PIN CLEANING:
Cleaning pins regularly helps pins last longer and flow through the pinsetter better. Thorough cleaning removes built-up dirt and grit that can quickly abrade the protective clear coating causing machine handling problems and Surlyn® deterioration. Centers should clean all pins at least once a month, and ideally, once a week. Brunswick recommends Universal Pin Cleaner for cleaning pins. This can be used with a light cleaning procedure, or in pin cleaning machines. Follow recommended dilution instructions for cleaning pins. NOTE: When pinsetters are cleaned often and properly, the frequency of pin cleaning can be reduced.
PIN MOISTURE CONTENT:
Never let excessive amounts of water soak into the bottom wood of your bowling pins. Brief surface wetting that occurs while washing is not harmful, but if the pin is submerged in water or stands in water, the wood will swell and eventually crack. Maintain proper moisture content in pins by maintaining the humidity in the pinsetter area between 30-50%. Keeping the pinsetter area around 60ºF (15ºC) during the winter, and avoiding directly blowing heat on pins also makes humidity maintenance easier.
PIN STORAGE:
Pins should be stored in a cool (60º-70ºF) area where humidity can be maintained at 30-50%. If pins are stored in a cooler environment the pins should be acclimated to the center’s environment for 48 hours prior to putting into the pinsetters.
PIN DAMAGE BY CENTER EQUIPMENT:
Pin damage can occur from exposed screw heads or sharp edges in the pit area or pin handling equipment. Inspect pins frequently to look for any patterns of cuts, nicks, gouges, etc. Frequent inspection can quickly identify an issue with a pinsetter or the pit. If a pattern of damage is detected make sure to locate and correct the problem to avoid further problems. Pinsetter damage is not covered by warranty.
Areas to look for problems that can cause pin damage:
| Lanes | |
| Nail head protruding from kickback fiber plates | Protruding nails and screws |
| Fiber edge board not radiused after resurfacing | Fiber edge boards above the pindeck surface |
| • Mismatch of flat gutters leaving sharp edges exposed | |
| Pinsetter Setting Table | |
| Sharp edges on the table | Missing table parts |
| Sharp edges at the pin openings of the lower table | Share edges on the pin stations or grippers |
| Distributor | |
| Pins striking the edges of the distributor frame | Broken distributor parts |
| Pins striking sharp edges of the pin chutes, release levers and overflow chutes | Pins striking misaligned distributor rails and tabs |
| Elevator | |
| Share edges on elevator shovels, cams and centering guides | Share edges on pin centering devices |
| Share edges on rear deflector mounting brackets | Incorrectly adjusted pin deflectors |
| Welding done on elevator frames that are not ground smooth | |
| Pin Cushion & Curtain | |
| Worn pit curtains allowing pins to strike hardware | Exposed transport hardware |
| Sharp edges on cushion frames | Sharp Edges on pin deflectors |
PIN DENSIFICATION :
Surlyn is an extremely resilient material and it will not compress in the same manner as the wood does from the
constant impact of bowling balls. Instead, the wood will compress but the Surlyn will not, creating a small void between the wood and Surlyn. This will occur in the belly as well as the head of a pin and can create the impression the pin is cracked, even though it is not. This densification is normal and is not covered by warranty.