The Journey from Lane Oil Chaos to Perfect Patterns

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In this episode of The Engineering Passion Express, we take you on a journey from a time when no two bowling lanes played the same due to hand cleaning and oiling inconsistencies, to an era where precise patterns could be put down using machinery, and those patterns would determine how the game should be played on a given night. It's a study in picking the right problems to solve and finding a life's work where no one else may be looking.

This episode is about the invention of the lane oil machine for bowling alleys. If you are a bowler, you are likely equipped to understand all the topics in this episode, if not, you don't necessarily need bowling knowledge as the key items you may not understand are explained. If you have no clue what bowling even is, as a passionate bowler myself, I would encourage you to learn more about the game!

For this episode, I'm speaking to Don Agent, long-time employee of Kegel, the leading lane oil machine manufacturer in the world. He shares his insights of working with Kegel's founder John Davis, as they traveled the world, showing bowling proprietors how to improve the sport through use of specialized equipment and the creation of standards. 

Show Notes

• Here is a link to Kegel - https://www.kegel.net/
• Here is an example of a lane oil pattern
• Here is what a modern lane oil machine looks like.
• Here is an article about lane topography
• Here is a quick video demonstration of topographical effects on a bowlers shot
• You can find a picture of the initial product, "The Key", here. Scroll down to the bottom under the year 1981.

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Thanks for listening,
Brandon Donnelly
Please connect with me on linkedin @ linkedin.com/in/brandondonnelly