a good few members of the forum were kind enough to try the impact sheets I developed that are used to show where on the bat you tend to hit the ball for each of your shots. It's not uncommon for people to be surprised at where on the bat they actually hit the ball
I've been working with the results from the impact sheets to help customize bat designs for my clients, moving the thickest part of the willow to the area where the ball is most often hit.
I started reshaping bats about 3 years ago when I first started working with the impact sheet results. Over the last 18 months I've been shaping my own bats from pressed and handled clefts as I wanted to be able to experiment with designs and shapes to see how much effect it could have on the sweet spot position and performance.
there have been a couple of "way out there" shapes along the way, most which will probably stay in the cupboard. This is the first bat I've designed based on the impact sheet results and other data I've collected so far that I'm showing
I've done this design a few times in slightly different weights, maintaining the edge size and shape to within a few millimeters, using concaving and spine height to change the weight.
I'm not putting myself forward as a master batmaker. It takes me a hellishly long time to get them how I want them but I do take a lot of pride in my work and in the level of customization I can offer.
Here she is. 2lbs 12oz of Kippax's finest grade 1 Xtra Special 13 grain willow. 38mm at the edges, 60mm at the spine with good meaty shoulders and toe. Medium concaving with a spine that runs down to the toe. Feels quite light in the pickup compared to other bats of this weight. As mentioned the distribution of the willow is a "best fit" based around all the impact sheet results I've analysed so far.
I've concentrated my efforts over here in the US but I'd welcome some feedback from back home and the rest of the cricketing world.