I'm trying to make one, and right now my biggest problem seems to be how I would make sliding on the approach possible. The wood I'm using has been outside a while so it's a little dirty even after wiping it down, and it's still a little damp, but is there anything I could put on it or do to it to make it slick for sliding? I gotta find something to use to stop my ball at the end of the lane. I'm doing it just to work on my fundamentals instead of going to the center. Any ideas?

floor wax may be ? like the kind you mite get at a restaurant supply place. they got stuff for waxing the floor to make it slick. or a floor store maybe.

Let it dry out and sand it down some. Get a fresh surface. The question is what type of wood are you using? The best would be some type of hardwood flooring since that's the closest to wood approaches.

As for stopping the ball, you need something with some weight but cushioned. If the end of the lane is up against a wall, just get some foam cushion that is several inches thick and figure a way to attach it to the wall, maybe with some contractors glue.

To stop the ball I would use a sling trap for it. Just use some kind of heavy fabric, such as burlap. Use it as like a back stop just tie it off to something overhead as well as under the floor and then use some foam against the back of the edge of the floor so when the ball hits the backstop it doesn't slam back against the floor and damage your ball.

Letting it dry out would be best and then sand it with the grain. Don't use and orbital sander. If you have a low power belt sander that would probably work the best.

For a stopper, lanes have a kick board. Basically a piece of wood wrapped in a lot of rubber. If you use a piece of heavy fabric, make sure you have something sturdy behind it. It won't be long until the ball breaks through the fabric.

For a ball return, basically use gravity. If you see some of the mini-lanes that are in bars, they use gravity to get the ball back to you. Start looking on the internet. I am sure that there is someone that has a design for it.

I would like to do the same, and I was thinking the mini shuffle board (like you see in some dive bars) would be a good way to start. It's thick and should be able to handle a good beating from 15lb bowling balls. As far as the approach for sliding I have to agree sanding with the grain would be your best bet. I would think for stopping the ball some exercise mats should hold up pretty good. Maybe build a sturdy frame and attach the mats to it.

If you can find it, some really thick tongue and groove boards. At least 1/2" thick or more. Then after it is all together and the glue has dried, then sand it with a few different grits of sand paper. I think 1000 should be fine enough for the last finish. After that, a nice cleaning to make sure all of the dust is gone then put on your sealant. I don't know what alleys use though. Urethane maybe?

Ample:

Exercice mats should be pretty good as long as they are thick enough and you have a few of them. Or, the 2' x 2' squares that they use for playgrounds. A few of those may work as well.

bowling centers are closing down all the time. do some research, ask around, you may be able to get the real thing for cheap or free.

http://www.unitedbowling.com/residential/index.html

There install custom bowling lanes in your house not sure on there pricing though.

I agree that hardwood flooring would be nice, but I'm trying to do this using just things that I have. For some parts that might not be possible but we'll see. I know pretty much nothing about wood so I couldn't say the kind I'm using, but it's the kind you'd find in a hardware store. The end of my lane is not against the wall so I definitely have to find something stable that will stand against the impact of the ball. Maybe a thick piece of wood drilled into the lane, which I was thinking of raising with 1x2s or something. And something soft in front of it to protect the ball, even as simple as pillows.

As for sliding, sanding alone will make it possible? I'd have to check but I don't think we have a belt sander. Aside for that, there's some different wood and wood-type things we have that I just may have to use since they seem easier to slide on. They're thicker than the wood I'm currently playing around with so if I used one of those, raising the lane is a pretty good idea.