How to Modify a Softball Bat

There are three main types of modifying, or doctoring, softball bats. Shaving, rolling, and end-loading are all ways to improve the performance of your softball bat. Such modifications are primarily aimed at allowing batters to hit the ball harder and farther.

Things You'll Need

  • Aluminum or composite softball bat
  • Commercial roller
  • Lathe
  • Epoxy resin
  • Screwdriver
  • Plaster
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Instructions

  1. Rolling your bat

    • 1

      Insert your bat between the two pins in the rolling machine.

    • 2

      Tighten the clamps so that they hug your bat tightly, but allow it to still move with a little force.

    • 3

      Using a push and pull method, move your bat in and out of the rollers. Five minutes using a slow-pace is generally all it takes.

    Shaving & End Loading

    • 4

      Remove the end cap of your bat using a flat-head screwdriver.

    • 5

      Shave the inner walls of your bat using a lathe. You'll want to remove one to two ounces of total weight from the bat by shaving small sections of the inner walls a little at a time. If you remove too much, you'll greatly reduce the durability of the bat. Try to keep the shaving relatively consistent, and take care not to remove too much from any one area. You want an even shave of the interior of the bat.

    • 6

      Pour plaster on the inside of the end cap of your bat to end-load it. Allow it to dry, and then remove any overlaying plaster before reinstalling the cap onto your bat. For additional benefit, you can add a second layer after the first dries. Shaving removes an ounce or two from the bat's weight, and end-loading is a great way to get that weight back.

    • 7

      Apply epoxy resin to the edges of the plaster, and the inside edges of the end cap. Put the end cap back onto the end of the bat, and make sure it fits tightly by adding additional epoxy.

    • 8

      Scrape additional epoxy off of the end cap once it dries. Make sure it forms a tight seal with your bat.