# Cutting Baseball Bats In Half



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Longwise - How would you do it?


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## John in Tennessee (Jun 11, 2008)

Bandsaw with a jig. I see it on my alleged mind but let me ponder the jig.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Are ya-all still thinkin'? That's OK, safe procedures take planning.


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## johnjf0622 (Feb 8, 2008)

What if you make a Jig that will surround 3 sides of it. Something on the lines where you place the bat into it and a piece of sacrificial wood on top to help hold it in place. The sides would naturally have to be angled to conform to the sides of the bat. Maybe a spot here and there of hot glue to help hold it in place. And run it along the fence of the Band saw or table saw. I would say you would need the top to hold it in the jig for running it on the table saw more then the band saw.I could try to sketch what I am talking about if you like but I am sure you know what I am trying to say.

John


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

I would build a box to put it in like Johnjfo622 said, But I would run it on the table saw


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

I agree with Handyman. Build a three sided box with the widest part of the bat fitting snugly inside. Put a block in the other end to support the small end of the bat so it doesn't wiggle around. I would even cut a half round shape in the block to hold the bat. Then flip it upside down so the opening is riding on the table and run it along the fence to split it down the middle. If you set your blade height just to clear the bat, you can save your box for another bat.
Mike Hawkins:icon_smile:


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## johnjf0622 (Feb 8, 2008)

I seen this done once on some show a while back. They screwed it to another board just to get the one side with with the lettering. I just don't find it safe to depend in a couple screws on the table saw and risking it kicking back and sending the bat off the board. Plus the last thing I would want, are screws that close to the blade. Mikes idea is good with the turning the box upside down and running it through the saw. you can always trace a bat out and try it first as a test run and see witch way works for you. I never cut a bat before. I have destroyed a few in my time. But I have had to make enough jigs to get around difficult task put onto me by the wife. 

John


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## Daren (Oct 14, 2006)

firehawkmph said:


> Then flip it upside down so the opening is riding on the table and run it along the fence to split it down the middle. If you set your blade height just to clear the bat, you can save your box for another bat.


Good idea...I would have thought of that _just_ after I cut the first jig in 1/2 :blush:.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

While ya-all are mulling this over, I gotta tell ya the first bat I ever split in two I used a hand rip saw and kerfkeepers. Hand tools...ya gotta love 'em.:yes:

Maybe next we'll have a yak about splitting bowling pins.


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## johnjf0622 (Feb 8, 2008)

True Daren you could end up sawing the jig in half. :laughing: But I was thinking a jig kinda on the lines of a crosscut sled. Mike does have the right idea with a jig over the top of the bat. Either way depends on preference I guess. 

John


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

*3 sided box and Hot Glue Gun*

I would do like some others have said. Make a 3 sided box, make sure the small end is built out to be centered with the blade, use a hot glue gun to hold the bat in place and cut with a table saw. 
I dont have that much faith in a band saw to make a perfect cut.
I have done this before on similar items, like in making faux columns for facings.

Tony B


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

These types of cutting procedures can seem very simple, but go wrong in an instant. I'm not suggesting any sort of jig that's shop made that worked for me, as it may not work for someone else. With any machine cut, a slight movement or separation of the bat from the jig could cause serious injury. Serious considerations should be made before attempting to do machine cuts like this, and if there is any doubt that any part of the procedure can be injurious, don't do it. The subject of this post was to offer the opportunity to the possibilities of how to perform this task and hear pertinent opinions, as we have. 
I'm not saying that using a hand rip saw can't be dangerous or inflict injury, but it's an electron saver, and will test your skill.


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## frankp (Oct 29, 2007)

I Can't be the only person that would use scissors? Can I? Oh wait, I read baseball hats, and I was totally confused. Amazing what one letter change can do to comprehension...


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## johnjf0622 (Feb 8, 2008)

scissors are still safer then a power saw


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## Howard Ferstler (Sep 27, 2007)

cabinetman said:


> Longwise - How would you do it?


I think some people here are making the job more complex than it needs to be. I once cut a four-foot broom handle lengthwise into FOUR sections using a band saw.

I attached a fence, adjusted it so that it was set up to let the blade bisect the shaft, adjusted the blade height, and then carefully cut while holding the handle against the fence and not allowing it to twist. 

Once I had the thing cut into two parts, I simply laid each, one at a time, against the fence (flat side down to make it easier than the part where I was doing the initial cut) and cut again.

The job was done to make side rails for two grills for some speakers I built. I used dowels to make the crosspieces and then stretched and glued fabric to the new frame.

In any case, the band saw had no trouble at all cutting the hickory wood that way. A baseball bat is probably harder wood, so you would certainly want to use a good blade and would want the blade to at least be a half incher.

Howard Ferstler


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

All this time since your post I have been thinking your title said cutting baseball *hats* in half! You would not believe how many ways I can cut a floppy baseball cap in half, as Tennessee says, "in my alleged mind"! :laughing:


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

TexasTimbers said:


> All this time since your post I have been thinking your title said cutting baseball *hats* in half! You would not believe how many ways I can cut a floppy baseball cap in half, as Tennessee says, "in my alleged mind"! :laughing:



That's funny right there. Power tools would be an overkill.


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