Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Bat Making => Topic started by: SAF Bats on November 10, 2010, 08:49:04 PM
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Gents / Ladies
As Norbs is not around I'm opening up a ask the bat maker thread - get your questions in here and we'll get them answered over a few days!!!!
Thanks
Andy
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Hi Andy, when you first started out making bats, what kind of set up did you have? Small shed/garage/workshop? Did you do an apprenticeship with anyone or are you self taught?
Dan
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what do u use to sand/finish ur bats? and whats the most important tool in your opinion?
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Probably been covered before but, how do u get the bats 'middle'? And why can it not be over most of the bat?
cheers
Rob
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What is your favourite shape to make
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How did you learn to make a cricket bat and when did you realise you wanted to do it as a career ?
Thanks
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Best number of grains which will give both performance and longevity...? Cheers!
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When refurbing a bat, what is the best way to remove that stubborn fibreglass tape.
I'm giving Ugly Betty a birthday and she's covered in whispy bits!
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Excuse my ignorance (yes that should be automatically inserted at the top of ever post I make), but are Norbs and SAF bats not the same person?
Yours,
Confused.
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Hi Andy, when you first started out making bats, what kind of set up did you have? Small shed/garage/workshop? Did you do an apprenticeship with anyone or are you self taught?
Dan
Garage and I loved it - first one was pretty bad i got overly involved in the techie side of things and forgot about the pratical side of things.... I am self taught but had some great pointers from some great bat makers out there!
Nowadays, and from things I've learnt, it is all about understanding the willow, the customer needs and not making bats for the hell of it. That is , picking up a piece of willow and saying that will do but making bats from willow to suit the customer needs and understanding why the bat shape will meet those requirements
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what do u use to sand/finish ur bats? and whats the most important tool in your opinion?
Oscar the dog and a helmet for safety
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Probably been covered before but, how do u get the bats 'middle'? And why can it not be over most of the bat?
cheers
Rob
you get that middle based on the shape of bat, I imagine that isn't a surprise to you but you need to understand why the middle is middle of bat and how you can get techie areas into that middle. I don't mass produce for this reason, if I made every piece of willow into the same shape the middle wouldn't be in the same areas it is effectively a laws of physics thing. Density, shape, pickup,weight distribution etc etc is all important. Get one from a machine and get one from a "true" bat maker and you'll see the difference.
Why it [the middle] can't be over the whole of the bat? There isn't enough wood based on the end weight and it would look like a brick on stick
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What is your favourite shape to make
The Fabrica and Audax ------
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How did you learn to make a cricket bat and when did you realise you wanted to do it as a career ?
Thanks
2006 I started and I was asked by a friend as i was making a guitar at the time, oh and a coffee table and a cabinet for the wife :D I realised it might be a career optionwhen I won the All Out Cricket awards this year but the brand is really only just starting and we are taking it forward next year
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Best number of grains which will give both performance and longevity...? Cheers!
No real answer to this, willow is an organic material and it depends on how it is prepared in the bat making process and how it is looked after by the person that owns it.
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would bat finisher be bnetter thatn bat maker as name of someone who makes from part mades?
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When refurbing a bat, what is the best way to remove that stubborn fibreglass tape.
I'm giving Ugly Betty a birthday and she's covered in whispy bits!
A blunt plane blade or knife will scrap the fibre off, then some alcohol based solution then the blunt thingy again
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CHeers Andy, I've been looking after my Custom Erus very well; I love it- it's great! :D
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Excuse my ignorance (yes that should be automatically inserted at the top of ever post I make), but are Norbs and SAF bats not the same person?
Yours,
Confused.
Nope Norbs is related to SAF but has his own opinions.... SAF wouldn't be with out Norbs and Norbs wouldn't be without SAF
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Yes Canners Norbs is Andy who is also SAF - same person
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would bat finisher be bnetter thatn bat maker as name of someone who makes from part mades?
In my opinion you can screw up a well pressed cleft by shaping incorrectly just as easily as pressing a really nice piece of willow badly, they go hand in hand. I do take exception to people that sell machined shaped bats as handmade bat with there stickers on them and just sand them that isn't bat making in any sense of the word... That is called sanding!!!!!
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CHeers Andy, I've been looking after my Custom Erus very well; I love it- it's great! :D
no worries glad you got hold of one indirectly and like it
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Yes Canners Norbs is Andy who is also SAF - same person
Did Canners ask the question Leo?
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What stage do you begin making your bats from Norb?
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Did Canners ask the question Leo?
My mistake didnt read it properly please substitute "Canners" for "Jon" and all will once again be fine and dandy
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Ok now I'm thoroughly confused :D
Thanks Andy and/or SAF and/or Norbs
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What stage do you begin making your bats from Norb?
Norbs or SAF
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Ok now I'm thoroughly confused :D
Thanks Andy and/or SAF and/or Norbs
thank Oscar the dog
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Norbs or SAF
Has James from Lekka been teaching you the art of forum posting?!
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thank Oscar the dog
Is Oscar the dog a particularly strong ale?
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Has James from Lekka been teaching you the art of forum posting?!
Nah Leo, I've got my sound turned right up and I've not heard any toys falling from the pram yet :D
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Has James from Lekka been teaching you the art of forum posting?!
Nope, Norbs is banter account but is helpful as well in terms of Q&A. SAF is an advertiser account and is running this Q&A
But to answer you previous question....
Norbs made his bat from pressed clefts, I make my bats from start to finish... Pressing, handling and shaping each of them myself
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Is Oscar the dog a particularly strong ale?
he's my black lab and chief sander, however he's turned to the dark side and not allowed in the workshop at the moment
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he's my black lab and chief sander, however he's turned to the dark side and not allowed in the workshop at the moment
Ah, so Oscar is Norbs.
And your bats are made by a dog. Unique selling point I'll admit. :)
Yes, that's it.
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What's the best bat you've used (excluding your own)? And which batmakers out there do you respect the most?
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If you are not making a custom bat i.e just a stock bat how do you know its finished? Do you have a set of parameters to work to before you start on cleft e.g. 2.10lbs, low middle etc or is it an evolutionary process where you let the willow decide?
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Ah, so Oscar is Norbs.
And your bats are made by a dog. Unique selling point I'll admit. :)
Yes, that's it.
Jon you are very confused :D
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What's the best bat you've used (excluding your own)? And which batmakers out there do you respect the most?
A few, love J Millichamp,T Keeley,J Laver and Gary Day------ best of best though John Newbery sadly passed away
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If you are not making a custom bat i.e just a stock bat how do you know its finished? Do you have a set of parameters to work to before you start on cleft e.g. 2.10lbs, low middle etc or is it an evolutionary process where you let the willow decide?
I don't make bats if I dont have to but normally on the majority of the clefts 2lb 10-12oz look the Oscar b*ll*cks :D
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What are the specs of your match bat
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A few, love J Millichamp,T Keeley,J Laver and Gary Day------ best of best though John Newbery sadly passed away
Again with the ignorance, but who is Gary Day?
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Redback
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If you had the choice of a tool for concaving what would it be? I have the choice of buying a travisher number 4 or clifton spokeshave?
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Do you have any jobs going?!?!!!
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Whats the bast way to keep toe of bat dry when used on damp/wet pitches
A problem in sunny Wales
:D
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What are the specs of your match bat
I'm not the best player in the world but I used 2 bats an SS jumbo and a SAF fabrica with 2 scoops taken out of like a the Dynadrive both weigh in at around 2lb 9-10oz
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Redback
Oh I see Leo is answering my questions..... Yep one of best best bat makers to come out of Devon and the UK in the last 2 years....
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If you had the choice of a tool for concaving what would it be? I have the choice of buying a travisher number 4 or clifton spokeshave?
If I'm honest concaving doesn't do anything but pander to the current fashions. Does it has a place in the bat industry? Yes it does does it make a difference nope
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If I'm honest concaving doesn't do anything but pander to the current fashions. Does it has a place in the bat industry? Yes it does does it make a difference nope
So glad to see someone who knows confirming my suspicions. Never really understood why everything suddenly became concave.
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Whats the bast way to keep toe of bat dry when used on damp/wet pitches
A problem in sunny Wales
:D
Toe guards will fall off so ummmm dont tap the bat on the ground..... :D [Todd email me for an answer]
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Do you have any jobs going?!?!!!
At the moment nope but maybe soon :D
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But if you a had a 3lb bat in the traditional shape or an SS jumbo shape would concaving not be able to reduce the weight of the bat without comprising its integrity/structure and performance or am I barking up the wrong tree? Like Oscar :)
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So glad to see someone who knows confirming my suspicions. Never really understood why everything suddenly became concave.
When I make yours I'll add some concaving in ;)
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:o
When I make yours I'll add some concaving in ;)
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But if you a had a 3lb bat in the traditional shape or an SS jumbo shape would concaving not be able to reduce the weight of the bat without comprising its integrity/structure and performance or am I barking up the wrong tree? Like Oscar :)
It is all about feel the SS jumbo wont feel as good as a traditional bat but that is based on shape. So the tradtional will win in my eyes....
Why do I like the SS Jumbo - that is easy I'm a child of that era and that was the bat I wanted.... Is it any good? In fact do I care Viv Richards used one for gods sake!!!!!!
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:o
You are right to be scared :D
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It is all about feel the SS jumbo wont feel as good as a traditional bat but that is based on shape. So the tradtional will win in my eyes....
Why do I like the SS Jumbo - that is easy I'm a child of that era and that was the bat I wanted.... Is it any good? In fact do I care Viv Richards used one for gods sake!!!!!!
Lol. That's why I like the Dynadrive! Always preferred the Turbo to the Jumbo ???
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You are right to be scared :D
This is one bat I can't wait to get my hands on... 8)
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Lol. That's why I like the Dynadrive! Always preferred the Turbo to the Jumbo ???
The 333 or the Jumbo the biggest question we had to answer in those day :D
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The 333 or the Jumbo the biggest question we had to answer in those day :D
Were you Viv or were you Goochie? That was your SS conundrum. Personally I was a bowler so a big bat and a slog and therefore the 'drive
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Were you Viv or were you Goochie? That was your SS conundrum. Personally I was a bowler so a big bat and a slog and therefore the 'drive
Viv, and I still am when someone crap is bowling, actually make very crap :D
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Lets lock this thread now and we'll start a Q&A again soon
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I can't believe I go out on the smash and miss this epic thread. Never mind. It's all about being like Viv.
Andy, we need to have a chat!
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Back by popular demand........... ask the batmaker... questions please (I wont be answering them ;) )
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Andy, do you have a specific tool you shape shoulders with? Having difficulty keeping them even and wondered if you had any tips?
Dan