How to Make a Tapered Knob on a Bat

Although leagues outside of professional baseball often allow players to use metal bats to make it easier to hit the ball for distance, the only way to create the traditional crack of a deep hit is with a wooden bat. A tapered knob on the butt of a bat creates a thicker heel to the bat, making it easier to control. Turning your own bat allows you to ensure the taper you add to your heel matches your desired grip.

Things You'll Need

  • Wood blank
  • Wood lathe
  • Tape measure
  • Gouging chisel
  • Parting tool
  • Sandpaper
  • Stain (optional)
  • Wax and buffer
  • Hacksaw
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Spin the blank on the lathe and use a roughing gouge along the entire length to make the blank into a cylindrical shape.

    • 2

      Measure a 32-inch length of the blank, centered across its length, then divide the marked section into eight 4-inch-long segments.

    • 3

      Cut grooves over the rightmost marks with a parting tool so the bat has a diameter of 2 1/2 inches at the rightmost mark, 2 7/16 inches at the next mark to the left, then 2 3/16 inches and 1 3/4 inches. Stop frequently as you near the desired diameter for a mark to test your diameter with a caliper.

    • 4

      Taper the first foot of the bat using the gouge, with the cut diameters as guides.

    • 5

      Remove excess wood from the remainder of the bat until it is only slightly larger than the last tapered section. This will make it easier to taper later. Re-mark the lower section of the bat now since you will have removed the original pencil marks.

    • 6

      Cut grooves with the parting tool with a diameter of 1 1/4 inches at the rightmost remaining mark, then 1 1/8 inches, 1 inch and 1 inch. Cut an additional groove with a 2-inch diameter, 3/4 inch from the leftmost mark.

    • 7

      Taper from the end of the first tapered section down to the 1-inch diameter cut-out, then straight across to the second 1-inch diameter cut-out.

    • 8

      Taper from the last 1-inch mark out to the cut-out made 3/4 inch from the final mark. This creates the all-wood tapered knob.

    • 9

      Taper the wood down to approximately 1 inch at the last mark.

    • 10

      Sand the perimeter of the bat, first with 80 grit paper, then 120, 180, 220, 320 and 400. This gradual increase creates a smooth finish for the bat.

    • 11

      Stain the bat, if desired, while still attached to the lathe, then apply wax and buff out by spinning the lathe.

    • 12

      Narrow the wood immediately before and after the bat with the parting tool, then cut the bat free with a hacksaw. Sand the area cut off until flush with the bat.