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[rbblack]

With my first friendly of the season being called off today and having received two G3 semi shaped clefts through from Matt this week. I thought I'd spend some of the afternoon attempting to shape my first bat.

I decided I'd use the top one of the two below clefts for my first attempt and that I was going to go for a very traditional shape with a really low middle, a lot like my old Newbery Samurai I had circa 2000. The cleft started at 3'8.


Getting under way and a little look at my set up


Profile shot after some ambitious drawknife use that I got a bit carried away with in terms of willow removal


Things starting to come together;


Finished for the day;


She's now down to 2'15.3 - I am aiming for 2'7 undressed so I am planning to take some more weight out at the toe and once I get my Travisher to pull some weight out of the body too as well as cleaning up the lines for the edges etc and sanding her down. I'm quite pleased with how it's going so far!

Any feedback or tips would be most welcome.

[procricket]

Good effort that miles better than my first effort mate keep going mate

[tejasapatel]

Way better than anything I could have come up with. And thanks for those amazing pictures through the process.

[Fezballoh]

That is a great start, I agree. The Phesmar Mk. 1 is not very pretty! How are you getting along with your rebate plane?

[rbblack]

Thanks guys - I found it to be a really rewarding process and hopefully even more so with the finishing touches etc.
The rebate has been ok, only thing is the metal edges of it can cut into the cleft if you're not careful. So I think I need to get my hands on a coffin plane or something along those lines.

[Buzz]

brilliant - keep going. I always sit in awe when people try to make bats.

God knows what kind of a plank I would make if I ever had a go!!

[mad_abt_cricket]

lovely traditional shape and nice clean outcome considering the first attempt.

[GarrettJ]

very good effort. Which tool did you use the most and which is the easiest?

hope mine is half as good when i do it.

[rbblack]

very good effort. Which tool did you use the most and which is the easiest?

hope mine is half as good when i do it.

Thanks Garret, I hope you enjoy doing it as much as I did. I really didn't expect such a rewarding afternoon after my game was cancelled!

I'd say the rebate plane was what I used most, which suited things nicely for this traditional profile.
I found the drawknife is tricky to use, very easy to go in too deep with a pull and take out too much willow. Also I really enjoyed using the spoke shave to get the handle and shoulders right.

[Red Ink Cricket]

Thanks Garret, I hope you enjoy doing it as much as I did. I really didn't expect such a rewarding afternoon after my game was cancelled!

I'd say the rebate plane was what I used most, which suited things nicely for this traditional profile.
I found the drawknife is tricky to use, very easy to go in too deep with a pull and take out too much willow. Also I really enjoyed using the spoke shave to get the handle and shoulders right.

Looks a good effort. My only concern would be getting the remaining weight out. Seems a lot to take out considering the current state. What sort of size spine do you have to play with?

Draw knife use takes a little time to get. Take you time with it. Some people seem to just grab the handles and pull but I find it easier to have your index fingers on the top part of the handle where it flattens out/ curves round to form the blade. Gives me much greater control

[GarrettJ]

The handle/shoulder bit looks spot on

[rbblack]

Looks a good effort. My only concern would be getting the remaining weight out. Seems a lot to take out considering the current state. What sort of size spine do you have to play with?

Draw knife use takes a little time to get. Take you time with it. Some people seem to just grab the handles and pull but I find it easier to have your index fingers on the top part of the handle where it flattens out/ curves round to form the blade. Gives me much greater control

Yeah - I think the photo is a bit deceiving. The toe is about 3cm thick at the moment, I've not measured the spine but it is big, perhaps 7 or 8cm!
Obviously you're more of an expert than I but I was hoping I'd be able to get that amount of weight out without compromising the spine or having too much concaving. Perhaps take some more weight out higher up though I'm conscious about the pickup.
Maybe I should scale back the ambition and aim for 2'10 undressed?

Yeah it's definitely something I'll need to practice with. Also really key to have it nice and sharp, when I started I think it was a bit blunt.
Any tips on a fair priced whetstone and what sort of Grit to go for?

[GarrettJ]

I have a flat spokeshave, anyone know what is the difference with a curved one in terms of how it removes wood as both blades are straight on the ones I saw?

[Ryan]

A curved spokeshave is better for areas such as the shoulders because they can follow tighter curves.  Flat bottom spokeshaves can also follow curves but they have to be maybe 2/3 plus. I don't bother with a round bottom spokeshave,  I use a narrow drawknife instead. 

[Ryan]

But that's my personal preference.