Rotogrip Hot Cell

[chip82901]

Purchased a Hot Cell last week, drilled up by Max Shellabarger at Hill AFB in Clearfield, UT. He's drilled a couple in the past for me and boy do they read the lanes well.

So, I let him do his magic, didn't even really tell him what I wanted the ball to do, as I had no clue what to really expect from a urethane ball with an asymmetric core. I'll break down everything now.

14# Rotogrip Hot Cell
PAP: 4 7/8" right, 1/2" up
Layout: 5x4x2
OOB, 1000 grit
2 Handed bowler, 400rpm rev rate, 17.5mph at the backend

What I expected:
Like most urethane, I expected length and having to play with angles in order to carry.

What I got:
I definitely got length, but what I wasn't expecting was the way it read the lanes. It doesn't read like a urethane at all! It picks up in the midlane, and continues through the pins. I started out the night playing around 12 at the arrows out to about 8-9. First game, I ran the front 7 with some awful shots (first week of league btw). However, the shots still carried. I then couldn't cover a spare and finished with 223. 2nd game, ball jumped a little early, so I made a slight adjustment in (never make big adjustments with urethane, you'll regret it), to about 15 at the arrows, out to the same 8-9 breakpoint. Boom. Boom. Boom. Once again, spare shooting was a bit off, but the carry was there. Ended up with an 8 strike 233. 3rd game out, kept the same line as I couldn't miss the pocket. A few errant shots, but nothing too crazy. Once again, spare shooting killed (reminder, first week of league, hadn't picked up a ball in 6 weeks). Finished out with 221, for a 677, at probably the TOUGHEST house in Wyoming. We deal with twister pins (pain to try and carry).

Final Thoughts:
What an amazing ball! This is DEFINITELY going to be the ball I use in my home center all season long. My home center gets a bit spotty trying to move inside, so urethane up the edge is going to be my bread and butter, and with the stronger core and the pin action I received from this ball, I suggest you add the Hot Cell into your bag for every tournament, as it's going to help blend the pattern out.

[BowlingBoards.com]

Wow... Sounds like it worked out for you! Some people are skeptical because of the urethane cover but it is something you truly have to "throw to believe"

[BobbyGunz89]

Nice shooting. I just drilled up Brunswick Fanatic BTU I was getting the same reactions as you. I like how different the ball reacts with speed and or hand adjustment. The only reason I'm hesitant to start with it is in my trios league I'd be afraid to carry the oil down the lane early on and throw off my teammates.

[chip82901]

Believe it or not, the carry down I caused actually helped my teammates as I was just far outside, that they could play a board or 2 inside of me and it worked out well

[chip82901]

Nice shooting. I just drilled up Brunswick Fanatic BTU I was getting the same reactions as you. I like how different the ball reacts with speed and or hand adjustment. The only reason I'm hesitant to start with it is in my trios league I'd be afraid to carry the oil down the lane early on and throw off my teammates.

Also, being that the BTU is still urethane, it's highly unlikely that you will "carry" down any oil. You may however, burn the track area up and cause more friction, which would almost seem like "carry down".

[ALazySavage]

I know this is a Hot Cell post, but I will comment because I'm going on the basis that the Hot Cell and the Black Widow Urethane are going to have similar affects to the lane. I love the BW Urethane and in regards to carry down, the asymmetrical core has it flaring so much that the carry down doesn't seem to be as significant as some of the other popular urethane choices (symmetrcials such as the Pitch Black, Black Hammer, Tank, etc). Wiping the ball down after each shot will also help combat this.

My confusion is the statement about since the BTU is still urethane, it is highly unlikely that you will "carry" down any oil; just doesn't make sense.