How to Use a Lathe to Make Wood Baseball Bats
Wooden baseball bats have a unique place in our hearts. The sound a bat makes when it makes solid contact with a baseball is a sound like no other. Before, the only way to get that sound was to buy a bat from the local sports store, or be fortunate enough to have a friend who had the necessary tools. Nowadays, with woodworking tools being more affordable, anyone can mold a bat from scratch.
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Things You'll Need
- Lathe
- Bat blank
- Model bat
- Calipers
- Roughing gouge
- Center marker
- Spindle gouge
- Skew
- Sandpaper
- Varathane spray
Instructions
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1
Locate the center of the bat blank on either end using the center marker. Place the center marker on one end of the bat, tap the marker with a hammer, rotate the bat blank, and tap again. According to an article written on clubs.ca4h.org, this marks the exact center of the end with a black "X." Repeat the process on the other end of the bat blank.
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2
Place the blank on the lathe's drive center, being careful to line the "X" with the drive center exactly.
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3
Measure the thickness of the model bat at various spots with the calipers. Once you have started molding your bat blank, use the calipers to measure the thickness, so as not to remove too much wood.
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4
Use the roughing gouge to shape the bat to your desired thickness. Continue using the roughing gouge to shape the bat's handle, pausing frequently to calibrate the thickness of the new bat against the model.
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5
Once you have the bat calibrated to your liking, cut and smooth the wood simultaneously with the skew. Refine the handle of the bat using the spindle gouge.
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6
Sand the bat with sandpaper to remove any minute imperfections or lingering rough spots. Apply a coat of varathane spray and let it dry. The varathane may not dry evenly, so smooth out the finish with a piece of steel wool. Apply one more coat of varathane and allow the bat to dry completely.
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Tips & Warnings
Always wear the appropriate safety apparel when working with a lathe. Keep safety goggles and gloves on at all times.
Exact centering of the bat blank on the lathe is extremely important. If the bat blank is off-center, the rapid spin of the lathe can send the bat blank flying off, making it a dangerous projectile.
