Dimple fly better?

[Sekiar]

I know that dimple golf balls fly with less drag than a smooth round ball and travel much farther. I believe that a lead round ball with dimples would act in the same manner. How hard would it be to make a mold for this type of ball? What do you think?

 

[Walks with fire]

It's spinning in the wrong direction to create lift; don't think you would want that lift on a roundball anyway. I think it would decrease accuracy because it would excelerate drift in the direction of the spin. The Physics professors in the group please step forward.

 

[Stumpkiller]

What he said. The dimples on a golf ball are spinning in an axis perpendicular with the flight path and help generate lift. A round ball is spinning around the axis of the flight path because of the rifling.

How did you plan on keeping the lube from filling the dimples?

 

[crockett]

The NMLRA's monthly magazine Muzzle Blasts has a column by the Bevel Brothers. About 6 months or so ago they tested a dimpled versus smooth and if I re-call properly the dimple did do better. They had a means to dimple the ball but I forget now how they did it. Contact the NMLRA and maybe they can get you the issue.

 

[FPDoc]

I believe it is about disrupting the laminar nature of the unspoiled airflow over the smooth surface of the ball and thereby reducing the drag behind it (the vacuum area behind the ball "fills in" better so it is smaller).

 

[bingo1952]

A purpose built mould would be very expensive because not much demand and the complexity of getting the dimples in the mould. It may also be problematic to get the ball to release from the mould after casting. you could try rolling between two pieces of screen wire or two flat files as has been mentioned in other posts on the forum. Probably more trouble than it is worth. JMO

 

[mykeal]

The dimples on a golf ball are a type of aerodynamic device called a 'turbulator'. It's function is to eliminate the separation bubble which occurs in the transition of boundary layer flow from laminar to turbulent. The separation bubble is the source of significant form drag; thus the dimples on a golf ball don't generate additional lift so much as they reduce the amount of drag. They are fairly common in low speed flow environments, such as sailplane wings, boiler tubes, etc.

I recall the Bevel Brothers article but can't find it at the moment. I recall the benefits being quite minor, probably because a roundball is not a low speed device; the boundary layer is mostly already turbulent the majority if the ball's flight.

 

[necchi]

That's kinda key too, with trad ml's the load velocities can be either sub or hyper sonic, which palys another roll in wind turbulance.

Without a ton of brain work to figure it out, I'm guessing the US Military even 150 years ago with there ability to through money at studying ballistics and guns, would have already covered this in depth, and IF there was a gain to be made it would be already in existance.

IMHO, would could study and debate a bunch, then in the end find out your re-inventing the wheel.
:2

 

[Many Klatch]

You can Frost a round ball by using a horse shoe rasp. Just put the ball on a flat surface and then lightly roll the ball around by pushing on it from above with a coarse wood rasp. You can make this easier by taking a flat piece of plywood and putting wooden "fences" on four sides so the ball will stay on the wood.

I have tried it and didn't see much difference. A friend of mine with many National records swears by it.

Many Klatch

 

[crockett]

If Mykeal says the advantages were minor then I'll go with that- I couldn't remember except that there was some gain. On the dimples- again if I recall right- I thought they rolled the balls between plates of some such thing that put on the dimples- If it is really important I could go find the exact article.
But- those in competition don't dimple the balls so as Mykeal says- the advantage probably isn't worth the effort.

 

[OldNo7]

THIS IS GREAT!!!

Now I can use all of my old golfing excuses when I shoot poorly...

And get this -- the lowest score wins!!!

Now I can win every match I enter!!! :wink:

Thanks to some dimples on... [edit out] -- who woulda thought?!?! :thumbsup:

Old No7

(edited -- as that didn't read right as originally posted!)

 

[Walks with fire]

I think it's more important to have ball that are the same diameter and I like them smooth. Speer balls are the best I think; they are very smooth and very round. I never weight checked them but I am betting they are very consistant. Hornady is good and Speer is better.

 

[widget350]

There's actually a company that makes nondimpled golf balls. The reason for this is though the dimples increase distance, they amplify a hook or slice, thereby improving the range at the cost of direction. Of course, I know of no pro that would give up their dimpled balls for these, so I don't think it's worth it in golf.

On the other hand, I know of no shooter that uses dimpled balls for shooting, but you don't usually shoot at a target by aiming well above it, unless you're using a mortar. Dimples on balls is nothing compared to the advantages of going to a minie bullet. Different technologies for different applications.