Ball outgassing

cjr3559 · Jul 6, 2012

There's another thread about yellowing of billiard balls which prompted me to try cleaning my old set of Aramiths from 1988.

These balls saw very little use for a couple years before they were stored in a box for nearly 25 years.

They are extremely yellow so I used some automotive headlight cleaner in hopes of brightening them up.

I suppose this is what a ball looks like after suffering from outgassing in the box all those years. The other pic is after I hand rubbed it with the cleaner. Not perfectly white, but acceptable for use again.

manwon · Jul 6, 2012

Phenolic doesn't out gas to my knowledge. The change in color is do to exposure to air and and what is in the the air we breath, If it were do to with out gassing the ball could not be cleaned because the discoloration would come from the inside out.

DogsPlayingPool · Jul 6, 2012

Wow, that's a big improvement from the "before" picture. Headlight lens cleaner, huh? Did the ball remain shiny or did it dull the finish? It looks like there is a nice reflection in the after shot, just can't tell for sure. Wonder how good they would come out if you machine buffed them.

Good post!

sfleinen · Jul 7, 2012

DogsPlayingPool said:
Wow, that's a big improvement from the "before" picture. Headlight lens cleaner, huh? Did the ball remain shiny or did it dull the finish? It looks like there is a nice reflection in the after shot, just can't tell for sure. Wonder how good they would come out if you machine buffed them.

Good post!

Yup, that stuff is *so* good, it even lightened-up and cleared up the "after" photo itself, improving the camera's resolution and light-reception!

Just kidding. It could be the OP used two different cameras for the before and after photos.

It makes sense that headlight lens cleaner would work, albeit I imagine it's slightly abrasive (it'd have to be, to be able to polish-out nicks and scratches which are all too common on headlights from gravel and rock dings, etc.).

-Sean

Chopdoc · Jul 7, 2012

manwon said:
Phenolic doesn't out gas to my knowledge. The change in color is do to exposure to air and and what is in the the air we breath, If it were do to with out gassing the ball could not be cleaned because the discoloration would come from the inside out.

Oxidation? Sure.

UV induced changes? Sure, but these were in the box, so not likely.

Smoke? The evidence is in the second picture, in the background. Marlboro Menthol.

.

Shaky1 · Jul 7, 2012

I agree! Tar and nicotine will yellow the whole room!
I know this. I live in a yellow world.

thepavlos · Jul 7, 2012

The discoloration is most likely from the material the balls sit on in the box rather than the balls themselves.

Manoman2444 · Jul 7, 2012

Good info Chuck, thanks!

cjr3559 · Jul 7, 2012

Fortunately the cleaner is not abrasive at all, and they still have a nice glossy shine.

I will note that I used the flash in the before pic and no flash in the after shot. That could make a difference, so I'll shine another one and not mix and match camera settings.

As for smoking, I don't smoke much, and will admit it's a bad habit I recently picked up. Just an ocassional cigarette or two. This set was never around smoke.

8ballEinstein · Jul 7, 2012

thepavlos said:
The discoloration is most likely from the material the balls sit on in the box rather than the balls themselves.

This is the best explanation for that discoloration - the contact material the balls had during storage.

All automotive headlight lens cleaners are abrasive. In fact, that's what the term "cleaner" means in the automotive detailing world.

cjr3559 · Jul 7, 2012

8ballEinstein said:
This is the best explanation for that discoloration - the contact material the balls had during storage.

All automotive headlight lens cleaners are abrasive. In fact, that's what the term "cleaner" means in the automotive detailing world.

The balls were always in contact with the plastic tray in which they were delivered. I think they yellowed from being stored in humid apartments without A/C for all those years.

The headlight cleaner may be abrasive, but what cleaner isn't? I didn't find any indications of scratching after rubbing. The 8-Ball actually looks glossier after polishing.

berko · Jul 7, 2012

When I experience outgassing when playing pool, I usually just blame it on the dog.

DogsPlayingPool · Jul 7, 2012

Chuck (2) said:
The balls were always in contact with the plastic tray in which they were delivered. I think they yellowed from being stored in humid apartments without A/C for all those years.

The headlight cleaner may be abrasive, but what cleaner isn't? I didn't find any indications of scratching after rubbing. The 8-Ball actually looks glossier after polishing.

I doubt a mildly abrasive polishing compound would be a problem. After all, Aramith ball cleaner has some grit and Aramith Ball Restorer I believe is even more aggressive.

larrynj1 · Jul 7, 2012

when the girls in my avatar start outgassing, i head for the hills.

Ball outgassing

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