How to Plug & Re-drill Bowling Balls

Some bowling alleys have professional bowling ball technicians. New balls come without holes in them, and used balls may require plugging and re-drilling. There are several different ways to drill holes based on level of each particular bowler and even the type of ball. While TheBowlingCoach.com recommends having a professional drill the holes for you, you can tackle the process yourself.

Things You'll Need

  • Bowling ball
  • Plugging chemical kit
  • Drilling machine
  • Adjustable bowling-ball measuring and marking device
  • Fingertip inserts (if desired)
  • Low-grit sandpaper
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Instructions

  1. Plugging

    • 1

      Pour, stir and mix the plugging chemical into a cup or can. Since temperature affects ball plug, maintain a temperature of 72 to 78 degrees in your workroom.

    • 2

      Fill the holes with the plugging material and level it off. Do not worry if the roundness of the ball interferes with your smoothing the ball plug completely.

    • 3

      Let the plugging compound dry, which may take several hours.

    Drilling

    • 4

      Choose grip style (finger tip or standard drilling). Beginners and casual bowlers typically use a standard grip, in which the middle and ring finger fit into the holes all the way down to the knuckles. More advanced league bowlers tend to go with fingertip grips, in which just the tips of the fingers fit into the holes.

    • 5

      Measure the hand. Take accurate measurements of the span from fingers to the thumb. Measure the thumb, middle finger and ring finger using the adjustable bowling ball measuring and marking device. This device has adjustable hole sizes which can be interchanged to customize any grip.

    • 6

      Mark the spots on the ball according to the measurements you recorded in Step 2, and begin drilling. Each of the three holes is likely to require different size drill bits.

    • 7

      Sand and clean the ball using desired material. Wipe the ball with a clean cloth and polish with a low-grit sandpaper to remove any scratches.

    • 8

      Roll the ball softly on the floor. If it does not roll smoothly, you may need to sand or polish some more.