Building an Infield Drag Mat
Chain link fence, 4-by-4 timber, a length of chain, a few attachments and cinder blocks comprise a simple infield drag mat to rid the infield of rocks, stones, uneven ground and bad hops. The funny thing about rocks is they seem to rise to the surface every year, but what is really occurring is the settling of finer particles of soil, that appears to make the rocks rise to the surface. Think of it as box of cereal; the finer parts sift to the bottom while the bigger flakes remain on top. While it's a good thing to smooth your infield by dragging it, there is little you can do about your frosted flakes.
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Things You'll Need
- 10 foot x 10 foot section of 1 3/4 to 3/8 inch chain link fence
- 10 foot 4x4 piece of lumber
- 8 U-bolts, 1/2-inch long
- 8 screws matching the U-Bolts' diameter
- 2 10-foot lengths of 3/8 inch chain
- Drill
- 15/16 inch drill bit
- 2-inch diameter eye hooks 1 inch long
- Tape measure
- pencil
- Vehicle with a ball hitch or hooks affixed to the rear frame (desirable but optional)
Instructions
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Determine the average size larger stones and rocks that litter your infield. You want a size of chain-link fence mesh large enough to drag stones through the holes and find themselves nestled somewhere in the chain link but not too large to allow larger stones to find their way out again. This is a judgment call based on the condition of your dirt infield. If you're making a first pass at reconditioning it, a 1 ¾ inch mesh may be needed to capture the larger stones. For most municipal or relatively well kept fields, 3/8 inch fencing -- about what your would find at tennis courts or security fenced locations -- is adequate.
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2
Borrow or buy a chain link fence -- 10-feet by 10 feet. It can be rusty, old and bent up -- it doesn't matter. Many fencing contractors have spare fencing after a job and may be willing to donate a length for your drag mat. Lay a 10-foot length of 4-by-4 timber eight inches from, and parallel to, one end of the the fencing. This will be the front end of the drag mat. Lay the short end of the fencing near the lumber over the 4x4 until the fencing meets fencing. Using ¼ inch U-bolts, connect the fencing around the lumber to itself at each end and at 2-foot increments across the fencing through the "X" part of the chain link fence -- 6 U-bolts and 12 screws total
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3
Choose the side of the 4x4 you want to face forward, horizontal to the ground. Measure one foot from each end of the forward side of the 4x4 and mark the center of the forward face. Drill a 15/16 inch hole at both one-foot centered mark and screw in a 1-inch long by 1-inch diameter eye hook into each hole.
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Loop a 10-foot length of 3/16-inch chain through each eye hole, one at a time. Where the end of each separate chain meets, fasten each chain into a loop attaching each end with a ¼ inch U-bolt. You should now have two five-foot lengths of chain loop attached to the front of the drag mat.
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Loop each chain over a towing hitch or hooks on the back of a vehicle equipped with a ball mount or hooks. Lacking a vehicle, dragging the infield could be a team effort, with team members grabbing the separate chain loops and pulling it themselves around the infield to smooth it out. With a 10-foot by 10-foot drag mat over an 8,700 square-foot infield, it should take about six or seven trips around the infield to smooth things out.
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6
Weigh down the areas of the mat that appear to ride too light on the surface by adding a few cinder blocks. After the rough dragging has been performed, you may wish to create a fine mat to groom the infield even smoother. If that is the case, use very fine chain-link fence following the steps above and make a second pass.
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Tips & Warnings
It's not usually necessary to drag the infield before every game. Maintaining the field by dragging it several times a season should be sufficient but its a judgment call depending on the field's condition.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit infielder image by Mitchell Knapton from Fotolia.com
