Materials for a Tanner Tee

[Deemax]

I want to build my own version of this tee, but am having a tough time findeng the material used for the top. I have tried Home Depot, Lowes, Hobby Lobby, Joanns, Bed bath and Beyond, ect....

Whats the rolled up rubber part called, and how can you get this material?

Thanks.

[Cannonball]

DeeMax,

It is a rolled up piece of rubber. Imagine that old tube in your bike tire only thicker and spit open. It is rolled and then attached to the metal tube. I don't know where you would find rubber in that thickness.

[Bucketdad]

I went to a tire store and asked them for an old inner tube.
They gave me one for free. It was for a large tire. Get a couple of them, you'll make mistakes when you start tocut them up. The best way to cut the inner tube is to lay it out flat and cut it into quadrants (4ths) like you would cut a pizza into four large pieces. Then start rolling it up following the inner radius and Gorilla glue all seams together and wrap it with duct tape to hold it together until the glue is dry. Remove the tape and cut the top so it is straight.
I fastened it to the pole in 2 different ways:
1. handyman's secrete weapon, duct tape
and
2. small hose clamp.

They both work great, but the hose clamped one looks better.
My DD and son hate all other tees they have to use with their teams.
The really love my home made versions the Tanner Tee.

In My first attempt I used some rubbery shelf liner from a hardeware store.
That works well too.
Hope this helps.

BD

[Deemax]

I went to a tire store and asked them for an old inner tube.
They gave me one for free. It was for a large tire. Get a couple of them, you'll make mistakes when you start tocut them up. The best way to cut the inner tube is to lay it out flat and cut it into quadrants (4ths) like you would cut a pizza into four large pieces. Then start rolling it up following the inner radius and Gorilla glue all seams together and wrap it with duct tape to hold it together until the glue is dry. Remove the tape and cut the top so it is straight.
I fastened it to the pole in 2 different ways:
1. handyman's secrete weapon, duct tape
and
2. small hose clamp.

They both work great, but the hose clamped one looks better.
My DD and son hate all other tees they have to use with their teams.
The really love my home made versions the Tanner Tee.

In My first attempt I used some rubbery shelf liner from a hardeware store.
That works well too.
Hope this helps.

BD

Thanks, I will head to the tire store today and see if I can find an old inner tube.

[halfguard]

cant you buy the tops of the tanner tees. i swear ive seen them for like 7$

[bob_r]

I've heard of people using radiator hose.

[kylebee]

I've heard of people using radiator hose.

This sounds like a good idea!

[jbolt_2000]

cant you buy the tops of the tanner tees. i swear ive seen them for like 7$

I am pretty sure you cannot by the tops for the tanner tee. I haven't purchased one so maybe someone knows more than I do. I believe I have heard they only sell the tee as a whole.

You can buy a similar product from Shutt. They sell the tee and replacement tops, however I hear that their tops are built differently and tear/break, whereas the Tanner Tee tops are built like a cone so do not break easily, if ever.

Here is a link to the Shutt tee with replacements - http://www.baseballsavings.com/custo...TEGORY_ID=3381

[DukeK]

I think I bought a Shutt a few year ago and the hard plastic mount at the bottom busted after a few uses. Don't recall how it happened, but as I recall it wasn't from abuse.

Your mileage may vary of course.

[benz99]

I've heard of people using radiator hose.

That's what i used Don't look like much but it will last for ever. Traced out home plate on an old white counter top I had, used a pipe flange with a 1.5" threaded pipe & then have a couple pieces of strait radiator hose cut to length & hose clamped it on. Also sometime use the atec brush top in the hose

[halfguard]

any pics of homemade tees

[Bucketdad]

any pics of homemade tees

I'll take some this weekend if I get a chance. Otherwise I'll post some next week.

I'm finding out that Gorilla glue isn't the best choice of adhesives for rubber.
The glued seams are starting to separate. So anyone constructing their own tee using an old innner tube or some other form of rubber, use a glue that is designed for rubber.

BD

[Skipper_George]

I want to build my own version of this tee, but am having a tough time findeng the material used for the top. I have tried Home Depot, Lowes, Hobby Lobby, Joanns, Bed bath and Beyond, ect....

Whats the rolled up rubber part called, and how can you get this material?

Thanks.

I believe it's Neoprene. A real hardware store should have it.

[Deemax]

Finished.

I found a rubber/foam tool box liner at Harbor Frieght tools. I chopped down a piece of crap franklin tee to accomadate the new broom stick handle insert and rubber/foam top. Im going to silicon the seems, but other then that its money.... It survived a nine year old treating it like a pinata for about 30 swings.

[Bucketdad]

Finished.

I found a rubber/foam tool box liner at Harbor Frieght tools. I chopped down a piece of crap franklin tee to accomadate the new broom stick handle insert and rubber/foam top. Im going to silicon the seems, but other then that its money.... It survived a nine year old treating it like a pinata for about 30 swings.

Very cool.
I just bought a Schutt tanner tee rip-off, glued taped my home made tanner tee rip-off top, only to find out that the Schutt base, is a piece of crap.
So I went back to the double thick plywood base I was using. I still use the Schutt tee poles. They're very nice.

[halfguard]

looks good, im also going to use the bottom of my normal tee.....

[Paul W]

used tanner tees in bp tunnels before my game @ at&t pank tonight, the had heavy metal bases.
does tanner sell 'em this way?

[FiveFrameSwing]

I am pretty sure you cannot by the tops for the tanner tee. I haven't purchased one so maybe someone knows more than I do. I believe I have heard they only sell the tee as a whole.

You can buy a similar product from Shutt. They sell the tee and replacement tops, however I hear that their tops are built differently and tear/break, whereas the Tanner Tee tops are built like a cone so do not break easily, if ever.

Here is a link to the Shutt tee with replacements - http://www.baseballsavings.com/custo...TEGORY_ID=3381

IMO the Shutt Tee doesn't hold a candle to the Tanner Tee.

[FiveFrameSwing]

Finished.

I found a rubber/foam tool box liner at Harbor Frieght tools. I chopped down a piece of crap franklin tee to accomadate the new broom stick handle insert and rubber/foam top. Im going to silicon the seems, but other then that its money.... It survived a nine year old treating it like a pinata for about 30 swings.

Very nice Deemax.

I have several tees that are on life support that could benefit from a similar modification. What did you use to adhere the bottom of the cone to the broom stick?

I like the Tanner Tee's quick height adjustment. Especially like the to move from drills like "attacking oppo" to "high tee".

Doesn't look like your modification allows height adjustment ... but even so, the benefit of using a cone that doesn't offer negative feedback is big.

Looks good!

[AKDawg]

On top of that, I won't use them anymore after I found out that they basically stole the Tanner design after they couldn't buy them out.

[FiveFrameSwing]

On top of that, I won't use them anymore after I found out that they basically stole the Tanner design after they couldn't buy them out.

I agree ... the Schutt knockoff is garbarge. Went through 3 of them in no time at all last year. The Tanner Tee continues to hold up well though.

[The Uncoach]

I wondered about the Schutt. Is there a link to more info about the buyout that didn't happen?

[trademark]

My sons franklin tee is cracking more and more each day so I just ponyed up and bought a tanner tee.
They are a bit pricey, but when they told me they’ed stand behind the tee and fix it if it broke, I told them they had a sale.
I’ll give my impressions when it arrives in a day or two.

[skipper5]

I'm extremely satisfied with my Tanner tees.
I don't begrudge paying top dollar to a garage-based entrepreneur who built a better mousetrap.
I bought the T-ball size to work on knee-high pitches.
I duct-taped a some horse-shoes (the kind you toss) together 180 deg. oppo. and slipped them around the shaft to act as weights to anchor the tees better, since they have a small base.
When you strike a knee-high pitch with an angled bat, you can't help catching some of a batting tee with the bat. With the Tanner tee, you don't even notice it.
Try to avoid storing the tee in a way that the ball-holder gets bent/creased/crimped. Ditto, if the tee falls over, which bends the ball-holder, stand it up before you leave.

[trademark]

I'm extremely satisfied with my Tanner tees.
I don't begrudge paying top dollar to a garage-based entrepreneur who built a better mousetrap.
I bought the T-ball size to work on knee-high pitches.
I duct-taped a some horse-shoes (the kind you toss) together 180 deg. oppo. and slipped them around the shaft to act as weights to anchor the tees better, since they have a small base.
When you strike a knee-high pitch with an angled bat, you can't help catching some of a batting tee with the bat. With the Tanner tee, you don't even notice it.
Try to avoid storing the tee in a way that the ball-holder gets bent/creased/crimped. Ditto, if the tee falls over, which bends the ball-holder, stand it up before you leave.

I bought the short tee as well. I figure I can get/make a small platform to position the tee up for my son to work on high pitches.