Mounting A Cricket Bat

[Bagpuss]

Hi,
My first cricket bat to frame after many years framing , a bit embarassing ...

I've had a look at previous posts and the one-piece acrylic "Bat Clip" from LION looks popular, the price is £27 + VAT which seems a bit pricey, I was wondering if anyone has used a more economical approach using Mylar strips perhaps ? I'd be interested to know if you have.

Thanks,
Adam/Bagpu

[Roboframer]

I've used mylar straps, you can see them up close but not half as much as the clip you mention - and the cost is peanuts.

Two around the handle, bottom and top and one near the bottom of the bat.

To prevent rocking you can either make two narrow bevelled strips of black foamboard or sink it slightly in to your mounting board.

[Bagpuss]

That's just the answer I was looking for, I thank you

Out of interest Roboframer, does the bottom of the bat "rest" on the bottom of the box you've made or is it suspended by the Mylar strips ?

with thanks,
Adam/Bagpuss

[Roboframer]

Suspended with space around it.

The two straps around the handle should prevent vertical movement; one above the shoulders to prevent upwards movement and one just below the top of the handle, which is usually knurled, to prevent downward movement.

If that doesn't seem safe enough then the strap at the bottom of the bat can be a 'T' shape or you could use formed rods.

If you want a 'shelf' use a bale, or even a cricket ball.

[realhotglass]

Adam, do let us know here on the forum how you got on, once you complete the project.

Would be interesting to know how long you spend doing 3 mylar straps, sink 'v' or braces either side behind the wedge, and a support shelf / formed rod(s) if needed etc.

* Just to be open, we actually hand make the cricket bat mounts (and the ball clips) here in Oz, supplied in the UK through Lion.

The bat mounts might seem pricey, but after the first one takes maybe 30 mins, and once you know the drill, subsequent jobs take 15 to 20 mins, it might seem more justifiable. (Just checked, Lions price is actually slightly less in AUD than we sell them for to framers here in Oz, so not too bad.)

I was making samples up under our convex glass for a trade show (2003), and was pretty amazed no easy method for mounting bats / balls etc was available.
Looked about in some memorabilia 'specialist' shops and saw lots of screwed up bats (literally) !

The bat mount design came to me one night.
I woke up having pondered the problem / solution for some weeks, and just pictured it as it is now.
Just one small modification since the first prototype, so very pleased with how they work.
Selling here in Oz since our 2004 trade show.

Cheers all.

PS. I do recommend the mylar method (as suggested by Robo) for mini bats to framers here, works great because not near as much weight to worry about.

[Bagpuss]

Thanks for the posting Les, it does look like a handy product I must admit, I would definetly consider it in future. The only problem I have is that the customer wanted me to try and match the frame for his other bat on the wall, in reality it's not a frame it's more of a woodwork job, a pine box with a frame stuck on the front and hand carved supports. I'm undecided at the moment, it's nice to know the options though.

With thanks,
Adam/Bagpuss

[realhotglass]

No problems Adam,
Hand carved timber 'v' supports is how I had my framer mount my 'mock up signed' cricket bat for the 2003 framing show.

Instead of them somehow tying the bat down to these, and only because it was a demo piece for the convex glass, I advised that he could just screw the supports to the bat, than the supports to the backings similarly.

I suggest if you need to tie to similar tiber supports, d rings could be scrwed to the support ends, and some sort of non stretch line used to tie the bat down to these.
Not fishing line due to the stretching, although there may be some sort of non stretch fishing line on the market by this day and age.

[Roboframer]

I do recommend the mylar method (as suggested by Robo) for mini bats to framers here, works great because not near as much weight to worry about.

So, Mylar/Melinex is not good for a full-sized bat?

and some sort of non stretch line used to tie the bat down to these.
Not fishing line due to the stretching, although there may be some sort of non stretch fishing line on the market by this day and age.

But something far narrower which is 'sharp' as opposed to flat is OK?

It's not just the stretching anyway, fishing line will discolour and become brittle in time, it's nylon.

If you don't mind the whole bat being shiney, (the layman may assume it was varnished?) or maybe just the handle, you could make a shaped Melinex mount with legs that pass through the mounting board. That would be extremely secure.

You can also incorporate any shields or logos on the bat in to your Melinex mount - these things are mostly stuck on and shiney, you can cut the same shape out of Melinex, with 'legs' and almost totally hide your mounting technique/materials.

I don't have a problem with 'clamping' methods, but given the choice I'd opt for a method that does not alter the profile of the object.

[realhotglass]

I do recommend the mylar method (as suggested by Robo) for mini bats to framers here, works great because not near as much weight to worry about.

So, Mylar/Melinex is not good for a full-sized bat?

Full size bats are simply quite heavy, much more effort to keep one mounted * long term * than a small, light mini bat.

and some sort of non stretch line used to tie the bat down to these.
Not fishing line due to the stretching, although there may be some sort of non stretch fishing line on the market by this day and age.

But something far narrower which is 'sharp' as opposed to flat is OK?

Again, depending on an items weight, how the back 'v' sink or stabilisers are set up, a support etc, there may not be much need for excessive pressure in support.
Using melinex straps and fining down the ends to enable tie off to 'd' rings might work ok too.

For interest, I have mounted mini bats, generally using around 1/4" wide straps near the top and bottom of the blade, with the v sink to keep stable.
IF I was going to mount a full size bat, I'd be more inclined to make those a good 3/4" width, maybe use 3 as you suggested.
The v sink might need to be a couple of decent 5mm foamcore boards, laminated together, to enable a good stable setting for the bat wedge.

I just pre read my reply (to mostly check quoted sections look ok), and when I read the above processes, I can't help but think - time, lots of it.

It's not just the stretching anyway, fishing line will discolour and become brittle in time, it's nylon.

Polyester type line (not fishing) is available as a product somewhere (I recall seeing it), I assume same properties as Melinex / Mylar, itself a polyester.
You will find there are fishing lines on the market besides nylon too . . . polyethylene for example, another inert material that can be used for framing applications like document protection.

If you don't mind the whole bat being shiney, (the layman may assume it was varnished?) or maybe just the handle, you could make a shaped Melinex mount with legs that pass through the mounting board. That would be extremely secure.

You can also incorporate any shields or logos on the bat in to your Melinex mount - these things are mostly stuck on and shiney, you can cut the same shape out of Melinex, with 'legs' and almost totally hide your mounting technique/materials.

I think you mean 'shinny' Robo. lol
Not a bad thought there, but again, time to do that process ?
With the bats shape, you might also find it 'crinkles' a bit, and it would be very shinny, so this would be pretty obvious.

Keep in mind too, sometimes bats are mounted wedge side up, signed down both sides of the bat.
Such a 'wrap' would be harder to do this way, and look worse, as the crinkling would be very hard to control.
But then the whole thing is easier to keep in place with the bat shape curving in top and bottom, so a couple of decent straps might just be fine there. MAybe a small sink at the toe of the bat to support too.
(Note - The acrylic mount does work with the wedge or flat sides facing up.)

If incorporating some of the shields or logos (?) on the bat, this might make such a concept more viable time wise, as you could incorporate this in the bat mounting process.
Or they are simply placed around a bat mounted / matted as usual.

I don't have a problem with 'clamping' methods, but given the choice I'd opt for a method that does not alter the profile of the object.

I don't have a problem with Melinex for mounting items either, I recommend it often for projects, and we actually sell a fair amount of it to framers here in Oz.

In general, I have found people either want to see how something is mounted, or see nothing.
Seeing nothing is usually very hard to manage successfully, no changing / damaging an item, full reversibility, etc.

The thing is there are different ways of doing things.
Some folks like saving time / the ease of process with using such available mounts, plate holders, mighty mounts, etc . . . others don't mind saving a few $ putting the extra effort in doing something another way, formed rods, sink mounts, custom made acrylic brackets, mylar overlays, etc.
Framing is great like that, there is no real right way (design / methods etc), only different.

Keep thinking outside the obvious, this is when creativity evolves.

(And gee, this quoting stuff can get complex ! Please no quoting this any further !!)