Disc Care and Maintenance

 

So you bought some new ARCO Tournament Discs and want to know how to take care of them? Awesome! Let's talk about just a few things you can do to optimize the performance of your new discs. 

Fresh out of the box, our discs are crafted with precision, but like a fine wine, they need time to reach their full potential. To achieve peak performance in competitive settings, your ARCO Tournament Shuffleboard Discs need a crucial break-in period. It's not just a recommendation—it's a game-changer for serious players. This break-in period occurs naturally as the disc is shot down the court, as the court smooths the bottom of the disc to be perfectly flat (thanks, physics!). 

To speed up this break-in period, many clubs and players will season their discs. This careful sanding process replicates the natural wear and play-in that discs undergo over time to achieve the perfect flatness. This controlled seasoning ensures uniform flatness and smoothness, crucial for consistent, predictable performance during high-stakes games or low-stakes practice. 

Now, you may be asking why we don't season every disc we send out. There's actually a pretty simple explanation. Only the most competitive clubs and shufflers need the perfect flatness that seasoning provides. And most of them have spent years experimenting with their formula for the perfect disc. Think of it like your grandmother's secret cookie recipe. Every nana's is just a little bit different, but to you, your mee-maw's recipe is the best by far. We would never want to get in the way of someone's special sauce!

Another reason we don't season all of the discs is that some courts work better with unseasoned discs! Rollout courts and poly courts, for example, work best with the shiny, smooth bottom that a fresh disc provide. 

If you think that your discs would benefit from seasoning, but you don't have your own secret formula, here are some instructions.

Basic Seasoning:

Select the Right Grit Sandpaper: Begin with a medium-grit sandpaper (like 120-grit) to remove the larger imperfections. After the initial sanding, switch to a finer grit (like 220 or 320-grit) to smooth out the surface.

Secure the Disc: Make sure the disc is securely held in place, so that it doesn't fly away when pressure is applied. 

Use a Flat Surface: It's important to sand against a flat surface to ensure the bottom of the disc becomes evenly flat. You can use a sanding block or a flat workbench surface. Attach the sandpaper to the flat surface, and move the disc in circular motions against it.

Apply Even Pressure: Apply consistent and even pressure as you sand. Uneven pressure can lead to a wavy or uneven surface.

Check Your Progress: Frequently check your progress to ensure that you are maintaining a flat surface. You can use a straight edge or a level to check for flatness.

Finish with Finer Grits: Once the disc is mostly flat, finish the sanding process with finer grits (like 400 or 600-grit) to achieve a smooth finish.

Clean the Surface: After sanding, clean the surface of the disc to remove any dust or debris.

Wax the Bottom: To finish the seasoning process, be sure to apply Disc Wax evenly to the bottom of the disc. Not only will this help protect the discs from scratching, but it will help them slide even faster down the court! 

Remember, patience, and consistent, even sanding are key to achieving a flat surface.

Also, always wear protective gear, such as safety glasses and a dust mask, when sanding to protect yourself from plastic dust and particles.

 

General Care and Maintenance:

Waxing the Discs: To keep your discs in tip-top shape, be sure to apply Disc Wax evenly to the bottom of the disc. As discs slide across a concrete shuffleboard court, small scratches will appear on the bottom. These scratches can slow your discs down significantly. Regular waxing will help your discs maintain smoothness and will make them glide even faster across the court. 

Protect Your Discs: Discs are made of a very hard resin and are intended to take a beating- from other discs. But they will lose in a fight against metal or wood. So, if you have any metal posts or benches in your discs' path, be sure to add some additional padding to them to prevent chips or cracks in your discs.