Topic: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!) (Read 38892 times)

Chad · « **Reply #75 on:** September 02, 2022, 06:14:36 PM »

Quote from: ch1p on September 02, 2022, 06:36:53 AM

Absolutely superb work Chad. If you would�ve posted that saying you asked Chase to copy an old favourite I wouldn�t have been surprised that was their work!

Keep going mate, truly impressive.

Thanks @ch1p! Stickers do make a massive difference to the overall presentation of a bat, so I got lucky here by digging out a set - thanks for the kind words.

Will keep improving!

Quote from: Kai on September 02, 2022, 07:44:54 AM

Wow, fantastic work Chad, the copy looks pretty much spot on. Youre improving rapidly and this is very impressive for someone who's just recently started out with bat making.

Thanks @Kai - means a lot! There are notable improvements over time - and trying to squeeze in batmaking while working and having other duties is tough! But I do feel I've got a passion for it - I know for certain I've got an obsession with cricket bats in general!

Quote from: Bungle on September 02, 2022, 10:05:05 AM

Very good stuff, I love how in depth you go with your batmaking and the end product is fantastic.

Thanks @Bungle - I do try my best, and make sure I take my sweet ass time to really study the profile - it's not perfect, I know I'll never attain it, but doesn't stop the striving! No point in rushing something for the sake of trying to do it quickly or as quickly as the true masters of the art, especially since part mades aren't cheap, and I don't actively try to sell the bats!

Chad · « **Reply #76 on:** January 17, 2023, 01:13:24 PM »

Been a wee while since I've updated this - although to be fair had been a while since I'd been on the bench!

Here's something I've been working on, was initially meant to be a copy of a Gray Nicolls Blue Maax HS, but has just turned out to be a lower middle version after I muddled up my markings for the swell. This is after the 320 grit hand sand, and will probably go up a little higher before buffing, binding, boning and dressing. Currently weighing in a 2lb 13.8oz or so, so I expect it to be a 3lb 1 - 2oz with stickers, grip and scuff. Still a fairly big bat, so hopefully a home for it somewhere!

Jimbo · « **Reply #77 on:** January 17, 2023, 01:26:31 PM »

Home for it in the bat collection of your local strongman maybe, that is a monster. Something almost a bit Laver-y about the profile side-on.

Chad · « **Reply #78 on:** January 17, 2023, 06:51:31 PM »

Quote from: Jimbo on January 17, 2023, 01:26:31 PM

Home for it in the bat collection of your local strongman maybe, that is a monster. Something almost a bit Laver-y about the profile side-on.

I'll take that! 😂 It's turned out a bit like the Ultra I guess, a little less extreme, but that same swoop after the swell

SOULMAN1012 · « **Reply #79 on:** January 17, 2023, 07:41:21 PM »

Shaping looks good and looks like a nice high spine. Agree with the laver comment and like the touch of fine sanding in the toe to angle into the back of the blade. Some fine hand sanding and then a polish will blend that in nicely. Well done mate good work

Chad · « **Reply #80 on:** January 18, 2023, 11:01:44 AM »

Quote from: SOULMAN1012 on January 17, 2023, 07:41:21 PM

Shaping looks good and looks like a nice high spine. Agree with the laver comment and like the touch of fine sanding in the toe to angle into the back of the blade. Some fine hand sanding and then a polish will blend that in nicely. Well done mate good work

Thanks Chris, high spines are a pain in the (No Swearing Please) to try keep straight, I'll probably need better lighting in the workshop just to make sure I can see better and make life a bit easier when checking haha

Chad · « **Reply #81 on:** January 18, 2023, 12:04:33 PM »

Right, so I had been asked to make an XXX profiled bat in at 2.12, for �200. Safe to say that request was rejected - don't think I'd have the willow to make anything remotely like it, but it did get me wondering just what kinds of weights would be feasible for those kind of high volume profiles.

The assignment

Learning Objectives

Just wanted really to make a big bat
Not worry too much about weight
Try focus on getting the balance nice, and also take my time with the handle shaping and finishing
Just to get back into the groove of things

End Result (Post shaping, finishing and stickering - the missus picked the labels)

Safe to say I missed the mark by a fairly long shot, I had stupidly marked 2 points for the swell, and took the lower line to be the swell peak and the higher line to be when the swell starts to drop off. (I had marked with the intention to use them the other way round) Nonetheless, I adjusted by concaving a bit more just to make sure the bat didn't end up too bottom heavy, and the end result is still a profile that I'm pretty happy with, and definitely one which I had to made sure to take my time with. Far from perfect, but for a 3lb bat which doesn't fit through the gauge, it honestly feels lovely for me in the hands. Off the shelf heavier bats are quite scarce normally as they don't shift quickly, so this could be my go to heavy profile in future should I decide to ever actively sell bats.

Happy with

Managed to rescue the mishap
Feel I've balanced the bat nicely
Handle feels good to me
Got a good amount of time out of this cleft

Not so happy with

Being careless with the markings - I think I need to take some time and figure out what works for me in terms of marking out spots, maybe need to mark with different colours just to colour code things
Taking so darn long to finish this - I might need to change my sanding sleeves, but think I spent quite a while obsessing over little things

Northern monkey · « **Reply #82 on:** January 18, 2023, 09:07:47 PM »

Obviously hard to tell how it picks up without a waft of it, but that looks a lovely shape.
Lovely finishing too Chad
I can imagine your gonna be getting a few requests

Chad · « **Reply #83 on:** April 02, 2023, 06:05:59 PM »

Been a little while since I've updated this thread, haven't really found too much time to do any batmaking, but kind of got the bug on Thursday at 10:45pm, and unfortunately didn't sleep till 4am

But here's the latest one. I'll try talk through it a little rather than posting specs, just to highlight the bat at different stages, etc etc.

Starting off with the partmade itself, and what exactly this particular one would allow for would be a decently high volume, slightly more classic shape. The tear out on the back for the RH inside edge meant that the edges wouldn't be too large, and the rounded face press and thicker handle for me meant that a more old school style bat was on order. I went with the edge profile of a M&H S6, and wanted the the edge to be modest at the shoulder, but with a large volume flowing into a good thick oval handle.

First things first though, cutting the part made to length using a bandsaw!

Now for the tools to do the job

Rough shaping with drawknife on the upper half

Post initial drawknifing towards the toe:

Some planing to fine tune the shape a little:

A bit of spokeshave and drum sand

After blending the shoulders, shaping handle, fine sanding, boning with a linseed soaked hardwood cylinder (courtesy of @jonny77 ) and polishing and binding:

And the end product:

Of course, no batmaking attempt by my would be complete without dropping the bat just as I was about to finish. This happened when I was about to bind, hence some dinks at the toe which I've just about gotten rid of, but it was so late that I was surprisingly calm when it happened. Guess I was too tired to care at that point haha.

Thanks if you've reached this point! Any guesses as to what kind of shape was on my mind as I shaped this one? Feel free to leave feedback, etc. I think the bat ended up weighing in at around 2lb 14oz, so a heavy boy!

MichaelM · « **Reply #84 on:** April 02, 2023, 06:12:43 PM »

Excellent! Thanks for sharing.
Looks very clean and calm environment.
Too heavy for me, thanks anyways.

potzy248 · « **Reply #85 on:** April 02, 2023, 06:17:30 PM »

Nice work mate.

Jimbo · « **Reply #86 on:** April 02, 2023, 06:57:13 PM »

Good to see you back at it, some very nice work as always, especially for a part timer!

procricket · « **Reply #87 on:** April 02, 2023, 08:57:37 PM »

Like the shapes you�re making think you got a great eye for it and detail.

Think you have enough talent to have a go at it much more.

jonny77 · « **Reply #88 on:** April 02, 2023, 09:29:32 PM »

Lovely work @Chad. Really like this shape and your definitely improving, great stuff mate. You'll be buying a press next!

Chad · « **Reply #89 on:** April 03, 2023, 01:20:38 PM »

Quote from: MichaelM on April 02, 2023, 06:12:43 PM

Excellent! Thanks for sharing.
Looks very clean and calm environment.
Too heavy for me, thanks anyways.

Hahaha definitely not a clean or tidy environment - I just happened to do some tidying before I made this one! Trying to make more effort in keeping the place tidy before I start so I can actually find the tool I want to use! Thank you - appreciate the weight definitely isn't a commonly used one, but I try not to focus too much on dead weight for projects. Only on the very very rare occasion someone actually wants to order a bat

Quote from: potzy248 on April 02, 2023, 06:17:30 PM

Nice work mate.

Thanks Charles!

Quote from: Jimbo on April 02, 2023, 06:57:13 PM

Good to see you back at it, some very nice work as always, especially for a part timer!

Thank you Jimbo!

Quote from: procricket on April 02, 2023, 08:57:37 PM

Like the shapes you�re making think you got a great eye for it and detail.

Think you have enough talent to have a go at it much more.

Thanks Dave - definitely got a lot to learn/improve on. I'd love to go beyond a hobbyist, but knowing the crap actual professional batmakers go through, I'd rather be known as a chimp with some tools

Quote from: jonny77 on April 02, 2023, 09:29:32 PM

Lovely work @Chad. Really like this shape and your definitely improving, great stuff mate. You'll be buying a press next!

Thank you Jonny! Need a splicer and press. May as well get a CNC while I'm at it right? 😂

Author Topic: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!) (Read 38892 times)

Chad

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

Chad

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

Jimbo

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

Chad

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

SOULMAN1012

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

Chad

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

Chad

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

Northern monkey

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

Chad

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

MichaelM

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

potzy248

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

Jimbo

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

procricket

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

jonny77

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)

Chad

Re: Chad's Batmaking Thread (The first Bat Shaper in Scotland?!)