Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Bat Making => Topic started by: LukeFramBurton on March 25, 2020, 10:09:35 AM
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Desperately searching for silver linings in the current isolation/social distancing/lockdown situation has at least allowed me to finish off my second bat. Purchased as a part-made grade three. This time I tried to get a little bit more ambitious and over-reached somewhat! It has been a learning curve though and I’ve worked out some better techniques and know some things that I definitely shouldn’t be doing!
The profile is based on the B3 Trott shape - the idea being that, as an elite-class mediocre batsman I could do with something that will give me value for money on the many mistimed hoiks, whilst also giving me a good response when I do actually nail one. As such, it’s fairly big all over, without being massive anywhere.
I’ll get some more detail pictures on over the course of the next couple of days, mainly because I can’t find my bloody grip cone. But, for now, here are front and back shots.
(https://i.postimg.cc/BbGZR6jj/3-AE6-B400-B150-4-DC2-9-DCC-5-AC033-A96757.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
(https://i.postimg.cc/P5fJtP2Z/E970490-E-D2-A6-4-FB0-BC1-E-3-B9-EFC8-A26-FB.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
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Good effort mate, looks a nice grade 3 and these threads are my favourites! 😁 So thanks for posting, some profile shots would be great to see too.
What do you mean by over stretching yourself?
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That looks like a nice piece of willow for a grade 3.
The handle looks quite thick, is it? Did you increase the thickness with a second layer of binding, or just take less off the raw handle?
Tell us some dimensions, weight etc., and please post a profile shot.
Also, what kit did you use to make it - show us your drawknives...
Thanks for posting.
David
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I guess g3 only because of the heartwood?
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It’s really good value for a g3 - I did ask if it was correct! It’s about half heartwood and the grains aren’t particularly straight or even, there are 15 of them though!
I over-reached by trying things like offsetting the spine and the profile, which wasn’t particularly successful. I’d also wanted to duckbill the toe and gave up on it. I think I actually prefer the final toe. I have an old drawknife (that needs sharpening) and a plane, which I actually used to do the majority of the shaping. I’ve got a round bottom spokeshave too, but can’t get on with it for some reason.
The handle was deliberately left very think in an attempt to balance it better. With grip/stickers/scuff it comes out at 2’14, so it needed something up top. I’m going to see how it goes when using it - it seems to pick up nicely so far - and then assess if it needs altering at all.
Final measurements:
Shoulders - 28mm
Edges - 38mm
Spine - 55mm
Toe - 28mm at the edge, 38mm in the middle.
(https://i.postimg.cc/SR8FQk2w/CCC9-D061-5842-4-C16-867-B-893-F2003344-F.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/xN0FtrPR)
(https://i.postimg.cc/X7yt9jvh/E53-EA43-A-B4-CA-497-D-9-F1-F-B69-A8-F03-B1-A1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/4ms8gTVb)
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Good job. Looks a good chunky handle. Sharp tools are the way to go. Thankfully I have a Tormek T8 for that! I imagine your spokeshave needs sharpening too.
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Top work mate. You could take a lot off the toe I'm fairness, as it's really sizeable. As mentioned a sharp drawknife will get the bulk off and then I use a spokeshave for the rest to get the duckbill shape I want.
The fun is in the process and trying new things tho imo. Keep going and you'll learn with every bat to find your way of doing it.
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You offset the spine on purpose? Why?
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You offset the spine on purpose? Why?
To give a larger sweet spot.
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You offset the spine on purpose? Why?
Offset compared to the highest edge point I presume he means, rather than just a squint spine 😁
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The profile reminds me of a slightly smoothed out Surridge Jumbo, or the more recent B3 Beluga.
That looks a very effective design to give you a long sweet spot.
You may have hit on a marketable winner- clearly distinguished from pretty well any other bat currently on the market, with a large middle to forgive us lesser mortals.
Do let us know how it feels in action (once we get back to playing some cricket).
David
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Here's a knackered Jumbo for comparison:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/aEzF29czv5bHUAaz6
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Nice job! Looks to be really meaty in the toe department, and I don't mind a bit of heartwood in a bat.
Are the stickers your own design?
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Check out Axminster Spoke shaves. Super sharp and well built.
You could do some concaving with a travisher or heel shave to get it to around 2:11.
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Check out Axminster Spoke shaves. Super sharp and well built
Any in particular?
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Any in particular?
https://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-rider-no-151-spokeshaves-ax945814 (https://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-rider-no-151-spokeshaves-ax945814)
Both are really good. Come in a nice box aswell.
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Nice job! Looks to be really meaty in the toe department, and I don't mind a bit of heartwood in a bat.
Are the stickers your own design?
Yeah, they’re not the best quality for use on a bat, but I’m not in the position to be getting a job lot of proper ones done at the moment!
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Check out Axminster Spoke shaves. Super sharp and well built.
You could do some concaving with a travisher or heel shave to get it to around 2:11.
Thanks - will give that a try if it’s too weighty in its current state.
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Great job, looks a really chunky profile and you're definitely going to get value for your shots.