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[buddyb]

Hey guys!

Thought I would show you what I have been up to again since my last post. Since then I have been making improvements to my workshop and investing into more tools and testing my bats. Been getting some great feedback from players and established cricket manufactures. Starting to feel pretty happy with the bats I'm now producing. Here are some images taken of my latest bat I've made. This has a off centre profile, just under 40mm edges and weights a fraction over 2.11. Feedback as always will be great.







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[SOULMAN1012]

looks good mate, not the nicest looking cleft but looks to be a well made bat. Like the stickers mate look nice and simple with the good looking back sticker. Good size bat as well.

[petehosk]

Looks like a great effort.
Who pressed the cleft fella?

[buddyb]

thanks man. Just been taking in loads of tips and advise from bat makers and putting that into what I'm producing. The bat looks better in person, but standard grade 2 really. Bit of discoloration but picks up beautifully light and pings.

The clefts are sourced by myself. Unfortunately I cant say who pressed them, as he is taking me under his wing and is part of the agreement I have with them. sorry

[Tomm92]

Love the shape of that bat! Unfortunately it's not the nicest piece of willow (few blemishes and not that many grains), but still looks awesome. Good job mate!

[buddyb]

Love the shape of that bat! Unfortunately it's not the nicest piece of willow (few blemishes and not that many grains), but still looks awesome. Good job mate!

Thanks Tom, just trying out the off centre idea on this one. Wanted to keep it big but picks up light as well. It not the prettiest out there, but personally I think people are quick to dismiss blemishes which is a real shame as doesn't effect playability.  Grain wise it has 7. Depends of your preference. Personally I like narrower grains in my own bats around 10 is usually the best. You get performance from the get go and the durability as well. Really narrow grains (15+) lose performance quickly I've found.

[Wickets-then-runs]

I'm with you Buddy in regards to the "not the prettiest but boy does she ping"! I pestered Julian Millichamp and when he recently got his latest batch of willow in, he gave me first pick. The one he selected for me won't win any beauty contests (some butterfly marks, a small knot mark etc) but it has the most amazing rebound of any bat I have owned and it sounds like a cannon going off! And he made it front of me in  two and a half hours so its perfectly suited to my game. I've owned several Ampluses, a couple of L&W Signatures, two Salix Pod Players plus plenty of others so I know what goes and what doesn't and this SCat is the best of all of them!

[buddyb]

I'm with you Buddy in regards to the "not the prettiest but boy does she ping"! I pestered Julian Millichamp and when he recently got his latest batch of willow in, he gave me first pick. The one he selected for me won't win any beauty contests (some butterfly marks, a small knot mark etc) but it has the most amazing rebound of any bat I have owned and it sounds like a cannon going off! And he made it front of me in  two and a half hours so its perfectly suited to my game. I've owned several Ampluses, a couple of L&W Signatures, two Salix Pod Players plus plenty of others so I know what goes and what doesn't and this SCat is the best of all of them!

Tots agree. you're not picking a gf (...well we all do treasure our bats like one of our own haha) but I always pick on sound and pick up. Nice mellow sound is what I've been taught to listen for. sounds a beaut, as butterfly marks are a good thing and improves performance. Also Im a fan of knot marks, specially in the toe as its harder to break then. I keep emailing JM to see if I can go out and spend some time there when I travel Oz umpiring but no luck so far. Might just get a custom made from him at the time.

You'll have to show me your SC sometime.

[Wickets-then-runs]

Pretty blades are for the opposition to admire while you walk off being caught at long on because you didn't pick the one that pings! :-)
I'll get some pics up in the next day or so.
Julian is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet and he is a treasure trove of stories about different players etc. keep emailing him.
Keep up the great work mate, it takes skills I can only dream of to craft a bat, let alone something that looks that horn!

[Tomm92]

Pretty blades are for the opposition to admire while you walk off being caught at long on because you didn't pick the one that pings! :-)
I'll get some pics up in the next day or so.
Julian is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet and he is a treasure trove of stories about different players etc. keep emailing him.
Keep up the great work mate, it takes skills I can only dream of to craft a bat, let alone something that looks that horn!

Haha, that is somewhat true! People will certainly pay for those pretty straight 15+ grains though. Not sure if some people think straight lovely grains with no blemishes means a better bat and better performance or if they just want a nice looking bat.

I have to be honest though, I am one of those who will spend more for nice bats , doesn't do much good for my wallet though haha!

[Blazer]

Very much like a Salix  .

[buddyb]

Pretty blades are for the opposition to admire while you walk off being caught at long on because you didn't pick the one that pings! :-)
I'll get some pics up in the next day or so.
Julian is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet and he is a treasure trove of stories about different players etc. keep emailing him.
Keep up the great work mate, it takes skills I can only dream of to craft a bat, let alone something that looks that horn!

yea that is very true. What I've learnt so far is that there is very little difference performance wise with something you get cosmetically pretty to that which is classed as a low grade. Find the right bit of willow thats low grade you can still make a good bat out off. You'll find a lot of pro bats arent cosmetically pretty but picked on performance. Also mainly because they are clefts which wouldnt sell very well. I remember Michael Clarkes bat (the unbranded one he used) which had two horrible knot marks on it.

Yea I will do, think it would be nice just for a day to pick up a little bit of information would be worth the trip. Yea please do, always wanted to see a SC bat.

[buddyb]

Very much like a Salix  .

Cheers Blazer. Thats a compliment and a half. Still a long way to go yet till Im in that bracket though. Still honing my skills till I am 100% happy with them.

[sgcricket]

looks great mate. keep up the good work. and the photography is also good

[littlemaster9]

Very nice shape mate. I bet it flies as there is so much wood in that profile!