Cricket bat willow wanted

[eggsarascal]

3 hours ago, woody paul said:

You lot are thinking of the same chap but wrong name , Richard Fordham he past away last year but company is still being ran by the lads that worked for him. Cut all the willows in the stour valley for Wright's.. 

Guy used to cut bat willow from Lazzel's land in Cornard to Proberts land in Bures, it did go to Wrights in Chelmsford for cricket bat blanks. If he was contracting to Fordham I don't know, the timber got collected from where I rented a barn off Nosha on Cuckoo Hill.

[woody paul]

Think Guy did a bit of work for Richard until he got settled in the area. Guy lives in 1 of proberts cottages rents some yard area and works in the woodland as well as across East anglia. 

All willows though that valley are cut by 2 of Richards lad Colin and Perry felled bat willow since they left school. 

[Badgerland]

13 hours ago, Stihl123 said:

could be worth speaking to Foskett Willows Ltd, Salix Sawmill - 07802281936

 

they only mill willow for cricket bats

 

Thanks Stihl123

 

I think I might have sourced some now, but it’s good to have a backup plan. I’ll give them a ring to sound them out for the future to see what they’re able to supply.

[Badgerland]

12 hours ago, Squaredy said:

Lovely baskets.  Are they ones you made?  What species of Willow do you need?  Or is it more to do with having clean lengths?

Thanks Squaredy

 

Yeah. Took me 7-8 years to get around to working out the method through research and trial and error, but have been making small numbers of them for the past 5 or so years. They’re based on a traditional West Country splint baskets but modified to suit modern use. The old ones were 3-4 times the weight of one of mine for a similar size basket!

 

I’ve tried various woods in the past mostly in an attempt to get the weight down. Surprisingly Wellingtonia works quite well, but does tend to be both soft and at the same time a little brittle. Western Red Cedar is also pretty good and gives off a lovely smell as you’d expect. Sweet chestnut makes a very durable basket but is a bit of a b…..r to work without it splitting. Cricket bat willow seems to be the near ideal material. Not really tried any other willow to be honest, but I suppose other types might work.