Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Bat Making => Topic started by: Ayrtek Cricket on March 28, 2010, 04:30:40 PM
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Just a quick one to those bat makers out there...how do you finish the bat off once finely sanded? Do you use a wax compound to gain the nice smooth finish to the bats and use a polishing drum etc? if so any recommendations for us amateurs to improve the finishes?
only ask as sanded down a couple of old bats lately and wondered how hard it was to get a better finish on them than just the sanded version.....any help appreciated!
Cheers
Tom
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i know somebody who uses a wax and chalk compound on a modified sander drum to get that shiny finish.
the best finish on a bat i have found are lavers would be worth dropping him a email maybe
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i use a soft polishing mop and a white polishing compound
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Matt...where do u get the compound from if u dont mind me asking? Is it something easy to get hold of or a specialist place?
Got a car polisher that I was thinking could be tweaked to do a job.....unless tom ever sorts out his sander/drill thing for me ;) hint hint and can pimp that for dual purpose then as the polished look on the carbon shells looks good at times too.
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tom ,i got mine from a batmaker a while ago,but i am running out try this place :http://thepolishingshop.co.uk/index.html
going to ring them this week to see what they recommend. Your buffer needs to have a powerful motor ,i bought a buffing machine from ebay but wasn't powerful enough to buff a bat
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Thanks Matt.....seems mr sheen and sum elbow grease wont cut the mustard then :(
let me know what they recommend and if they do it on that website would be worth giving ago at least i suppose. Got to get rid of the scratches in my card 1st though due to tractors and women drivers on country lanes before polsihing the bats!!
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How about the Salix bat wax?
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Good thinking mate....got some of that could give it a blast to see if it buffs up a little!
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Apparently it adds shine and I suppose it oils the wood too
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Ive used the salix bat wax and never got a polished finish on the bat at all, works well as oil but not for shine and finish unless I'm not doing it right.
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yeh not sure TBH mate thought it was instead of linseed oil so not a buffing compund as such to give the bat a professional finish i wouldnt think.
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Problem is some people say things like the salix bat wax gives a great shine and finish and buffs up well but I'm not sure they have even used it as I've found it to be a good for sealing the willow etc but not to buff a bat and to get a nice shine and finish. Possibly i may have the wrong technique so if anyone can correct me I'm all ears as id like to find out how to get a great finish.
Tom i was also going to buy one of the car buffers from Argos or eBay as i thought it may work fairly well however i may have to have a rethink and possibly look at something else if they ain't powerful enough.
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Stick a buffering pad on a mouse sander?
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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/950W-POLISHING-MACHINE-POLISHER-IN-BLOWCASE_W0QQitemZ190379180147QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM?hash=item2c537bc073
Would this work or not.
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Would be ideal if you could see examples of what it's capable of. I think machinery, i.e. buffers is the way to go, unless you're on a budget.
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looks like an angle grinder which has a buffering pad! not sure mate got one of them in the garage as well which could be pimped out to try!
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http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Car-Angle-Polishing-Machine-Mop-Silverstorm-1200W_W0QQitemZ300410686057QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item45f1df4a69
This may be a better option with more power but would rather hear what the expert has to say.
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This is better suited to metals/plastics I presume. Could work, I know nothing about buffers lol.
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the buffer i have seen is on the end of a milling machine and another is on a big sander which has been modified with a mop like head on it
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From my very limited, but recent, experience it is best to have something that is mounted - i've tried that car buffer and i've found it lacking in power.
Check out toolstation - they should have something around £30-£40 that should do the trick - i'll look up and show you what im currently using, basic but does the job perfecttly.
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A visual would be useful Dom....cheers
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From my very limited, but recent, experience it is best to have something that is mounted - i've tried that car buffer and i've found it lacking in power.
Check out toolstation - they should have something around £30-£40 that should do the trick - i'll look up and show you what im currently using, basic but does the job perfecttly.
Why did you get someone else to buff your bat you sold recently (bradbury stickered one)
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For many reasons -
Firstly, i had the bat done by m&h on friday as i wasnt happy with the finish i had achieved so far with my car buffer thingy, secondly, i wanted to see personally what the standard of finishing was like by the professionals.
I have had more experience because saturday i got my little buffing wheel machine all set up and i've been practicing over the weekend.......one of the most satisfying parts so far.
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Tom - this is just a cheap bench grinder, bought a left hand thread spindle to attach to it and this is what you attach the buffing wheel (s) to - basic but does the job.....just looking for some photos now.....
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Essentially the bench grinder would look like this (but normally in the shops you buy them with the grinding wheels attached) - should get one under £30 if you look around.
http://img.diynetwork.com/DIY/2005/01/03/dit264_3ca_lg.jpg
Just take off on of the grinding wheels, attach the left hand thread spindle and put on the buffing wheels to this (should have pictures of both the thread spindle and buffing wheels) - http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.toolstation.com/images/library/stock/webbig/63858.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Abrasives/Buffing%2B%26amp%253B%2BPolishing/d130/sd2694&usg=__FNVZB8D4iJvGYlT76nhZ3HX6zs8=&h=500&w=500&sz=17&hl=en&start=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=VFHrMssT6BydbM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dleft%2Bhand%2Bthread%2Bspindle%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DG%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1
Sorry for the lack of decent visuals but it's been a long day and i'm not going out to the garage to take photos of my poxy little buffer......all the proper batmakers will laugh at me and call me names :(