Blend10 Symmetrical Drilling Instructions
Surface preparation: One of the main things that you can do to make sure that you get a proper
consistent performance is to adjust the surface of the bowling ball immediately after purchase! As an
example: Sand the ball surface with a 2000 pad and then apply polish if desired. By doing this you can
copy the same surface texture through your pro shop from the very start of the use of the bowling ball.
Factories use techniques and machinery that is not available to the mass public and this makes it very
difficult to copy the surface texture of the bowling ball in your local pro shop.
Bowling ball surface care: It is highly recommended that you provide care for your new bowling ball
surface by using cleaning products to remove oil from the surface and the pores of the bowling ball. It’s
also recommended to use a microfiber towel when the bowling ball is in use and to wipe the surface of
the bowling ball off with a microfiber towel during your practice sessions or competitions.
Key information for all bowlers to understand: Bowling ball core designs come with two very specific
ratings and they are Differential of the radius of gyration and Radius of gyration. The best way to
understand these two subjects can be put in a simple manner.
Differential of the radius of gyration: means change of direction by the core. The higher the number the
more the core wants to pull towards the center of the lane during each revolution. The lower the
number the less the core wants to pull towards the center of the lane during each revolution.
Radius of gyration: means the amount of time it takes the core to make one complete revolution. The
higher the number is, the longer it takes for the core to make one complete revolution. The lower the
number the sooner it takes for the core to make one complete revolution.
Pin placements: placing the pin, which is actually the center point of the core; in different places in
relationship to the axis point can help create a ball shape characteristic. Although there are many places
that a pin can be placed in relationship to an axis point, these are the most common pin placements that
have been proven to work for the vast majority of players.
Pin placement suggestions for higher tracks: These are the most common pin placements for higher
tracks. Higher tracks can be defined as someone that has the first oil ring on the bowling ball surface
near the fingers and thumb, approximately 3 inches or less, as indicated by the two white perforated
lines that are shown in figure A.
FIGURE A
1: Pin placement 1 assist in delaying the core moving towards the center of the lane during each
revolution. With the pin placement being above the fingers and far from the axis point (on average 5
inches from your axis point) assists the bowling ball to retain more energy until it gets further down the
lane and produces the characteristic of more length down the lane along with stronger backend motion.
2: Pin placement 2 the pin is being placed slightly closer to your axis point (on average 3 ½ inches from
your axis point), which then allows the core to move towards the center of the lane earlier during each
revolution as compared to the previous pin placement. Moving the pin to the outside of the finger holes
and closer towards your axis point creates the characteristic of an earlier rolling motion. Since this
characteristic is using up some of the bowling balls energy earlier, in most cases it creates less of a
backend motion and more of a continuous arcing motion.
3: Pin placement 3 the pin has been moved very close to your axis point (on average 2 ½ inches from
your axis point), which then allows the core to move towards the center of the lane much earlier during
each revolution as compared to the previous pin placements. Moving the pin closer towards your axis
point creates the characteristic of a very early rolling motion. With this very early rolling motion the
backend motion is greatly decreased compared to pin positions 1 and 2.
4: Pin placement 4 the pin has been moved extremely close to your axis point (on average 1 ½ inches or
less from your axis point), which then moves the core towards the center of the lane almost
immediately and within just a few complete revolutions. This type of pin placement takes away any
strong backend ball motion and is not recommended for most players unless you are bowling on very
short oil patterns. As a side note if you track very high, this type of pin placement can pull the track
higher and cause the track to rise to the point that the ball will roll over either the fingers or the
thumbhole.
Pin placement suggestions for lower tracks: These are the most common pin placements for lower
tracks. Lower tracks can be defined as someone that has the first oil ring on the bowling ball surface
away from the fingers and thumb, approximately 3 1/2 inches or more, as indicated by the white
perforated line that’s shown in figure B.
FIGURE B
1: Pin placement 1 assists in delaying the core moving towards the center of the lane during each
revolution. With the pin placement being above the fingers and far from the axis point (on average 5
inches from your axis point) assist the bowling ball to keep more energy until it gets further down the
lane and produces the characteristic of more length down the lane along with stronger backend motion.
2: Pin placement 2 the pin is being placed slightly closer to your axis point (on average 3 ½ inches from
your axis point), which then allows the core to move towards the center of the lane earlier during each
revolution as compared to the previous pin placement. Moving the pin to the outside of the finger holes
and closer towards your axis point creates the characteristic of an earlier rolling motion. Since this
characteristic is using up some of the bowling balls energy earlier, in most cases it creates less of a
backend motion and more of a continuous arcing motion.
3: Pin placement 3 the pin is placed below the thumbhole and closer to your axis point (on average 3 ½
inches from your axis point), which produces the characteristic of a heavy roll and an arcing motion and
the potential of creating more revolutions on the bowling ball. With these characteristics it has the
potential of creating more overall ball motion than with pin placements 1 and 2. As a side note if you do
not track at least 4 inches from the finger and thumbhole, this type of pin placement can pull the track
higher and cause the track to rise to the point that the ball will roll over the thumbhole.
Pin placement suggestions for full rollers: These are the most common pin placements for full rollers.
Full rollers can be defined as someone that has the first oil ring on the bowling ball surface between the
fingers and thumbhole, as indicated by the white perforated line that’s shown in figure C.
FIGURE C
1: Pin placement 1 is the strongest pin placement for a full roller. The pin is located approximately 1 inch
left of the thumbhole and slightly above the thumbhole. This pin placement is normally placed 6 ¾
inches from the axis point. With this pin placement it gives the long down the lane and strong backend
motion characteristic.
2: Pin placement 2 is placed below the thumbhole by approximately 1” and on the centerline of the grip.
This pin placement creates the characteristic of an even arcing motion which in turn takes away some of
the strong backend motion as mentioned in pin placement 1. Be sure to not drill into the pin with this
pin placement.
3: Pin placement 3 is actually the axis point for a full roller. Placing the pin on the axis point will take
away all dynamics of the core of the bowling ball. With this pin placement you can expect that the balls
reaction will be minimal on the backend of the lane. However, this pin placement has been successful
for full rollers on very dry lanes or very short oil patterns.
There are many different layouts and pin placements that are available. The suggestions listed here
are the most common and proven pin placements that have been very successful. It’s always best to
consult your Pro Shop Technician for further assistance with achieving the most desirable pin
placement that is best for you.