Constructing a Bat

Making Weapons and Shields

Moderator: Belegarth: Forum Moderators

Constructing a Bat

Postby Saxavarius » Tue Nov 12, 2013 5:22 pm

What would be the best way to make a bat/omni-blade?

I was thinking of alternating layers of barber-pole blue foam till it reaches the size required, but i have never made a bat before so im not sure how well that would work. Tips, tricks, suggestions?
User avatar
Saxavarius
Monkey
Monkey
 
Posts: 190
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:03 pm
Started Fighting: 0- 4-2010
Realm: Khador
Favorite Fighting Styles: sword and board
spear

Re: Constructing a Bat

Postby Matthias - Dun Abhon » Tue Nov 12, 2013 10:36 pm

I made mine with two layers of barber-poled foam (not criss-crossed, but I made sure not to line up the seams) and then one "full" layer, i.e. not barber-poled but a flat layer around it. I also initially capped it after each layer (on top of a 4lb biscuit), but I ended up cutting off two of those caps because the stabbing tip was rolling off to the side due to the amount of foam between the tip and the core. That was on what I believe is 0.524" kitespar, so results may vary depending on core diameter. Someone else is probably way smarter than I am about this, though.
Matthias - Dun Abhon
Toadie
Toadie
 
Posts: 144
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:47 am
Location: Louisville, KY
Started Fighting: 21 May 2006
Realm: Dun Abhon
Favorite Fighting Styles: Sword and medium round punch shield

Re: Constructing a Bat

Postby Mordekiem » Tue Nov 12, 2013 11:51 pm

Is this video helpful?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQ_DUJp2dTY

And you can order routed foam tubes from https://www.warlordsports.com/

Dunno if that was what you were looking for, but they are a couple things I have found while trying to build a sword.
User avatar
Mordekiem
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2013 4:26 pm
Started Fighting: 0- 9-2013

Re: Constructing a Bat

Postby Sir Thurat » Wed Nov 13, 2013 9:45 am

Image

This is my general build for bats. I route my 4lb, but if I weren't using it I would barber pole the base layer, and then do full wraps on the next two. If you're not using a 4lb biscuit, I don't know if you can get away with only 1 blue cap over the core, as I have shown here. YMMV.

Apologies for the low resolution. Build is as follows (from the core):
core w/biscuits --> wrap of blue foam (or 4lb box) --> cap of blue foam --> wrap of blue foam --> wrap of blue foam --> marine foam cap. Taping not shown.

I've only tried this on smaller blue weapons, so more padding may be necessary depending on the size; I'll be trying it out on a longer blue when I have the time.

Build tip: Be very careful not to compress the foam when you apply it. Pulling on the foam as you apply will compress it, and make it hit harder. I've failed brand new bats with more layers of foam than this, because the foamsmith was careless during the build process.
Realm of Carthage War Council Representative
Knight of Oldcastle
Realm Map Curator
Master Seneschal
User avatar
Sir Thurat
Skull Crusher
Skull Crusher
 
Posts: 1205
Joined: Tue Sep 05, 2006 7:21 pm
Location: Carbondale, IL
Started Fighting: 02 Apr 2006
Realm: Carthage
Unit: Clan of the Hydra

Re: Constructing a Bat

Postby randy » Sat Dec 21, 2013 6:15 pm

I'm not a fan of barberpole, to me the crevices are dangerous. I prefer just daping and rolling foam around the core and then taping appropriately.
randy
Grunt
Grunt
 
Posts: 212
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2010 11:30 am
Started Fighting: 0- 0-1994
Unit: rogue company

Re: Constructing a Bat

Postby Remdawg Killionaire » Thu Dec 26, 2013 2:15 am

I agree with with Randy, if yer barbershoppin' it, you're doing it inefficient in my experience and potentially dangerous as well.
Bishop wrote:Overall I believe the article was positive for our image, loosely defining us as a sadomasochist anti-larp. I'm ok with that. http://www.vice.com/en_ca/read/LARP-harder

Caleidah wrote:But, his sensei passed that style down to him! Literal hours of tradition!
User avatar
Remdawg Killionaire
Forum Gordon Ramsay
 
Posts: 3261
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2003 5:10 pm
Location: Portlandia
Started Fighting: 20 Apr 2006
Realm: Pyke and O.G. Babylonian
Unit: Catalyst
Favorite Fighting Styles: Acerbic wit and sassy one-liners

Re: Constructing a Bat

Postby Cedric_9 » Sat Jan 25, 2014 4:25 am

Thanks for the post!
Cedric_9
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 4:14 am
Started Fighting: 12 May 1979


Return to Foam Smithing

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests

cron