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[Tom]

Here's a video recorded in India by myself. Apologies for the quality; as it was recorded on my small digital camera.

Hopefully you'll know be able to understand how skilled these workers are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HJAqUZkTZ4

[acko109]

great to see how they make the bats im sure every1 will agree

[yvk3103]

amazing.

So effectively the Indian bats are more handmade and hands made than English bat.....

Surprised to see the amount of water they put during the pressing.

Are the clefts pressed after the handle has been fitted here in the UK too?

[Tom]

Yes certainly more handmade. And when you look at the amount of bats they do per day it's quite amazing, this factory had the capacity for around 25-30,000 bats a year. All done using the above process.

[sultanofswing]

how many people are involved in each process tom? is there just one person pressing but then multiple batshapers and finishers?

[Tom]

Everyone there can make a complete bat however they don't work like that there's multiples of people doing one specific process.

There were 5-6 batmakers who also press, then another 5-6 guys sanding. The guys who sand also do the buffing, knocking in etc. Then there's 2 guys who do the stickering, gripping, packaging and checking. And then the guy who cuts the splice.

The batmakers made the bats in the day, in the evening would handle up everything. In the morning when they came back the handles were stuck and could be pressed.

[yvk3103]

The real skill is cutting the splice without any guiding mechanism unlike those used by batmakers in UK, AUS and SA.

Imagine the perfection and precision they would have achieved over the years.

Hand sanding the bats.... ask me what a energy sucking exercise it is.

I think there would be different people involved in the entire process. One (of the few expert craftsmen)for splicing, one of the many trained for pressing, some for making the handles, others for fitting and threading and sanding and finally the worst part knocking in (without any ear plugs!!!).

I would assume 5-6 people contributing to make one bat ..... talk about team work and coordination.

[yvk3103]

sorry tom I think our posts crossed each other

[Tom]

Yeh, you're about right. The bat is splice by one guy, pressed and shaped by another, sanded by one, handle shaped by another, then buffed by another, binded by another and finally gripped and stickered.

One guy could do the whole lot if he wished (that's how skilled they are!) but it makes sense for them to specialise. Working in teams means they can get it done quicker too. It seemed almost like there were 4 teams to me, the splicers, bat makers, finishers (sand, buff, bind) and the packagers (grip, sticker)

I may have missed some bits out as there's so much going on in these factories. But it gives you an idea.

There's a totally different bunch of people who also work on the soft goods. This happens in a different area of the factory as they need to keep the area clean and free from dust.

[yvk3103]

where was this video shot - Champs or Sareen?

[Tom]

Champ. They're not as big manufacturer as SS or SG, but still of a good size.

[Beachcricket]

A friend of mine has had some bats made for his shop brand, they were made in India and some of them are beauties, given this video I'm not surprised.

Thanks for the vid

[BrianLara400*]

Well Done Tom, you've complied a nice video there (was that Richard Burton narrating?)
I hope you immensly enjoyed your time over there and learnt alot!
Did you speak the language well enough to get you by ( I suppose these days with the level of western involvement most would speak some level of broken english?).
The english buffing compound mentioned would just be the SS white polish wouldnt it?
I did cringe a little however when he hacked the rough of the handle away with that hoe looking thing .
But yes youve given us all a perspective from the other side.

[Tom]

I speak no Hindi at all, but got along fine. The batmakers themselves spoke no English, but all the office workers and people higher up in the factories could speak very good English. They acted as translators when I needed to ask questions which was useful.

As for the English buffing compound, not a clue what it was. Was sent over from England though, they deal with a number of batmakers in England so in pursuit of a better finish they've had small bits sent over.

The adze they used for the handle cutting was amazing, the accuracy the have with it was great. As you see in the video he's just slotted it straight in the blade, there was no need for taking it out and refitting. The workers are very skilled, I tried squatting down like they did and cramped up within a minute without even trying to push a plane back and forth.

[hell4leather cricket]

health and safety would have a field day out there! lol