baseball bat

Frank Fusco

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Mountain Home, Arkansas
We have been visiting with my son and his family. They have the twin boys I took camping. While there they were saying they were having trouble finding a wood baseball bat for one of the boys. Of course, grandpa volunteered to make one. I'm happy to, but two problems: Even with all the wood I have piled and stacked around my place, I don't have a suitable billet of ash or hickory for a bat. There is a persimmon tree that has been down a couple years. But, I don't know if that's a good bat wood. Other problem: I'm so totally disinterested in baseball that I have been called un-American. I actually fell asleep once while on assignment photographing a b'ball game in Chicago when one of the all-time greats hit a record home run. And, that is true. Ennyhow, I don't know the proportions to use. Will probably pick up a junior aluminum bat at Salvation Army or someplace to use as a pattern. Will also Google for patterns. Stay tuned, it will be fun.
Oh, BTW, the other twin is a budding chef. I'll make him a cutting board. It will be either teak and maple or walnut and maple.
 
That will be a cool project, Frank.

As for wood, well, all Louisville Slugger bats are made from Ash. That is the traditional wood for MLB bats, also. In the last ten years or so, Maple has gotten popular with MLB players, especially since Barry Bonds hit 73 HR's using Maple bats. But, they are controversial because of their propensity to splinter and are on the verge of being banned by MLB.

Persimmon would be an interesting choice. Before the advent of metal drivers and metal fairway clubs, Persimmon was the standard for golf club heads. It actually belongs to the Ebony family and is probably as dense as any North American wood.

Anyway, have fun and be sure to show us the end result of whatever wood you choose.
 
Sounds like a great project Frank, and once done with the bat, you can wash your hands of baseball.

A couple of things I found on-line:

Turning Baseball Bat Blanks

Making a Baseball Bat


Thanks. Exactly what I need. His will be a 30", 17 oz. Getting the weight right might prove tricky. I'll approach that as I do it. Definately will not use maple. Which, in a way, is a shame because I have a huge stash. Oh, well.
 
I believe Woodcraft sells bat blanks. Don't know the cost. I have started watching baseball now that one of the Twins' catchers is going to be my son in law. He doesn't know that yet since my daughter hasn't met him in person.:rofl:
 
Me? :eek: Pay? :eek: For wood? :eek:
;) Actually, the reality that I might have to pay for a hunk of wood when so much comes my way free is almost a shocking concept. If I had ever thought I would need a billet of hickory or ash, I could have asked any number of people a long time ago to just cut some 4' long instead of firewood short. Hickory is very common around here. In fact, I know where I can get some but it would still be green.
I'll be checking one local source tomorrow and may luck out. Otherwise, Frank, your Fine Hard Woods tip looks to be the best deal. Thanks.
 
Hickory is very common around here. In fact, I know where I can get some but it would still be green.

Good Golly, my smoker has been sitting idle for over a year. I need to find me a good hardwood (or orchard dismantler) in order to get a stock of wood for BBQ smoking....

The thought if getting hickory for free, whether fireplace or baseball billet sized is causing me to get all woozy....
 
Good Golly, my smoker has been sitting idle for over a year. I need to find me a good hardwood (or orchard dismantler) in order to get a stock of wood for BBQ smoking....

The thought if getting hickory for free, whether fireplace or baseball billet sized is causing me to get all woozy....

Bring a trailer or rent a U-Haul. We gots lots.
BTW, the bat will be made from ash. I can order hickory but it is heavier than ash and getting down to the required 17 oz. might be problematic.
Did some on-line research last night and found that lacquer is the standard finish for b'ball bats. That's what I'll use.
The other, twin, grandson wants a cutting board and French style rolling pin. So, I'll make a bat, hanger for it, the cutting board and a rolling pin. French style. Never heard of that before. Picture attached.
 

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Frank,
I have 2 comments about this project.
1) The reason ML players like maple bats over ash is that maple is much harder and does not brake as easily as the ash. The rumor is that you can hit the ball farther with maple, but it has not been scientifically proven. Now a major leaguer swings and hits the ball with just a bit more force than a 12 year old. Also I know of no little leaguer that can throw a 90mph fast ball either. I guess what I am saying is that the problems with maple just don't exist at the youth level of baseball. So if you want to make a maple bat for him go ahead, it will be safe.

2) Most organized leagues have very strict rules about bats. So much so that unless a bat is labeled "Official Little League" (or whatever league he is playing in) that bat will not be allowed to used in a game. If a player is caught using an unapproved bat penalties can range from the batter being call out to forfeiting the game, depending on the league. This is true for Little League and also softball. I have umpired both. I had to tell a player that he could not use a bat he had turned himself and was looking forward to using it in the game. It just broke my heart to have to tell him that. But thems the rules. BTW, I think it is a good rule and can discuss the reasons if you want. So, I guess what I am saying is that you really need to have your grandson check with his coach or league official to be sure he can use this bat in a real game. Of course it can be used at practice and pickup games without problems.

Oh, one more thing. I am not sure it is going to be possible to make a 17oz 30" bat out of wood. Well, maybe if you corked it! You would really be doing good to get it to 25 or 26oz even if you made the handle very thin and hollowed out the end a bit. You might get there if you shortened the bat to 25 or 26"

Sorry for all the negativity, just trying to head off some big problems that you might run into.
 
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Frank,
I have 2 comments about this project.
1) The reason ML players like maple bats over ash is that maple is much harder and does not brake as easily as the ash. The rumor is that you can hit the ball farther with maple, but it has not been scientifically proven. Now a major leaguer swings and hits the ball with just a bit more force than a 12 year old. Also I know of no little leaguer that can throw a 90mph fast ball either. I guess what I am saying is that the problems with maple just don't exist at the youth level of baseball. So if you want to make a maple bat for him go ahead, it will be safe.

2) Most organized leagues have very strict rules about bats. So much so that unless a bat is labeled "Official Little League" (or whatever league he is playing in) that bat will not be allowed to used in a game. If a player is caught using an unapproved bat penalties can range from the batter being call out to forfeiting the game, depending on the league. This is true for Little League and also softball. I have umpired both. I had to tell a player that he could not use a bat he had turned himself and was looking forward to using it in the game. It just broke my heart to have to tell him that. But thems the rules. BTW, I think it is a good rule and can discuss the reasons if you want. So, I guess what I am saying is that you really need to have your grandson check with his coach or league official to be sure he can use this bat in a real game. Of course it can be used at practice and pickup games without problems.

Oh, one more thing. I am not sure it is going to be possible to make a 17oz 30" bat out of wood. Well, maybe if you corked it! You would really be doing good to get it to 25 or 26oz even if you made the handle very thin and hollowed out the end a bit. You might get there if you shortened the bat to 25 or 26"

Sorry for all the negativity, just trying to head off some big problems that you might run into.



Wow! That's a heartbreaker. I have plenty of maple that would work but the stories still scare me. Maple isn't a resilient wood like hickory or ash.
But what is in #2 makes all that kinda mute. I'll send it on to my son and will hold off ordering the wood until I hear back.
Thanks.
 
Frank, Frank, Frank!
Trust me, there isn't a 12 year old alive that can produce the force necessary to shatter a maple bat. However, you may still not have the right kind of maple to make a good maple bat. (I think Sugar Maple is what you need). But once again, there really are a different set of physics going on with youth baseball versus the pros.
Do some more research on maple bats.
check out this site

Plus, there are many others, just google maple baseball bat
 
Dave, that was certainly an interesting article. I have to say though, the way some players were reported to treat their bats made me wonder about them. Sleeping with and talking to a bat is certainly strange behavior. I wonder what would happen if their bat broke, maybe grieving and a funeral?:D
 
Hi Larry,

That seems strange to me. I am a baseball fan, and it seems that the maple bats are breaking at a frantic rate, often with sharp shards flying all over the infield and beyond.

There has even been a bit of talk about banning the maple bats in the Major leagues

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-maplebats050808&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Best wishes,
Dave
Dave,
My comments have to do with YOUTH baseball, not MLB. Maple has real safety issues in MLB and i think maple will be banned there. However, my point is that 12 year olds cannot produce anywhere near the force that it would take to reproduce the splintering effect being experienced in mlb. You just cannot compare the strength and power of a highly skilled (and highly paid) athlete to that of a child. I might even go so far as to say that maple is THE BEST choice for a youth bat.
 
Larry, I haven't read your article yet but will do sometime today.
My son has not said whether or not the bat can be used in a game, he did say my grandson would treasure a bat made by me for him. That really started my day right. :):):)
So, I will be making him a bat even if it isn't used in game.
Now, you have me considering using maple. I have a lot of maple slabs 2 3/4" thick. Am making the rolling pin for the other grandson from it. Very hard stuff. But, I don't know what kind of maple it is. Is there a way to tell?
But.....even as I write this, I'm conflicted. I think I'll still order an ash blank.
Decisions, decisions. ;)
 
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