Baseball bat question

Roger Tulk

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St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
I've turned a 3" sqare piece of maple into 3" roung piece of maple. Now, before I start cutting away the wood that is not part of the bat, is it best to have the head of the bat near the headstock or the tailstock? My limited kowledge of physics suggests the headstock end, but the only diagram I have stows the handle of the bat at the headstock.
 
I'd do handle to the tailstock, although a bat is thick enough I'm also thinking it won't matter so whichever way you feel more comfortably cutting even tapers is the way I'd go.
 
I believe the reasoning behind having the handle (thinnest part) at the headstock is to lessen the chance of vibrations. Vibrations shouldn't be a big problem with sharp tools and good technique. But if you're like me and not real experienced at spindle turning techniques, I think I'd go handle to the headstock.
 
I have turned several walking cane shafts and always had to use a small steady rest to keep them under control. Never did a bat, though. I would have to agree with what Vaughn said on having the handle at the tailstock. Just seems logical to me. Good luck on it. Let us see it when it's done, will ya?
 
OK. I did a lot of spindle turning this year, which doesn't make me an expert, but i think I will go with handle to the tailstock. If i don't like it, I've got two more bats to make.

Thanks, guys!

I've never turned a bat and do very little spindle turning, unless you count pepper mills as spindles, but since your are likely turning between centers and not using a chuck, if you wanted to, you could turn near the head stock until you get part of the bat done, then reverse it and turned the other end near the head stock to finish the handle end.
 
...I would have to agree with what Vaughn said on having the handle at the tailstock. Just seems logical to me...

Did you mean having the handle at the headstock end? That's the way I was thinking it'd have the least vibrations.

But I can't argue with Roger's logic. Try one way and of it doesn't work, try the other. :thumb:
 
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