Some products have to be used very sparingly or the approach can end up being too slick. Some products work great when you first use them, but then after a couple of games, the approach is inconsistent again because the product has “worn off” in the slide area leaving the outsides slick and the slide area tacky.
All of this can be a big frustration. And, it’s one of the common complaints that we hear when dealing with approach questions. People just want a process that is simple and they just want the approaches to be consistent. In fact, I’ve heard from many bowlers that they wouldn’t mind the approaches being a little on the slick side or even a little on the tacky side as long as the approaches could be consistent from the ten pin side to the seven pin side. Bowlers can adjust for a little more slide or a little more stick. But, it’s nearly impossible to adjust when there isn’t any consistency across the approach.
To sum it up, synthetic approach maintenance can be tricky. It can be time consuming and tedious. And, with all of the approach maintenance products available, it can be downright overwhelming. But, the good news is, it doesn’t have to be. Giving your bowlers consistent approaches doesn’t have to be such a mind-boggling task. You can give your bowlers the left-to-right consistency they want on a day-to-day basis with Balance, Kegel’s new synthetic approach maintenance product. To learn more about Balance, click here.
How can a simple water filter become so clogged?
Anyone that maintains lane machines knows how critical routine maintenance is. But one item that often gets overlooked in lane machine upkeep are supply tank filters - the filters in the oil supply tank, filters in the cleaner supply tank, and now with the FLEX lane machine, the water supply tank filter (see help video below). In this feature article of the Inside Line, we’ll focus on the water supply tank and how those filters can become clogged over time, even though it’s "just water".
Most people are aware that all water is not created equal. Water can be hard or soft, and have different levels of calcium, phosphates, nitrates, sodium, potassium, and chloride, along with some uninvited guests depending on the water treatment plants. These substances are known as Total Dissolved Solids (TDS).
TDS is a measure of the “combined content of all inorganic and organic substances contained in a liquid in molecular, ionized, or micro-granular suspended form.” In layman’s terms, TDS is a measure of the amount of the stuff in the water you can’t see.
Knowing the TDS is all well and good but, how will this affect your lane machine filter?
Well, when water sits around, you know that mold and fungus can grow on the water’s surface. The water can become very pungent; you can actually see things growing and the water color changing. Think about bird baths and small fountains that don’t have running water; the stagnant water eventually turns rancid from mold and fungus growth.
When water sits in a container for long periods of time, a bio-film will eventually begin to form. Bio-films form on surfaces like tank walls and filters. Actually, they will form on virtually every non-shedding surface in a non-sterile or very humid environment.
On your teeth, plaque is a bio-film. In your cooling and heating system, bio-film forms reducing the effectiveness of the system. The slimy stuff you see on rocks and pebbles in streams is bio-film. In stagnant pools of water, bio-films can form on the surface.
Basically, a bio-film can form just about anywhere as long as there is a place for the cells to attach; the cells can attach to a solid surface or to each other.
So bio-films form in water, right? Well, why don’t bio-films form in bottled water at the grocery store?
Bottled water is packaged to prevent bio-films from forming. The bottled water you buy from the store is packaged under nitrogen pressure to force out the air. This prevents bio-films from forming in the water while it sits on the shelf. Once the bottle is opened and air is introduced to the system, the bio-film can begin forming. This is one reason why you shouldn’t reuse bottles from bottled water without thoroughly cleaning them.
Bio-film goes through five stages of development:
1. Initial attachment,
2. Irreversible attachment,
3. Maturation I,
4. Maturation II,
5. Dispersion.
The picture below shows how a bio-film develops through each of the different stages.
Five stages of bio-film development
Water quality in a specific location will dictate how fast a bowling center will have bio-film develop. TDS and the specific treatment methods used at the local water treatment facilities will change the water quality. Eventually though, every center will have to clean and/or replace their lane machine water filter at some time.
Just like your coffee maker at home, the water filter and supply tank should be cleaned periodically to prevent the problem. If you never clean your coffee maker, eventually the pump will fail. If you never clean your water supply tank in your single cup machines, a bio-film can form in the water tank.
At Kegel, we recommend removing and cleaning the water supply tank filter once a month. We also suggest flushing out the water supply tank at least every couple months, no matter how often you use your lane machine. The water is sitting in the supply tank the same amount of time no matter how many lanes you are doing a day – always.
This is what happens when filters are not maintained regularly:
A filter that has not been maintained.
If periodic maintenance is not being performed on a simple item like your water supply tank and filter, or any filter for that matter, the liquid in the tank will not flow properly and that will change your dilution ratios. We know changing dilution ratios will change ball motion. But, improper cleaning can also lead to a host of other issues.
Just like Sanction Technology has done for the oil system with process verification, with Kegel’s sprayless cleaner system it's easy to check volume output for water and cleaner. As we always say, “it’s better to know than to hope”, and as any lane person will tell you, it's also better for you to find any issues before your bowlers do.
Does lane oil evaporate and how long should the oil pattern sit?
When it comes to lane conditions, every person has their own ideas as to what they think works best. Mechanics, proprietors, and bowlers all have a difference of opinion when it comes to dressing the lanes. Ask 100 different people and you’re likely to get 100 different answers. In bowling, it’s one of those topics that just seems to create a lot of controversy and a lot of differences in opinions.
Because of all these different opinions, we get many questions regarding what the best methods are for ensuring lanes are the same from day to day. Some of these questions stem from curiosity while others, like the one I got last month, stem from bowler controversy.
I was forwarded a message that came in from our website. The proprietor was quite frustrated at his bowlers because his bowlers felt like the lanes were getting conditioned too early and the conditioner was “drying up” before they ever started bowling. The proprietor tried to show the bowlers statisitical data in their score trends that suggested otherwise. But, the bowlers just didn’t agree. So, he asked “the experts”; how long can an oil pattern sit on a lane before it starts to deteriorate?
Modern lane conditioners; every lane conditioner available in today’s market; are all mineral oil based. Kegel uses pharmaceutical grade mineral oil in our lane conditioners so it is of the highest purity available. Mineral oil itself doesn’t evaporate. You could fill a cup with mineral oil and leave it sitting and it wouldn’t evaporate. Here is a link to a safety data sheet (SDS) for white mineral oil. If you look in section 9 (page 4 of the document), it shows the evaporation rate as ‘NA’. This means there is negligible or no evaporation of the material.
There are some chemicals in lane conditioners that will evaporate but these ingredients are minor compared to the percentage of mineral oil. For example, solvents such as isopropyl alcohol (IPA) are often used as an inexpensive way to lower the surface tension. Lowering the surface tension will allow the lane conditioner to wet across the lane surface more quickly. Once the lane conditioner is applied, the IPA would evaporate over time. Since lane conditioners are applied in such a thin film with a low volume over a larger area, we would estimate this to be in the 30 minute range at most. It does not take a lot of IPA to lower the surface tension so it is used in amounts of 1% or less. This evaporation does not affect the lane play characteristics that come from the mineral oil and the other ingredients that are used to give the conditioner its characteristics.
While we’ve never tested the theory of how long a lane conditioner could sit before deterioration begins, a lane pattern could sit, well, forever without deteriorating. That is, of course, in theory since we don’t have a time machine! There are other things; environmental and atmospheric conditions; that will affect lane conditions. But, the conditioner itself could sit for days on the lane and it would still be there; it isn’t going to evaporate away.
While we haven’t tested the ‘forever’ theory, we have allowed a freshly conditioned lane to sit for 24 hours. We took tapes from the freshly applied pattern and took tapes on the same pattern 24 hours later. The results: the tapes were exactly the same for both sit times. The conditioner sitting on the lane didn’t change as a result of evaporation.
Other things can affect the conditioners performance though. Dust from the air or from AC vents can be deposited on the lane. These particles can greatly affect the playing characteristics of the pattern. This is one reason that a good cleaning routine is so important. Applying lane conditioner to a dirty lane will also affect the playing characteristics of the pattern.
Atmospheric conditions like temperature and humidity will also greatly affect lane play and these are more likely the cause of changing lane conditions. Bowling centers see this a lot as the weather changes, especially when there are sharp changes from cold to hot or hot to cold. Bowlers will complain that the lanes are tighter or drier or something else but they don’t always consider the weather changes and that can affect lane conditions significantly.
Here are two previous Inside Line articles that address changing weather and lane conditions: The Weather’s Changing… Are Your Lane Conditions? and Lane Conditions and Cold Snaps.
How long a conditioner should be allowed to sit on a lane prior to bowling is a very common question. And, it’s one that we’ve gotten many times. While consistency is key, we like to support our arguments with science. So, here’s a little science behind conditioner application.
When lane conditioner is immediately applied to a bowling lane, several things must happen before the lane conditioner stabilizes enough to provide consistent playing characteristics. One is allowing the lane conditioner to adhere to the lane surface. This takes about 15-30 minutes depending on the amount of conditioner applied, the type of conditioner, the type of cleaner being used, and the surface energy of a particular lane surface.
The surface tension of the conditioner is also important since the surface tension directly affects how the conditioner “wets” across the lane. The conditioner needs to “like” the lane in order for it to wet across. If the surface energies between the two don’t agree, the conditioner will “sit up” on the lane surface (think of this effect as little beads of water sitting on the surface of your car versus the water sheeting off the surface of the car).
Another bonding takes place within the lane conditioner molecules themselves. These bonding forces, known as van der Waals forces, are basically weak attractions between atoms, molecules, and surfaces. The time for this to take place after conditioning a bowling lane is also anywhere from 15-30 minutes. The below video shows these weak bon
With the amount of lane conditioner being used in today's lane patterns, it takes about 15-30 minutes for the lane conditioner to "settle down" and stabilize on the lane. If time is not allowed for this process to take place, things like excessive carrydown can occur. The lanes may also play "tighter" simply because the oil is sitting up on top of the lane more and there is less resistance to the bowling ball as it rolls through the oil pattern. This is one reason; during tournaments where we provide lane maintenance; we always try to get the tournament organizers to allow a minimum of 15 minutes of lane conditioner "sit time" before the first ball is thrown down the lane.
The biggest key is consistency. It’s one of the things that we preach. Create a routine and stick with that routine every day. If you do the lanes an hour before league, do them an hour before league every time and you’ll eliminate that variable (and that complaint from your bowlers).
We hope this information helps you. If you have additional questions, please feel free to contact us. We will be happy to assist in any way we can. Until next time, happy bowling!
Getting your Pinsetter Ready for the New Season
Maintenance to your pinsetter is important to keep your center running smoothly. In this article, we will discuss some commonly overlooked maintenance items and some tips to help you prepare for your winter season.
Pin Damage
Sometimes pin damage can be easily explained as in the examples below, but some can be much more troublesome to find. Small marks and scratches can accumulate so slowly over a period of time that irreversible damage sneaks up on you and can handicap the appearance, as well as the performance, of the pin.
QUICK TIP: Before you install a full set of new pins for the Fall Leagues, first start with installing one single pin in each pinsetter and run for a shift. Remove the new pin and examine it. If there is any damage, remove the pin and tag the machine for a more in depth inspection.
Usually if pins are getting damaged and showing marks, you can locate the problem area by the evidence of pin chips or shavings. Loose or broken parts tend to scratch the pins, so inspecting all pin delivery paths should lead you to the problem.
Common Problems:
-Pin deck area - Screws, flat gutters, edge boards, and kickback plates
-Broken turret wires and missing deck rollers (A-2)
-Misadjusted turret wires can lead to damage from pulley or center chute (A-2)
-Broken or loose parts on the bin assembly (AMF)
-Missing ball wheel guards (A-2)
-Cracked plows (AMF)
These are just a few examples, but the most important thing to remember is that your problems should be fixed immediately before you risk damaging a new set of pins.
Ball Lifts - See what you can “uncover” before Leagues start!
Ball lifts can easily become overlooked throughout the season since they are an efficient piece of equipment. They run pretty much trouble free so the old saying, “Out of sight, Out of mind!” fits here. Simply doing a quick cleaning and inspection can eliminate the chance of unexpected downtime or ball damage.
Inspection:
-Make sure the lift turns on properly when either pinsetter is powered up
-Inspect belt and belt tracking
-Inspect ball lift tires
-Listen for any unwanted noises
-Check for loose hardware
After the ball lift is cleaned, insert two balls in the trap doors, push them into the lift, and watch the transition through the lift. The balls should move up freely with no belt slippage.
Secondly, with the lift off, take a single ball and manually rotate the top pulley to feed the ball through the lift. The ball should transition through the contact points of the two tires and C track smoothly. If you get binding or slipping spots through the transition, you may need to look at your upper and lower tire configuration.
There are several different kinds of tires and each of these have their own characteristics. Mixing and matching tires in a lift can also create different transition characteristics, so find a combination that works well for your center. Smooth consistent transition is the goal here. A binding lift can cause premature belt wear and may also lead to too much motor strain and amp draw, eventually causing the relays to fail.
By performing regular maintenance and catching problems early, you can help keep your center running at its top performance.
Learn about Kegel Pinsetter Parts
Switching Lane Conditioners: Out with the old, in with the new!
Bowl Expo has come and gone once again. That means that summer is in full swing and league season will be upon us before you know it. As such, you may be thinking about trying a new lane conditioner, like Fire or Ice, before league season starts. These conditioners were released last year and they have been gaining attention because of their performance in tournaments and championships worldwide. Now is the perfect time to try one and get your pattern adjusted to be ready for fall.
Changing lane conditioners can be an overwhelming process. In fact, just the thought of it may send shivers down your spine. After all, if your bowlers have been happy, why change it and risk upsetting the balance? Well, technology has come a long way. We’ve worked hard developing conditioners that will help you protect your lane surface while providing a durable lane condition for your bowlers. And, we’ve improved the durability while allowing you to use less conditioner which saves you money.
Once you’ve decided to make the leap (and decided which conditioner to use – we’ll have more on that later), you’ll need to spend some time cleaning your lane machine. While it may seem easy to just empty the conditioner tank and pour in the new conditioner, you won’t be doing yourself any favors by doing this. Cross contamination from one conditioner to another in the same tank can wreak havoc on your lane pattern and make your lanes inconsistent. And that just leads to unhappy bowlers. No one wants that!
Additionally, some lane conditioners just don’t mix well with others.* This can cause things like clogged tubing, pencil tips, or even oil control valves. You can avoid a lot of headaches by taking some extra steps early on.
*The FLEX Lane Machine boasts the ability for centers to use two compatible conditioners simultaneously. Currently, Fire and Ice are the only compatible conditioners that can be used in this manner. Mixing other conditioners, such as Prodigy or Infinity, with Fire or Ice is not recommended.
Changing conditioners in the machine is a tedious process, but it is a process that is well worth it. Here is a brief overview of the process for Sanction Technology™ lane machines:
Remove the conditioner tank from the lane machine. Empty the contents of the tank into a waste container.
Use some lane cleaner to clean the conditioner tank. Add some of your lane cleaner solution directly to the tank. Swirl or shake the cleaner to get it all over the inside of the tank.
Rinse the tank with water. You’ll want to shake and swirl to be sure the tank gets completely clean. Continue rinsing until the water is clear (it will probably look milky at first) and there is no foam.
Rinse the tank with some acetone (if available) and let the tank dry. It is best to let the tank dry overnight, but give it as much time as possible. The tank needs to be completely dry before you add new conditioner.
Use this time to wipe down and perform any maintenance to the transfer system. This is also a good time to perform some cleaning and/or maintenance to the buffer brush.
Place the conditioner tank back in the machine.
Now you’re ready to fill the conditioner tank and flush the machine. We’ve detailed the entire process here: Changing Out Conditioners - Sanction Technology
So, I’m ready to fill my machine and flush the lines, but I don’t know which conditioner to use. Don’t worry; we’re here to help!
Fire and Ice have similar properties chemically but they yield different results on the lane. Both conditioners are pinsetter and house ball friendly meaning that you’ll have fewer issues in the backend. Both conditioners also have improved durability even with reduced volume.
There are a few factors that can help you decide which would be best for you. What conditioner do you use now? What is your lane surface? Do you have more open play or do you have heavy league and tournament lineage? Answering all of these will help narrow down which option will be best for your situation. Every center is unique, so as always, our Tech Support Team is available to guide you. You can also use the comparison chart below to help in your decision.
Now that you’ve got your new conditioner into your machine and ready to go, we always recommend running your normal pattern and watching ball reaction before adjusting anything. This way you’ll have an apples-to-apples comparison from conditioner to conditioner. It is highly likely, based on our experience with Fire and Ice, that pattern adjustments will be necessary.
To reap the benefits of these conditioners, your pattern should have good front to back taper. If you’re pattern doesn’t have good taper, our Tech Support Team can help you make some adjustments to maximize the performance of these conditioners. If you’re pattern does have good taper, some small adjustments may be all you need to dial in your pattern. Here are some of the common adjustments we’ve seen:
Reduced pattern volume (i.e. 50 ul to 45 ul or 40 ul)
Average pattern volume is 10-20% lower with Ice and 10-15% lower with Fire
Shortened pattern distance and/or reverse buffer drop
Reduction of applied loads
Don’t let the fear of upsetting your bowlers stop you from trying something new. You can reap the benefits of Fire and Ice with a little patience. Start now and you have the rest of the summer to fine-tune before fall leagues. You’ll enjoy the rewards of your hard work and patience when your bowlers are happy with the more durable lane conditions and you have less oil-related backend issues.
Learn more about Fire and Ice Lane Conditioners
Oh No! My pattern is not playing the same as last year!
By Doug Dukes - Kegel Technical Sales Specialist and Kegel Pinsetter Parts
"My pattern is the same as last year but it is not playing the same" is one of the #1 lines we hear this time of year. As one of the techs at Kegel that has the privilege to not only help all of you on the phone, but to also work on lane machines in the field, let’s take a look at some overlooked parts and adjustments to your lane machine.
CLEANING - “You can’t paint the Mona Lisa on a piece of toilet paper.”
The number one overlooked problem on a lane machine is its ability to clean. Anytime a pattern adjustment is requested because they don’t play the same, our first question is “have you done a clean only”.
On Spray Jet machines, the screen check valves (153-0220) should be taken out regularly and cleaned. Lint build up on these can wreak havoc on the jet's ability to spray properly and as the check valves get weak, your spray tips can drip. If you notice that your machine is using less cleaner, it may be a good time to take these screens out and clean them. There are also two filters that cleaner passes through before it gets to the screen check valves, one in the tank (154-0212B) and one inline filter before the pump (154-8867A or 154-8887). It is always good to replace these filters every summer.
On Sprayless Cleaning Systems, you need to replace the two filters talked about above, but also your Norprene tubing in your cleaner pump (154-0861B). This style cleaner pump operates by using a set of rollers that press cleaner through this tubing every time the motor turns on. Over time, this tubing can lose its ability to allow cleaner to be pushed through it, and your volumes can be significantly reduced. Many times I have run a cleaner volume check on a lane machine and looked at the touchscreen only to realize that I was the last one to run the test during the yearly service last year!!! You guessed it……the volume was significantly lower than what it should have been.
Once you change the tubing, run a volume check and set it to your desired output and monitor this for a few weeks as the tubing breaks in. It will vary a bit during this time and a readjustment may be required, but it will settle in quickly. This should be checked on a regular basis throughout your season as well.
The cushion roller (153-8838 standard roller and 153-8839 roller with wrap), is another frequently overlooked piece to the cleaning puzzle. The size of the cushion is the key to your cleaning. If we think about how the cushion roller works, when the cloth unwinds, the cushion roller drops onto its stop bolts. When the machine is pushed onto the lane, the cushion actually lifts up off the stop bolts, and the weight of the cushion is what helps clean the lane. Simple right? If your cushion has gotten smaller over time, now it is not making full contact with the lane surface. This means it will not clean well. Mona Lisa and toilet paper soon to follow.
If you look at your cushion roller and see the “alligator skin” look, the ends are flaring out or torn and the cloth is visually pulling into the roller, or if you can wrap your hand completely around it, it is probably time to send it to greener pastures. One trick I show during service stops is releasing the tension on the cushion roller when you finish your lanes.
On machines that have the take up roll on the top, you can stand the machine in the transport position when finished and open the duster compartment. Slide the take up roll to the side and turn it 180 degrees and lock it back in place. This will relieve the pressure on the roller and when you turn the machine on to run lanes the next day, the machine will find “home” and wind the cloth back up for you. This can extend the life of your cushion and save you from headaches mid-season.
Squeegee blades (153-8204E Blue or 153-8834 Brown) normally are not overlooked, but why leave them out. Your squeegees should be flipped every six months, and changed once a year. You don’t want to leave any cleaner behind. Always check for your 1/8 to 3/16 adjustment as well, once you change or flip your blades and adjust accordingly.
Recovery tank filters are another overlooked item in the cleaning process. Waste tank a little lighter than normal? Check your filter and change it regularly. This is the perfect time to flush out your vacuum hoses and check for small pin holes that may affect suction, along with cleaning your vacuum motor and checking the motor brushes.
Conditioning - “The best canvas deserves a worthy brush.”
A few minor adjustments in your transfer system that have been overlooked can also make you pull your hair out when you’re dialing in your pattern.
Have you checked your crush adjustments on your brush? Most people check the crush from the buffer brush to the lane and set their buffers at 1/8 to 3/16. What most people don’t check is the crush to the transfer brush or roller depending on the machine type. If it can’t pick it up off the transfer brush or roller it can’t get it to the lane!
As the brush wears, it may lose some contact with the transfer brush or roller. When getting ready for the fall season with an existing brush, or when putting in a new brush, always check this adjustment. We like to see 1/8 inch of crush to the roller or transfer brush.
On a transfer brush system, if you turn the buffer on while the brush is in the down position, you should see a thin light colored line where the transfer brush and buffer brush meet. This is from the bristles on the buffer brush being pushed together as they push against the transfer brush. Adjust accordingly.
Your pressure gauge can tell you a lot about your lane machine as well. If your pressure gauge fluctuates as you are applying loads or your pressure seems much higher than normal, you may need to clean your oil control valve. Dirt can accumulate in your valve over time and cause pressure fluctuations while applying loads. If the valve is dirty, take a good look at your filter inside your oil tank as well (154-0212). Replacing it once a year will keep you in top running order.
Your lane machine is one of the most important machines in your center. My final example I tend to give to proprietors and mechanics alike goes something like this…….
If one of your pinsetters happens to go down during a league, you may upset at most the 10 people that are bowling on that pair. But you probably have the parts to be able to fix this later that evening. If your lane machine goes down, and you have a 32 lane center that is full, you’ve now made 160 people upset, and you may NOT have the parts to fix it. You next day air the parts, but your still down the next night, and 160 turns into 320. It is extremely important that you keep your machine clean, do your daily and monthly preventative maintenance, and not take your lane machine for granted. Always keep a few parts on hand. One of every relay, two of every fuse, a fuse holder, a head drive belt, check valves, etc.
This minimal list of low-cost items can be the difference between a full house of happy bowlers, or a lynch mob and a quick backdoor exit of the center. Spend ten minutes a day, 20 minutes once a week, an hour a month and a half day every six months on your machine, and you will be able to keep it clean, and inspect the machine for wear on a regular basis. Always remember we are only a phone call away 24 hours a day 7 days a week from anywhere in the world. We are ALWAYS here to help.
Good luck and good scoring on your new season.
Changing Out Conditioners - Sanction Technology
KEGEL TECH TIP - The following is Kegel's recommended procedure for changing out lane conditioners in Kegel Sanction Technology lane machines.
Remove the conditioner tank from the lane machine.
Empty the conditioner tank into a container. Do not reuse the old conditioner.
Remove the internal filter from the conditioner tank.
Flush the conditioner tank out with your lane cleaner solution to get any leftover conditioner and debris out of tank. Repeat this step at least one more time.
After the lane cleaner solution rinse, rinse the conditioner tank out with water until there are no more soap bubbles to ensure all lane cleaner residue is out of the tank.
Note: Kegel recommends NOT USING isopropyl alcohol or any other solvent.Allow the conditioner tank to dry completely.
Clean or replace the internal conditioner filter.
Reinstall the internal filter using Teflon tape and a small amount of clear silicone around the threads.
Reinstall the conditioner tank.
Fill the conditioner tank with the new conditioner.
Put the return line to the conditioner tank into a separate container and run the oil pump so that the old conditioner left in the lines will go into the container. This will force the old conditioner out of the conditioner tubing and replace it with the new conditioner while also keeping the old conditioner out of conditioner tank.
Once all of the old conditioner is out of the conditioner tubing, reinstall the conditioner return line back onto the conditioner tank.
Perform an oil volume output test five times into the separate container. This allows all of the conditioner to be removed from the pencil tip and conditioner tubing leading to the pencil tip.
Before applying conditioner to the transfer system components, and depending on your machines oil application, clean the transfer brush, smoother pads or transfer rollers, and the buffer brush. No chemicals should be used to clean these items; just clean dry towels.
Allow the conditioner pump to run and inspect all connections for any leaks.
Check your conditioner volume output and conditioner pressure. Kegel suggests setting the conditioner pressure at 15 psi for machines with a CPM2A and C200 PLC’s. However, anywhere between the ranges of 10-20 psi is safe. Machines that have a CP1H PLC will run conditioner pressure NO lower than 15 psi and no higher than 45 psi. And remember, conditioner pressure and volume are independent of each other - pressure differences WILL NOT affect conditioner volume.
For questions or assistance, please contact Kegel Tech Support US Toll Free at (800) 280-2695 or e-mail at tech@kegel.net
How to Choose the Correct Lane Conditioner
If there is one thing we have learned over the years, it’s that every bowling center is uniquely different. Even two bowling centers located right down the road from each other, using the same lane machine type, with the same lane surface, and using the same chemicals, can have drastically different lane conditions.
By measuring the lanes of hundreds of bowling centers with the Kegel LaneMapper™, we have begun to further understand why bowling centers can vary so much. However, things such as the water used to dilute the lane cleaner, the temperature and humidity within the building, and the different bowler types or balls being used by those bowlers can influence what lane conditioner is best for any one bowling center.
The properties Kegel tests on lane conditioners in the lab are all physical properties. Because all physical properties are affected by the environment they are used in, it is often hard to find or suggest the “right” lane conditioner without a little trial and error. So how do you begin to select the right lane conditioner and set-up for your bowling center?
First and foremost, our recommendation is that if you are happy with the lane conditioner you are using, don’t change it. If you are not happy however, and were to contact us at Kegel, there are a number of factors we would talk you about to get you on the right path. The following will give you some insight into the process we use to make lane oil recommendations to bowling centers.
The first thing we would ask is what problems you are experiencing in your bowling center. Issues that might indicate you need to change your lane conditioner are:
Excessive ball calls
Excessive out of ranges
Pattern is not holding up long enough
Pattern adjustments seem “too touchy”
Scores are not what they used to be
Before you switch your conditioner however, consider these possibilities:
Oil pattern: Some of the problems listed above could simply be caused by the oil pattern you are using. If you notice any of these issues, it is a good idea to have an expert review a copy of your current oil pattern to determine if this could be the source of the problem. Check out our pattern library or contact our tech support
Cleaner type, mix ratio, or residue:
Sometimes oil related issues can solely be a cause of a certain cleaner or mix ratio. Make sure the cleaner you are using is designed to remove the lane conditioner you are using.
ALL cleaners leave some residue behind - even those that claim to be residue free. For example, toilet bowl cleaners that keep your toilet “cleaner for longer,” leave a small amount of residue behind to help repel the dirt. Though the toilet may be flushed frequently and appear clean, the residue remains. For an example of this residue at work, watch this “Drop Shape” video to illustrate the effect cleaner residues can have on a surface.
Lane machine: Maintenance and upkeep of the lane machine are just as important as the chemicals they apply. Machines that are kept clean and maintained will apply conditioner more accurately and leave behind smaller amounts of residue.
Lane topography: We have a new saying at Kegel after measuring 1000’s of bowling lanes; “you can’t fix a gravity problem with oil.” Checking today’s synthetic lanes at 3 predetermined distances does not give enough information to determine how your lane’s shape affects ball motion. The consistency and predominant characteristic of your bowling center’s lane topography can finally be seen with the invention of the Kegel LaneMapper which can measure 744 points on the lane.
The top factors affecting lane play are the environment and pattern choices. After that comes the conditioner choice, followed by a third and often overlooked factor, the cleaner selection. Make sure you have exhausted alternate possibilities before chasing the perfect lane conditioner.
Lane Surface type:
Synthetic brand, model and age – AMF HPL’s or SPL’s, Brunswick’s many surfaces, DBA IQ™, Murray Pathfinder™, Switch, etc.
Wood lanes with finish - 100% solids, EZ Coat, moisture cure, water-based, etc.
Type of lane machine: Do you have a fluid metering lane machine (Kegel Sanction Technology), a wick/pad lane machine, or spray type machine?
Lineage: how much of your business is league play with high flaring modern bowling balls vs. open play with low flaring house balls. If more than 50% of your lineage is from league play, you should opt for a conditioner that has high durability. If your business is predominantly open play, parties, and social bowling events, look for a lane conditioner that is geared to prevent ball calls and out of ranges such as Prodigy.
Environmental factors:
Temperature consistency
Humidity
Cleanliness
Altitude
For example, if you live in a dry desert area, there is typically high static in the air which can cause lane play issues. In this scenario, it is good to look for an oil to help prevent the snappier back ends caused by the high static environment.
Through our experience with bowling centers all over the world, we have being exposed to many different scenarios. Although we have come to find that certain generalizations can be made based on the type of situation, no two centers are EXACTLY the same.
Dennis Sheirs, Vice President of Kegel’s Chemical division often gets asked the question “What is the best lane conditioner out there?” His response is, “the best lane conditioner is whatever works best in your center.”
When choosing a conditioner for your center, it is important to get advice specific to your factors in order to determine the best lane conditioner for your center, and ultimately, for your customers. As always, if you would like to have company along that journey trying to find that perfect lane conditioner, Kegel Technicians are only a free phone call away - Kegel Tech Support (800) 280-2695.
Earl Anthony - Simply the Best
THE difference between the good players, the very good players, and the great players, is the mental game. But what exactly is this mysterious thing called the "mental game”?
Many of the good players and very good players possess similar physical talents to the great players, but they often fall short with their accomplishments.
Simply put, the physical game - in any sport - is how the athlete performs based on their overall talent, ability, potential, skills, and preparation. The mental game however is a totally different animal. This element of the "package" is HOW the athlete thinks.
We have all heard about how the great players are the ones who work the hardest. They are the first ones to practice, and the last ones to leave. But, there is a lot more to it than that. Desire, dedication, determination, self-control, focus, concentration, confidence, self-esteem, positive thinking, goals, visualization, knowledge, and a host of other things, must be mastered.
The following is how the late great Earl Anthony “mastered” the game of bowling.
One time Earl Anthony was being interviewed after one of his early victories by a reporter. It was in the early 1970's, and the reporter wanted to be controversial about the lefty-righty situation that had run rampant in the late 1960's. He said to Earl, "This victory establishes you as one of the best lefties on Tour. Are you happy with that assessment?" Earl looked him right in the eye and said, "I don't know anything about that, my goal is to be the best bowler."
There was another time I remember that showed exactly how the man thought. It was 1974 and he had just been named the Bowler of the Year. A press party was arranged and the award was being presented to him in his office. The wall was cleared and the photographer was going to take a picture of Earl putting up the plaque. Earl was standing toward the corner of the wall with the plaque, and someone in the crowd told him to “put the plaque in the center of the wall.” Earl replied, “No, this one is going here, and the rest of them will go across the wall.”
Earl was right, the other Five Bowler of the Year Awards eventually filled up the entire wall.
Previously, I had written a series of books called the “Final Phase”. They were instructional books to help bowlers learn about the great sport of bowling.
For one of these books I interviewed Earl and posed this question this question to him; "Earl, in my opinion, you were the greatest bowler in the world. You totally dominated the PBA Tour for more than ten years. What do you feel was the formula-for-success that you enjoyed?”
Earl’s answer was, "In my opinion, success is the result of hard work, dedication, intelligence, selfishness, and some luck. How hard you work, and how much you are willing to sacrifice to achieve your goals, will determine to a great degree your level of success.
Natural talent is a wonderful gift, and to be the very best you must have a lot of God-given talent. However, you must work hard to develop that talent.”
Earl continued on to say, “To be a winner also takes a strong mind. You must be able to focus your concentration level to a fine point, and achieve a level of confidence in your ability that is unshakable under the most extreme pressure. Most winners develop an air of arrogance, which is a by-product of the confidence that they have in their ability.
The reason I was successful, was my ability to understand and develop my mental game, as well as the endless hours of practice on my physical game. There was also a certain amount of fear-of-failure that was tempered by a small degree of courage that I used as a motivator to let me continue to fight for my goals, despite many setbacks, and a willingness to put bowling, and my desire to be the very best, above all other things in my life."
Those three interviews alone, tells you volumes about why I thought Earl was the very best. To this day I still get chills and goose bumps when I read them.
Water Walker
I think that in order to give this story as much credibility as possible, I am going to have to brag a little. I have been involved in doing the lanes with the PBA for over 800 tournaments, which included the National Tour, the Senior Tour and all seven Regions of the Regional Program. I am the only person who has done lanes for every bowler that is in the PBA Hall of Fame. In other words, I have seen them all. And, perhaps, I am really the only person who knows exactly what they bowled "on", as far as lane conditions go.
My personal All-Time Top-10, includes; Dick 'Water Walker' Ritger. You talk about TALENT. Dick was unbelievable. He was a world-class bowler, a world class guy, and later became a world-class coach. Without question he was one of the coolest, smartest, shot-makers in the history of our great sport. He could bowl on anything.
I have literally hundreds of stories of some of the tremendous feats that were performed by the greatest bowlers in the world; those that are in the PBA Hall of Fame.
This particular story took place in the early 70's. We (the Tour) were at Cranston Bowl in Cranston, Rhode Island. The weather was absolutely miserable as it had been snowing for about a week before we got there. It was 10-degrees outside when I got off the plane. Not only that, but my job as laneman was going to be a lot tougher this week because we knew in advance that the place was in bad condition because they hadn't resurfaced in a couple of years and all of the league bowlers had been complaining. And it was an old, drafty two-sided house and each side played drastically different from each other - as well as each pair playing differently from each other. I knew that I was going to hear about that.
After the first day of qualifying, Ritger was in the lead, which wasn't unusual for this 20-time champion (at the time). Almost every bowler was upset with the lanes and I had to hear about it.
That night at 2:00am I went in to do the lanes and it was now 19-below zero. There was so much snow in the motel parking lot, that and I couldn't find my car and had to walk about a mile to get to the bowl. About 15-minutes after getting there, part of the roof on the high-side (the real tough side) caved-in from the weight of the snow. It was a disaster. The janitor called the head mechanic who in turn called the Manager. He called everybody he knew to get in there to help clean up the mess. I called Harry Golden (the Tournament Director) to let him know what had happened. I cleaned and oiled the low-side then went over to take a look at what was going on over on the disaster side. There were about 20 people cleaning the water, snow, ceiling tiles and other debris off of the lanes and approaches. You could see the sky through the hole in the ceiling. I remember thinking: "I'm sure that the guys will blame me for this, too."
There were buckets on the lanes that were still catching water from the drippy roof. It was now 6:00am and the Pro's were scheduled to bowl at 9:00am. At that point I thought that there was no way. I started cleaning and oiling the part of that side that wasn't under water. When I got to the part of the house that had caved in, a "Miracle" happened. It had stopped raining and the dripping over the lanes had stopped. I cleaned and oiled the rest of the lanes. There were still some drips coming down over the lanes, but "Miracle number 2" was that the drips were only over the gutter gaps and the buckets that were placed there were catching all of the drops. It was about 8:45am now, and I took the lane machine to the back. The mechanic and all his helpers were back there huddled next to a little heater he had, and they were all trying to dry out.
When I came out of the backend, I saw about 20-bowlers standing in the settee on 31 and 32. I went over there to see what was going on. The only drips that were still coming down were over the approach on that pair and because of the full field, they had to use that pair in the tournament. Harry made the decision to leave the three buckets where they were on the approach. It was either that, or put 5 on a pair, and none of the bowlers wanted that. The buckets were to stay in place for BOTH squads.
I stayed around to watch the 1st squad bowl. After they bowled their 6-games that morning, the high game on the pair was 149. It was impossible for the players to walk around the buckets that were there to execute any type of normal shot.
Now the next squad came in to bowl. Ritger was scheduled to bowl his 2nd game on 31 and 32. It would be interesting to see what he could do there and not lose too much of the lead that he had enjoyed. When he got there for game 2 of this second day, there was a huge crowd in the bleachers, and standing behind the bleachers, as well.
I watched him (with no practice balls) alter his approach by snaking his footwork around the three buckets in a serpentine manner. I couldn't believe my eyes. He shot 279 like it was nothing. It was ridiculous.
One World - One Game
It has been almost ten years since John Davis (Founder of the Kegel Company), called together a group of experienced lane men in an attempt to further research the on-going lane conditioning problems with our Sport. It had become apparent that too many tournaments were deemed unfair by the participants and tournament organizers. Bowling ball technology had rapidly advanced and it was getting next to impossible for the lane man to do the job without some sort of social controversy. After that five day meeting in Sebring, Florida, Davis promised to undertake the huge task of taking care of lanes at every major tournament in the world and then posting those results on The Foundation website for the whole world to see. Davis and The Foundation came up with their initial slogan which was: “One World – One Game.”
The Foundation also coined two other phrases:
1. "You don't need to be a lane man to know that there are problems, you just need to be a lane man to know how bad the problems are."
2. "If not us, who? If not now, when?"
Early on, a series of scratch tournaments were developed, called: The Foundation Games. These events were held in this country (and abroad) with some promising results. They were unique by featuring ‘multiple conditions’ in an attempt to further challenge the participants by having more than one lane condition to compete on. Challenging oil patterns were used (both long and short) that required the athletes to compete on different lengths of oil during competition.
In 2000, Dr. P.S. Nathan, then President of the World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA), held a World Bowling Seminar in Malaysia and Davis was invited to attend along with many other bowling leaders from around the world. At that week-long educational meeting, it was unanimously decided that in order to find out who the best players were at any given event, the athletes needed to be challenged with these ‘multiple condition’ type tournaments.
The WTBA then formed a Technical Committee (TC) to continue researching the problems on a world wide basis. Since then, different tournament formats have been tested along with bowling ball restrictions (amount of balls used in the events) which were instituted. It is quite clear today, that some of the underdeveloped countries are at a disadvantage regarding bowling equipment.
For many years now, numerous thoughts, opinions and feelings about lane conditioning have been constantly expressed on most every bowling websites discussion groups. Depending on the average person’s position (agenda), most blame the problems with our game on various aspects of the game, including; pins, oil patterns, balls, kick-backs, flat gutters and an assortment of other things. Most have never done lanes and have no idea what that particular job entails.
Today, even with the use of different formats and multiple conditions, problems still exist in our great sport. The WTBA Technical Committee feels that it is time to try a different approach.
"One World - One Game - One Ball"
In 2003, Davis was named as Chairman of the WTBA TC, and Kegel was still taking care of all the tournaments for the WTBA and developing countless oil patterns. It became obvious that the lane man still could not do his job without some social unrest. Something else was needed.
The WTBA TC decided to research and test a type of bowling ball that would not mutate the oil patterns as much as today’s High Tech balls do. Davis was put in charge of doing the research for this project. Days, weeks and months went into this very technical testing, using CATS data.
A ‘prototype’ bowling ball was developed which showed encouraging results. During the week of April 17-22, a Bowling Writers meeting was scheduled in Orlando, Florida (which is only about 80 miles from Kegel’s Training Center), that was combined with the USBC Annual Meeting.
The WTBA TC also scheduled a meeting at this time and this was a chance to announce this new theory. A small scratch tournament would be held and the results would be shown to the world. Many top players from Florida would participate along with some other top amateurs and former PBA Tour champions. It was an eight game event that was bowled across eight lanes. The amount of oil that was used was 7.140 mL, which is an amount that was used in the early 1970’s.
Those results (total pin fall) were:
1. Bob Learn, Jr. (1880)
2. Vernon Peterson (1770)
3. Matt Gilman (1715)
4. Bob Handley (1675)
5. Mike Purdy (1671)
6. Larry Barwick (1670)
7. Rob Comito (1666)
8. Steve Johnson (1660)
9. Neil Stremmel (1655)
10. Storm DeVincent (1627)
10. (T) Sami Luoto (1627)
12. Chris Chartrand (1612)
13. Dennis Davis (1598)
14. Craig Auerbach (1596)
15. Saul Insignares (1573)
16. Tony Lavance (1572)
17. Ron Dixon (1523)
18. Jose Rodriquez (1514)
19. John Forst (1513)
20. Dennis Psaropoulos (1512)
21.Tony Crews (1477)
22. Bill Blackwell (1454)
23. Pekka Korpi (1383)
24. Josh Moore (1354)
Each player paid a $100.00 entry fee to enter the tournament, and that included a bowling ball. Each player had a choice of 15 or 16 pounds to use. Except for that weight difference, all of the balls were made as similarly as humanly possible. Davis donated an additional $2600.00 for a total Prize Fund of: $5000.00. Learn earned $2000.00 for the win along with a very nice banner that was signed by all of the participants and those on the WTBA TC. In all, 12 players cashed.
When asked if he wanted the banner, Learn said, “Certainly. It will go in my trophy room with all of my other cherished awards.” He added, “This was great. ALL tournaments should be like this one because I really think that it was the fairest tournament that I have ever bowled in.”
After the event, all the players were asked to fill out a detailed questionnaire that had a multitude of pertinent questions regarding the tournament. Those queries are currently being analyzed.
All in all, it was deemed a tremendous success by the Players and Officials. All results of the CATS data (from every shot, from every player) are also being analyzed. When completed, a detailed report will be sent to WTBA President Heikke Sarso for review.
STAY TUNED!
The Beginning
The year was: 1956.
The place was: Hillsdale High School in San Mateo California
My first recollection of Billy Hardwick was that of disbelief. What a sight it was. He was a sophomore, a year behind me in school. He was all of 5’3” and weighed-in at exactly 99-pounds.
He came out and (tried out) for the Varsity football team. The Head Coach, Frank Collins, looked at him and said that he was too small to play, but since we were a new school and needed players, he told Billy that he could hold the blocking-bags during practice. He also told him that because of his size (or lack of it) that he wouldn’t be able to issue him a team uniform.
But, Billy had guts and said that he still wanted to play and practice with the team. It was a cold and rainy day in September. There he was in his ragged, old sweat-shirt, sweat-pants and wearing his tennis shoes. The shoes were those old “high-top” canvas style and the laces were tied around the tops about 4-times. His skinny, little ankles were way too small to fill-up the tops of the shoes and it looked like he was walking around with two small “sacks-of-potatoes” hanging off of the bottoms of his legs.
The practice field was very wet and muddy that day, and the first chance I had to block him and the big blocking-bag that he was trying to hold-up, I put a little bit of an “extra” effort into it. The poor little kid had no chance. He went slipping and sprawling and sliding before eventually ending up on his back in the middle of a huge mud puddle. On his way down, all you could see were arms and legs going in every direction as he tried in vain to maintain his balance. It was an absolute riot. Even all of the Coaches were laughing.
I intentionally humiliated him once again when I reached down to help him up and purposely stepped on his foot with my football cleats. He let out a scream and rolled over (face first) in the mud. Now, he was covered from head-to-toe in the sloppy quagmire. It was hilarious. Everybody there was howling. Everybody that is, except for Billy. Looking back though, I was probably a big “bully” for doing that to him. Even though he never said it, I am sure that he hated me for doing that to him.
Basically that was the end of his football career. He did go on to play on the basketball, baseball and cross-country teams. Despite his slight stature, he was a fierce competitor. As the years went by, he would eventually prove “that” to everybody. His burning desire that he possessed soon became evident when a new bowling center opened in our town and he was finally able to find (and master), his sport.
During that year we became the best of friends, and that friendship has been a close one for 6-decades. I owe him a lot from what he has taught me and the countless doors that he has helped me to open. We have (personally) endured a lot together and I have countless stories about him. I will be telling some of them here……at least the ones that are suitable for print!!!
History tells us that he did go on the Tour, twice becoming Bowler of the Year. He was voted in the top 20-players of all-time and inducted into both the ABC and PBA Halls of Fame.
Today, Billy is alive and well and owns a very successful bowling center in Memphis, Tennessee. I still see him now and then and occasionally talk with him on the phone. If you see him, tell him that I said hello.
By the way, he did pay me back. Yeah, he was the rotten egg that got me into bowling!