Anyone built a homemade batting cage?

[bluefan89]

I hope I have posted this in the right place. Sorry if I misplaced it.



Was just wondering if anyone on the board has ever built your own batting cage. I am thinking about doing the build and was wondering where supplies such as connectors and netting can be found. I was thinking about hardware for pipe and connectors, but local stores don't carry them that I have seen.

Thanks for any help.....I know some say just buy new...but it is a guy thing I guess...

[jbolt_2000]

I saw this the other day and it looked really interesting. You may think of trying something like this -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv5aJGL1TTY

[Stealth]

I bought the cables and connectors at Orchard Hardware and bought a net from Jugs.

[CoachHenry]

For basic netting look at www.seamar.com . They do staright netting as well as pre-built cages.

[Freestate]

I bought netting off of eBay. Seller ID was "NetMan" or something similar. I think it's "real" use is fishing net, but it's inexpensive and has held up fine for several seasons. Bought thinwall electrical conduit & fittings from Home depot to create the structure. Some rope and stakes for guy-wires and you're in business.

This is a temporary setup that gets put up and taken down frequently (when I have to mow the yard or I sense the neighbors would like a break from looking at it). Low-buck, but meets our needs.

[NY16CATCHER]

I bought netting off of eBay. Seller ID was "NetMan" or something similar. I think it's "real" use is fishing net, but it's inexpensive and has held up fine for several seasons. Bought thinwall electrical conduit & fittings from Home depot to create the structure. Some rope and stakes for guy-wires and you're in business.

This is a temporary setup that gets put up and taken down frequently (when I have to mow the yard or I sense the neighbors would like a break from looking at it). Low-buck, but meets our needs.

I'll second this concept. I bought all of my netting from the same guy on ebay. After I bought enough netting to do my outdoor design, I emailed him and made a deal on some more to do an indoor design as well. I've got an outdoor net that has lasted 2 years now, the frame is made from PVC (which I poured sand into at certain strategic spots to act as ballast prior to assembling) and I don't think I spent more than $75 in total on that. I made an indoor net on guide wires that allow it to be retracted to a storage position in the front of the garage and allow the car to be parked indoors if needed. Probably have less than $50 invested on that one. All in all, great investments.

[callyjr]

I built one one for about 150.00, but my father supplied the netting. the extra cost of netting would only be a couple hundred dollars at a commercial fishing store.

I used 8 20 feet 2 inch PVC pipe, glued 2 of them together for 4 supports. Used 8 5 or 6 foot fence posts, put them a foot to a foot and a half into the ground. you then put one end on the fence pole with 2 or 3 others helping bend the other end to get it on up. Had it up for a year now.

I'll post a pic later.

Cally

[bbjunkie]

We ordered netting through the local sporting goods store that the league buys from at a considerable saving. We built a framework of 4x4's with steel cables running through the crossbars and connecting all the frames. Then we just drape the netting over the framework and remove it at the end of the season. It all cost about $700-800 as I recall.

One bit of advice, when you store the net over the winter throw some mothballs in. Mice will chew holes in it.

[LClifton]

Bluefan,
I had several samples of netting sent to me before I decided on one.
This netting, without a doubt, was the best I found.

They supply the netting at the Peoria, AZ
training facility as well as many others.

Many netting places claim "UV treated"--- but this one is exceptional based on the samples I received.

I have purchased additional netting from them for the L-screen and the softball screen that we use.

http://www.burbanksportnets.com/batting_cages.html

Here is a statement from their site;

*UV Treatment: Our nets are dipped in a special UV treatment for exceptional durability and protection from the sun and weather. We have perfected this trademark dipping process through years of use on shrimp nets and now on sport nets as well. This treatment can only be found on Burbank nets and is ideal for protecting our products.

Good luck.

[JeepTJ12]

http://www.nylonnet.com/

I bought my net there 10 years ago. I built my cage out of 4x4 salt treated post. Ran guy wire down the middle and sides. I tied the net up with rope with pulley's on the guy wire so I could drop it in the winter. My post were 6' in the ground with concrete holding them in the ground. I have 4 sections to hold the net up. It's been standing for 10 years so I must have done something right.

[bluefan89]

Great posts guys


Thanks for all the ideas....

I probably should have put in my original post that I will try to make it portable or where I can move it or take down easily.

I plan on making around a 40-45' cage (about as much level ground that I have..lol)

Also like the idea of usefulness and reasonably priced. For those that have posted does anyone use a pitching machine in theirs? Might try to add one of them in the future to the cage.

Thanks

[CoachHenry]

Not sure how "portable" that you want but if you were to sink four poles (steel, etc) as corners and stretch some cable tightly you could use those rock climber clipper things to bring the cage back to one end easily. You could also take it down fairly quickly. The only thing you would have is the four poles.

[callyjr]

Great posts guys


Thanks for all the ideas....

I probably should have put in my original post that I will try to make it portable or where I can move it or take down easily.

I plan on making around a 40-45' cage (about as much level ground that I have..lol)

Also like the idea of usefulness and reasonably priced. For those that have posted does anyone use a pitching machine in theirs? Might try to add one of them in the future to the cage.

Thanks

we use a jugs and pitch live behind a L screen

[handyman11]

I bought everything at Home Depot except the Net ( 55X12X14 , about $325 on Ebay ) , and the L-screen (7X7 , $125 on EBAY ) ...

Over cost about $750 , and well worth it .....

[JeepTJ12]

I use the iron mike in my cage. Best pitching machine there is in my opinion. I have a pull out cage in my 2 car garage. Guy wire runs the width tied to lag bolts. The cage is on pulleys with hooks. Just roll it out and it fits flat against the wall when put away.