Topic: Narrow Grain vs Wide Grain - Amateur Science (Read 35780 times)

stevat · « **Reply #45 on:** November 15, 2018, 09:06:48 PM »

These threads are fantastic reads always. You should consider compiling them from the serialised prose into a book. Would be a great coffee table book with all the imagery of the process, and the science experiment as a sort of substory.

jamesisapayne · « **Reply #46 on:** November 15, 2018, 09:23:15 PM »

Just look at that stack of clefts, you lucky, lucky man!!!

edge · « **Reply #47 on:** November 15, 2018, 10:23:16 PM »

Quote from: jamesisapayne on November 15, 2018, 09:23:15 PM

Just look at that stack of clefts, you lucky, lucky man!!!

I tried to concentrate on science and results and this is all I could think! Mmmmm clefts....

JK Lewis · « **Reply #48 on:** January 01, 2019, 06:34:45 PM »

Evening all, and a very happy new year. It's been a while, but I've been back in the workshop today so time for an update on the NG vs WG project.

The kiln drying is complete, so I weighed and measured our 2 clefts - see the results below. All good, nice drop off in weight so I'm really happy with that.

NG WG
Length 698mm 762mm
Width 124mm 127mm
Spine 77mm 73mm
Edge 55mm 52mm
Weight 2364g 2314g

NG

WG

Once measured up, I then trimmed and tidied the clefts, to get them as close as possible to identical in size. This gives a better indication of the actual difference in the weight of the two different pieces of wood. As you may remember, the WG cleft was considerably longer than the NG, so after trimming it actually ends up around 200g lighter - approximately 7 oz. Pretty significant I would say, demonstrating again that faster growing wood is bulked up with more water, which is easy to release under drying.

So the final dimensions of the 2 clefts are as follows:

NG WG
Length 667mm 666mm
Width 122mm 122mm
Spine 67mm 66mm
Edge 47mm 45mm
Weight 2026g 1832g

NG

WG

So, here are the 2 clefts side by side. They're not perfect G1s of course, but I reckon they look pretty good and will be fine for the purposes of this project. In the close up photo you can really see the difference in growth rates between the two. I imagine both clefts will gain back a few grammes over the next days, but this should be pretty even so is unlikely to affect the results.

Extreme Close Up!

So now we move on, to Stage 2 - The batmaking. I am very happy to report some big news on this. You know my own 'skills' are rudimentary at best, so I've nagged and begged and finally roped in the Forum's very own @Northern monkey to handle this bit. I'll be sending the 2 clefts over to Mark in the next days and I have no doubt he'll do a fantastic job with them. My idea is that we should request 2 bats that are as close to identical in profile and dimensions, with the expectation that the WG bat will end up around 3oz lighter. I think that doing it this way will give us the fairest test of the different clefts, but I'm very keen to hear thoughts from the Forum on this.

As always, comments and ideas welcomed. Best wishes for 2019!

Number4 · « **Reply #49 on:** January 02, 2019, 03:02:02 AM »

I�d like to see 2 bats at the same weight with the same profile shapes to show the size differences.

ammo · « **Reply #50 on:** January 02, 2019, 04:31:33 AM »

^Yup, same weight and same profile. Weight should be the same if you are comparing performance/durability.

Cholrudee · « **Reply #51 on:** January 02, 2019, 05:06:53 AM »

What price will the 5 grainer be when completed?

Mfarank · « **Reply #52 on:** January 02, 2019, 05:40:51 AM »

I think the best way of comparing would be to have them of the same profile and dimensions and ideally similar pressing process. just compare the difference in weight and performance. Kinda like how GM do it

Number4 · « **Reply #53 on:** January 02, 2019, 06:12:49 AM »

Quote from: Mfarank on January 02, 2019, 05:40:51 AM

I think the best way of comparing would be to have them of the same profile and dimensions and ideally similar pressing process. just compare the difference in weight and performance. Kinda like how GM do it

I think if you are going to compare performance then the bats need to weigh the same and be tested by the same person. You don�t change between a 2lb 5oz and 2lb 8oz bat do you? How would that be a fair comparison?
Just my thoughts

JK Lewis · « **Reply #54 on:** January 02, 2019, 09:07:31 AM »

Excellent responses, thank you! The wisdom of crowds and all that. No problem, if equal weight/different size is considered by the majority to be the best test, then so it will be. What should we aim for, maybe 2lb 10oz, something like that?

Mfarank · « **Reply #55 on:** January 02, 2019, 09:10:40 AM »

Id say get the lighter cleft and try to get a 2.10 finished bat out of it. Then go with the heavier cleft and try and achieve the same profile and the same dead weight

JK Lewis · « **Reply #56 on:** January 02, 2019, 10:09:10 AM »

Quote from: Cholrudee on January 02, 2019, 05:06:53 AM

What price will the 5 grainer be when completed?

Hi @Cholrudee Thanks for your question. To be honest I haven't thought selling it really. Stage 3 of the project will be 'Forum Testing' where the bats are passed from forum contributor to contributor, so as many people as possible can give their direct input on the results. This stage will last as long as it lasts and I don't know what condition the bats will end up in!

If you want to buy a similar cleft from the same tree, this can be arranged through The Batmakers Shed. Then you could get a local batmaker to turn it into the bat of your choice. Just let me know.

JK Lewis · « **Reply #57 on:** January 02, 2019, 10:10:48 AM »

Quote from: Mfarank on January 02, 2019, 09:10:40 AM

Id say get the lighter cleft and try to get a 2.10 finished bat out of it. Then go with the heavier cleft and try and achieve the same profile and the same dead weight

Yep, I think so too. 2.10 is a good middle ground I reckon, most of us can work with that in nets or matches.

Northern monkey · « **Reply #58 on:** January 02, 2019, 10:37:19 AM »

Thoughts on shape/profile?

Mfarank · « **Reply #59 on:** January 02, 2019, 10:39:19 AM »

The standard mid/low sweetspot duckbill VK shape seems like the most popular shape nowadays

Author Topic: Narrow Grain vs Wide Grain - Amateur Science (Read 35780 times)

stevat

Re: Narrow Grain vs Wide Grain - Amateur Science

jamesisapayne

Re: Narrow Grain vs Wide Grain - Amateur Science

edge

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JK Lewis

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Number4

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ammo

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Cholrudee

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Mfarank

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Number4

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JK Lewis

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Mfarank

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JK Lewis

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JK Lewis

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Northern monkey

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Mfarank

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