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trimming bat surface

updated tue 30 apr 96

 

Richard Gralnik on fri 12 apr 96

I apologize to the old timers for repeating a question I know was
discussed here back in clayart's Jurassic Period, but I just had
a bad experience with a friend's foam covered trimming bat that
I'd like to avoid repeating.

I was trimming a platter on a bat covered with a 1/4" layer of
some kind of foam rubber. When I took the platter off to check
the thickness I found it was covered with a fine layer of foam
rubber dust, some of which came off, some of which didn't. Next,
the foam now had an impressed ring from the platter, and when I
recentered, the platter settled into this ring, not quite level
any more and not quite centered either. My conclusion is that
foam is not a good trimming bat pad...

What would people recommend? There was a mention once of a
material used on boats to keep things from sliding around, but I
don't remember what it's called. I've thought about backpacking
sleeping pad foam (ensolite) and wet suit material. What have
people found to be grabby enough, that doesn't decompose after
awhile, and doesn't develop an indentation that makes recentering
a problem if your pot is a little off center or out of round?

Oh, yeah. It should be available in the US :)
Thanks,

Richard
who didn't even try to tap the 18" platter on center!

Karl David Knudson on sat 13 apr 96

On Fri, 12 Apr 1996, Richard Gralnik wrote:
> I was trimming a platter on a bat covered with a 1/4" layer of
> some kind of foam rubber.
> What would people recommend?

I've used 2-3" foam pads. The ones you get for sleeping on when you go
camping. Or the egg-crate foam pads you use on beds to make them softer.
(?) The ones I've used have always been loose pads that aren't attached
to anything (you can sit on them as well, a blessing if you don't have a
padded chair) I've seen the 3" foam pads in a 4'X8' or so size for
about $10 at the local discount store aught to be enough for a few
trimmming pads. if you wanted a more permanent fixture glue one to a
bat and trim away.

Karl in Eugene, OR