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[JK Lewis]

Morning all,

So, I thought I would share a few photos of my first two attempts. I haven't got all the tools yet, so there's no concaving for example, but I've started to get a feel for what I'm doing, and for the great pleasure one finds in the batmaking process. I should stress, these two bats are from proper partmades, not from the home made clefts that are gently splitting in my garage - of which more another day.

Test bat 1 is about 2lb 7, which will end up pretty much how I like my bats to be:







The second one is a bit bigger and heavier, more like 2lb 9 as it is in the photo. So, I guess it will end up around 2lb 11. I like the shape of this one:









All comments and advice welcomed, thanks.

[Sivlar13]

Superb efforts there bud, great to see people keeping up the tradition. Beautiful looking butterfly too!

[The Cricket Boutique]

Brilliant work!

Keep it up and then come see me 

[bostoncricketer]

What was your experience working with butterfly willow?

[tim2000s]

Very nice - well done! They look really well finished. @Buzz will love this topic!

[JK Lewis]

What was your experience working with butterfly willow?

I started with that cleft, so as to get my mistakes in on the less valuable wood. Having worked on the second cleft now also, I would say the butterfly was a little harder work, but not massively. At this early stage, it's tough to know if problems occur due to the consistency of the willow, the eBay sourced tools on my workbench, or my starter level carpentry skills!

The butterfly willow itself does seem to be a little heavier to me, maybe it becomes more dense? I'm not sure about this, just a guess.

[play-yourself-in]

Great effort buddy.  Do you have a press to...well press them?

I'd love to have a go but sadly my apartment doesn't have room for a workshop!!!

[JK Lewis]

Great effort buddy.  Do you have a press to...well press them?

I'd love to have a go but sadly my apartment doesn't have room for a workshop!!!

Thanks, and no I don't have a press, I just do the shaping and finishing. I get the partmades in already pressed and handled by some friends of mine at Garrard & Flack.

It's true, you do need a bit of space to work in. Maybe you could use a workshop at a local school or college, evening class sort of thing. Good luck.

[maly]

Great job.  Simple, but elegant.  Keep it up.