How to Cork a Wooden Baseball Bat

Corked wooden baseball bats are lighter than regular wood bats and seek to give baseball hitters a quicker swing without losing power. Theoretically, the faster one can swing and make contact with a baseball, the further it will travel. The time and effort it takes to modify the inside of a bat with cork can give hitters mixed results, however. While one may make better contact with a baseball, the ball may not travel farther than a hit with a normal bat.

Things You'll Need

• Wooden baseball bat
• Crushed cork
• Sawdust
• Glue
• Superball
• Wood plug
• Sand paper
• Wood stain
• Pine tar

Instructions

1. Drill hole 1/2-inch-1-inch deep in diameter through top of the wooden baseball bat. The hole should be 6 inches deep minimum, 10 inches maximum.

2. Remove excess wood from drilled hole.

3. Fill hole with crushed cork, sawdust or super balls but leave it unfilled 2 inches from the top of the bat to make room for the wood plug.

4. Insert and glue a wood plug into remaining space in the drilled hole.

5. Sand the top area of bat down to mask wood plug, then apply wood stain, pine tar or other dark matter to cover evidence of a corked bat.

Tips & Warnings

• To hide or mask the area where the bat has been corked, use a marker that is the same exact color of the wooden bat.

• Placing cork in wood bats can weaken its structure and makes it susceptible to break when put to use. Bring into play corked baseball bats at your own risk, as they are illegal in baseball competitions, particularly at the professional level.

Resources

• Data And Academic Analysis of Corked Bats