How to Make a Batting Tee

Young ball players need a little extra help when going up to bat. That's where a batting tee comes in handy. Batting tees hold the ball steady as youngsters learn how to swing the bat. You can buy batting tees at sporting good stores, or you can save some money if you make a batting tee yourself.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• PVC pipe
• Hacksaw
• Rubber mallet
• Threaded pipe (1 foot by 1 1/4 inch)
• Pipe flange (1 1/4 inch)
• Screws
• Screwdriver or drill
• Plywood (18-by-18-by-3/4 inch)
• Rubber hose (1 1/4-inch wide)
• Wooden dowel (7/8 inch)
• PVC pipe (1 1/4 inch inside measurement)
• Saw

Instructions

Impromptu Tee

1. Measure your youngster for strike range by placing him or her into a batting stance and measuring from the ground to the center of the swinging range.

2. Saw off a length of PVC pipe approximately 12 inches longer than the strike range measurement. The pipe must be slightly narrower in width than the baseball.

3. Stand the pipe up straight next to home plate. Keep the flattest end up.

4. Use a rubber mallet to pound the tee approximately 14 inches into the ground.

Portable Tee

1. Attach the threaded pipe to the pipe flange. Screw the flange to the center of the plywood.

2. Measure your child's strike range. If the tee is for a team, measure the player who represents the most average height on the team.

3. Cut the rubber hose to strike range length. Cut the dowel and PVC pipe 2 inches shorter than the rubber hose.

4. Push the dowel through the rubber hose until it's flush on one end. Feed the rubber hose through the PVC pipe until flush on the same end. If done correctly, all items will be flush on one end, with 2 inches of rubber hose sticking out on the other end. Secure with a screw in the center.

5. Force PVC pipe (flush end down) into the pipe attached to the board. Place ball atop the rubber hose and swing!

Tips & Warnings

• To prevent damage to the mallet or pipe, you can place a block of wood on the end and pound the wood, rather than the pipe.

Resources

• See a detailed photo of this portable batting tee.