Basically Bases

[PraiseDaddy]

I realize some bases perform better or different on different surfaces. Is it simply all about the tweak or are some, say Tornado F-5s, generally better on a certain surface than others. If so,(and let's just keep it between us on the DL), could you tell me which ones you found more proficient on either metal or fiber board. Somebody help out a brother?

[roller]

Praise Daddy,

In my experience the performance of the base has more to do with the coating on the field material than the field material itself. For instance, a painted (enamel) surface will perform differently than a plastic laminated field cover, or a polyurethaned surface, or a fathead vinyl type surface.

Granted, metal and fiberboard vary slightly in their characteristics, but the surface covering affects base performance more.

I have found that polo green rookies work awesome on a polyurethane surface, but are terrible on my laminated covers. They "bite" or grip into the laminated surface and they tend to jerk or twitch when in motion which makes them very unstable and unpredictable. Then, they run smooth on painted and poly! I have Proline strong rookies that work great on laminated and are just okay on the others...

[Reginald Rutledge]

should work well Coach.

In my many years of experience, the 308 boards usually do well with most any base. A lot depend on the type of athlete (base + player). A lot has to do with weight and it's distribution as well. When you create the wrong athlete, it will not perform.

I have a wide range of bases on players, which tells me any thing can work on the board. It's just a matter of you knowing which ones to use (base and players) and getting the appropriate weight limits corrected. All I can tell you is that at 4.0 grams, players do some amazing things!

Reg

[FrustratedFinFan]

What Reggie said....and more. Also, sometimes you might have the best tweaked bases on the field, but a better coach will still beat you. I have certainly been learning a lot about coaching in my rookie season in the Shootout system.....some ******** hard lessons!!

I forget which Civil War general this saying was about, but it goes something like this:

He can beat you with his'n and then turn around and whip you with your'n!

[Shabby J]

I can attest to what Reginald says, I have a 308, when I visit Coach Peatros and tweak figures on his vinyl covered 10 motor Field of Dreams, I can take those figures to my 308 when I get home and they perform the same, now when I tweak on a painted metal surface, they tend not to peform the same on my 308.

Coach Rick Garrison and I had a long talk about this very topic one night.

[Coach_J]

Greetings my brother in Christ. I hope this note finds you doing well.

You are new in the hobby and I have only played on boards with metal surfaces. When it comes to bases for starters my suggestion would be to order a set of the Miggle Orange, Teal, and Polo Green bases. Unfortuantely I am not a tweaker so I would not be able to tell you if the Tornado Alley F-5 or Miggle prolines run better on metal surfaces. You may want to contact either Norbert Revels, Geno H, or Joel_p1 when it comes to bases. Hope this helps.

Yours In Christ,
John aka Coach J

[PraiseDaddy]

Sounds like a plan.

Peace,
Bill

[sweetka]

Tweaking in your search. Some of the masters have tutorials on this board and you tube.

Use finesse first. Then increase the pressure when you tweak the base. The main thing is to work on getting balance. A good analogy is radio controlled cars. If you have ever tweaked one of those you start inside out.

Flashing refers to heat at the tips to increase speed. You lose some strength.

Always tweak on a metal board. The reason I say this is your teams will run on other surfaces if you tweak on metal. They may pop in the air on some surfaces or run slower on others. The ones that pop in the air are too fast for that surface so your linebackers become safeties, your possession receiver becomes your speed receiver, etc. etc.

Grandmaster KC sells the tweaking tools. Hope this helps!

[PraiseDaddy]

Appreciate your input,

[PraiseDaddy]

Really appreciate the time and wise counsel from ALL you folks. This will continue
to be a work in progress.

The quote about "his'n and your'n" has been associated with coach Bear Bryant, but it probably does goes back to the Civil war.