A Pro Shop Tale for the Nostalgia Buffs

[jason_doust]

Howdy Seniors!

I know that this photo will be appreciated in here. I had a gentleman come into the pro shop this week with a ball he had coveted since juniors, back in the late 1970's. It was the thing to have, the ball to beat and he got hold of one, brand new. I have to confess, I never thought I'd be punching one of these out on a digital mill...

Cheers,
Jason

 

[Nighteyes300]

Jason, I'm only a young fella and even I'm impressed by this. What was it like to drill compared to modern day balls?

 

[CHRIS ROBERTSON]

The owners name ???

 

[John_Velo]

I still have one in the shed.

don't they smell great when you put a hole in, like vegemite sandwich left in the sun, they take you back to a simpler time with the woft of burning rubber.

When I resurfaced my old one a few years back, Andy McKay and Rockdale Bowl was the first place that came to mind.

 

[jason_doust]

The owners name ???

Not sure I should publish that without his permission. Especially as he works in the legal profession!

And yes, John I was bracing myself for the smell, and it wasn't pleasant, but I think 40 years of curing has tamed it quite a bit. Current Storm balls smell a lot more! That smell was a trip down memory lane. Not a smell I miss, but a time of less commitment and therefore, more freedom. I too, thought of the inimitable Rockdale pro shop and working on gear for the inimitable Stuart Erwin. (He used to swap my strong young back on the ball spinner for plug and redrills.)

 

[jason_doust]

Jason, I'm only a young fella and even I'm impressed by this. What was it like to drill compared to modern day balls?

Yep, these balls were old when I was young. The archetypal shiny black ball so loved by cartoonists.

It was surprisingly tough to push a drill bit through although the bits didn't get as hot as they do with reactive resin. And lovely and consistent all the way down as it's got no dense core to bump into / glance off.

I'm guessing that it may have got tougher with age, as it was a little more brittle than I expected when bevelling and the knife chattered at first. Sanding took longer than I'm used to these days as this material offers a lot more resistance.

 

[Brenton_Davy]

Yep, these balls were old when I was young. The archetypal shiny black ball so loved by cartoonists.

It was surprisingly tough to push a drill bit through although the bits didn't get as hot as they do with reactive resin. And lovely and consistent all the way down as it's got no dense core to bump into / glance off.

I'm guessing that it may have got tougher with age, as it was a little more brittle than I expected when bevelling and the knife chattered at first. Sanding took longer than I'm used to these days as this material offers a lot more resistance.

Which is why I always carry a BLUNT bevel knife. Great for old rubber balls and vinyl thumb slugs.

Hope you never have to resurface it Jase, black crap EVERYWHERE!!!

 

[jason_doust]

Zackly Brenton! As for resurfacing, I shudder to think about how many LT-48's, Black Diamond's, etc, I've resurfaced for Stuart Erwin at Rockdale! Blech! It's not going in the Haus machine! ☺