Choosing the Materials
Wooden bats can be made from several types of wood, including ash, maple and hickory. Ash trees from Pennsylvania were used to make the original wooden baseball bats. Trees with 40 to 50 years of growth and a trunk diameter measuring 14 to 16 inches are preferred. A tree of this size can produce about 60 baseball bats. When a logger cuts down the tree, the top branches are removed and the trunk is cut into sections measuring 10 to 16 feet. The mill inspects each section for knots or uneven grain patterns. After inspection, the sections are cut down into 40-inch pieces, called splits.
Initial Millwork and Seasoning
A lathe is used to shave off rough edges from the splits, which turns them into billets. Each billet is inspected for twists and stacked into six-sided bundles. The ends of the bundles are covered with a preservative that protects them from rotting. At the lumberyard, the billets go through an air-drying process, called seasoning, which removes any sap and gum left in the wood. To season the wood, the billets are stored in the lumberyard for six months to two years or until the billets have completely dried.
Forming the Bat
After drying, the bat is placed on an automatic lathe that forms a rough shape of a baseball bat. The bat undergoes a quick sanding and is inspected for quality. A bat turner uses a lathe to carefully shape, sand and shave the bat to the exact specifications. There are several models of bats with various handle or barrel diameters, so the bat turner will repeatedly measure the bat every 1 to 2 inches during the process until the specifications are met.
The Final Touches
Any staining or paint is applied and the company will finish the bat by branding a logo and trademark on the barrel. Before shipment, the bats undergo a final inspection and are placed into cartons.
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