Every professional baseball player hits with a wooden bat; it is the only kind of bat they are permitted to use. While metal bats are usually lighter and often more durable, nothing quite captures the crack of the bat like a wooden one. With the right equipment, you can create your very own wooden baseball bat that fits your hitting needs.
Step 1
Buy a piece of wood with a close grain, like ash or maple at a specialty wood store. A close grain should make the bat stronger. This piece of wood is called a blank.
Step 2
Mark the center of the wood by using a center marker. Keep one end against the center marker and hit the other end with another piece of wood. This will create a straight line on the end against the center marker. Rotate the blank 90 degrees and hit the blank again. This will create an "X" on the wood and show you where the center of the blank is.
Step 3
Place the blank into a lathe lining up the marked center to the lathe's drive center. Once the blank begins to spin, it should rotate easily. If the blank begins to wobble or spin out of control, then it is not centered correctly and you must repeat the previous step before proceeding. Use a 1 1/2 inch roughing gouge when you spin the blank in the lathe to get the desired size of the bat.
Step 4
Use a skew chisel to further shape the bat into the way you want it. Have another bat nearby to use as an example.
Step 5
Round the top and the handle of the bat using a spindle gouge while the bat spins on the lathe. Slowly rotate the handle of the spindle gouge to shape the bat correctly.
Step 6
Keep the bat spinning on the lathe and use an electric sander to smooth any remaining rough patches.
Step 7
Apply a clear wood finish spray to finish the bat. After the spray has dried, lightly rub the bat down with a steel wool. Apply the spray again and allow the bat to dry for 48 hours.
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