baseball bat

Considering my only bat turning experience was 30 years ago in Jr. High

- a red oak monster that jarred one's arms all the way to the shoulders when you connected with the ball and was way too honkin' big in the handle - I've been toying with turning a bat for my daughter's new-found T-ball interest. (Do you folks know that regular aluminum bats can approach $300?!? I couldn't believe it and didn't realize the soda cans I've been tossing into recycling are so precious. Makes the Oregon nickel per can deposit seem pretty paltry.)

I'd likely use a polyurethane on a home-made bat since it's about the toughest finish available to consumers - but not expect it to look good for very long after landing in the dirt and laying on damp grass. I bet the commercial bats are catalyzed lacquer or some such techie finish suited to efficient mass production.

As to turning one, I'd think it shouldn't require a spindle steady since the smallest diameter is maybe an inch and a quarter. I'm also thinking to position it so that the handle is at the headstock so that I'm making my cuts toward the drive end instead of away.

The reason they use aluminum is the kids can swing faster. Not in the majors because the parks are too small.

"George" wrote in news:42df7973 snipped-for-privacy@newspeer2.tds.net:

Well, that, and that kids break wooden bats with alarming frequency. At least, we did when I was a kid. The tape on the bat wasn't for a grip, most of the time.

So, Owen, I hear there's no straight grained maple in Oregon. It's supposed to all be that useless curly stuff. Are you going to use imported? Canadian maple is what was used, when the Giants had a home run hitter with good knees...

Patriarch, thinking a flax seed oil finish might be appropriate... ;-)

Jeff, We have a baseball bat factory here and they said no finish, if you want to oil it, fine, but they don't use a sealing finish. I just get their reject blanks for mushroom toothpick holders, never turned a bat mayself.

Ruth

Well, don't do what I did as a kid and make it too damn big. And do something to "trademark" it on the face grain so anyone who has at least learned that bit of lore correctly won't be as likely to break it (because they'll be hitting on the edge grain).

Oil & Wax, same as I put on any tool handle - Makes a hand-friendly, comfortable interface. Film finishes stink on any sort of handle, IMHO.

Ruth... are the reject blanks still ash, or do they use something else now?

mac

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You mean all that black electrical tape wasn't for grip?!? :)

There's quite a bit of straight grained maple but it's of the soft, Big Leaf variety and it isn't as useful as a general wood source as the hard maples - but when it's curly, burled, fiddled, or quilted it's da bomb.

"Yeah, I made my kid a quilted maple ball bat. So?"

Actually for T-Ball it would probably work out A-OK since the balls are soft rubber.

I've found that pine yields a bat that's the correct weight for the size for T-ball bats (15oz) but it doesn't last long if (when) the kids leave the bat outdoors in the rain.

The first bat was oak (that's what I had in the tree pile) and it was WAY too heavy for the kids, but boy did it send the ball!

Norm did an episode on NYW where he made a bat; perhpas a tape of that

would prove useful. After all he did manage to get one of the Red Sox

players to try it out during batting practice. John

Ruth,

Did they give a reason for putting no finish on their bats? Seems the Louisville Sluggers I had as a kid were finished with something. But then the most recent wooden bat I bought my daughter (okay this was roughly 15 years ago) had a black finish to the handle area, then bare wood.

Jeff

Your last paragraph provides the sort of info I'd never think about as a novice. Thanks.

Jeff

I am curious where you were able to find the blank and the cost.

A aluminum bat that cost $300.00 is because the amount of sweet spot. The more you pay the bigger the sweet spot hence the better chance of hitting the ball futher. I prefer wood bats but my guess is if a batter has a choice they will pick metal because of more pop. The Cape Cod leaque (summer league of top college players from around the contry by invitation only) uses wood bats but most college leagues dont.The major teams buy their bats.(cape Cod leaque and I think one or two other leaques) . When they scout they want to see the real thing. Our state has been requiring wood in playoffs but not regular seson yet. The reason for metal is because its too expensive to use wood because of breakage. The reason against is the extra pop becomes dangerous to the pitcher etc. If they allow metal bats why not allow corked bats again more pop. I am very supprised to read no finish. I would think the handle would get very dirty without sealing.

Local woodworking store, Johnson's Workbench, in South Bend, IN. Their blanks are straight-grained ash cylinders, 3" x 39.5", and cost about $10. Craft Supplies also has them in their catalog in ash or maple for about twice that amount.

Jeff

Mac, the reject blanks are all ash at this bat factory. They are the ones that might have a knot or other grain flaw.

Ruth

=========================== A couple of things:

1. About 60 years ago my dad turned a bat for my brother and me. He used hickory instead of ash (more abundant in N. Alabama). As far as I know, there was no finish on it except for the oils and sweat from our hands. We used that thing all the way from grade school (kinda heavy) on thru high school. Only problem we had with it was a slight warp after a few years. Always had to be sure you had it facing the right way before you stepped up to bat. {:-)
2. In the Marine Corps our M1s had walnut stocks. We were instucted to use only raw linseed oil on them to maintain a sheen and keep the wood from drying out and becoming brittle. I don't know what the source of the info to do that was, but there was usually a good reason most of the traditional things that were done.

I think if you used any film finish on the bat, it would possibly be subject to cracking due to impact. I know ash is hard, but a fast ball should cause some surface flex or distortion on impact.

Your idea to turn a bat for your kid is great. We were always proud of ours. No one else we knew could say "My Dad made this bat!"

Ken Moon Webberville, TX.

Woodcraft 2005 magazine has an article on how to turn a bat with a template. Woodcraft 800-225-1153 sells ash blank 3x3x40" for $26.99. There first choice is to burnish with wood shavings (after well sanded). They say as an alternate to use linseed, tung or wax and stain it if you like. My vote which I understand doesnt count is to burnish it with the idea that you can always add other finish down the road. Ive burnished table legs that look like they had finish on them. A pro wipes pine tar or something for the grip so my guess is that there is no finish. Go Red Sox Curt just got a win tonight.

Mark Sfirri, is it, who makes those wonderful bats? Hold on a second...

Yep, Sfirri:

I though so, they were all ash when I was a kid... It sounds like great turning blanks... I love working with ash, both the turning and finishing..

mac

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