If you feel it’s time to resurface your bowling ball there are a few items you’ll need to help get the job done. These include reusable padded sanding discs or different grades of sandpaper. If you’re going to use sanding discs you should also have a bowl of water handy so you can wet them and rinse them off. In addition, you’ll need a spray bottle, towels, polishing pads, polishes, and a bowling-ball spinner or resurfacing kit such as SMarT BMS.

The spray bottle will be used to wet the ball and it’s a good idea to mix a dash of dishwashing liquid in with the water as it will help to hold the water on the ball. The polish, polishing pads, and towels are needed if you plan on polishing the bowling ball. There are several types of polishes available which are designed to accommodate different lane conditions and ball surfaces.

Before you getting started you should be aware that today’s high-tech bowling balls are made with weight blocks in them which come in different densities and multiply pieces. These also come in un-balanced and extreme shapes and will typically make the spinner move and vibrate when you spin the ball. The motion varies depending on which side of the ball you’re sanding due to the weight block’s position.

How to resurface the ball

1-Prepare a small bucket or bowl of water and wet the padded sanding discs or sandpaper with it. The idea behind wet sanding is that it will minimize the heat caused by the sanding friction and it will also reduce the amount of dust created.

2-If there are deep scratches on the bowling ball you should start off with a 360-grit padded sanding disc or sandpaper. This will help to sand down moist of the heavy track and scratches. If the track isn’t too deep you may want to start with 500-grit sandpaper or disc instead.

3-Each time you change the grit you should make sure you sand all six sides of the ball to keep it  symmetrical.

4-After the sandpaper or sanding disc is wet remember to keep your fingers away from the bowling ball as they may get caught in the finger, thumb, or weight holes when he ball is spinning. The best way to put pressure onto the ball is with the palm of your hand.

5-Move your hand slowly down the side of the bowling ball close to the cup rim and then move it back to the top. Do this for about five to 10 seconds and then repeat the procedure several times on each side of the ball. Since the friction of the sandpaper or sanding disc can produce a lot of heat you should spray the ball with the water bottle to cool it down and lubricate it. You can then wipe it down with a towel when you’re finished and see how the ball’s surface looks.

6-Remember to sand the entire ball with the same grit of sandpaper or disc. Then repeat the procedure with the other grits of sandpaper or disc. You should stop when you come to the grit that you want on surface of the ball.

7-Clean out the weight, thumb, and finger holes when you’ve finished sanding the ball.

How to polish the ball

1-Be sure to clean any grime or oil from the bowling ball with the proper type of cleaning product. Pour the cleaning fluid on a towel or polishing pad and simply rub it over the ball’s surface.

2-Hold the pad or towel against the ball and keep your fingers away from the holes. Make sure you wipe the pad or towel over all six sides of the ball.

3-When the ball has been cleaned you’ll need to choose the polish you want to use and then pour it onto the pad or towel. Rub the polish firmly into the ball as it spins while holding the pad or towel with the palm of your hand. You can use the same method as sanding the ball by starting on the upper side and moving your hand slowly down its side until you reach the rim of the ball cup. Polish the ball until you can see it work into it and dry. You need to repeat the procedure on all sides of the ball and then clean out the holes again.