What better way is there to practice your swing than at the batting cages? You can build your own batting cage frame in your own back yard. Either buy a kit, or simply follow the guidelines below.
Here are the general materials you'll need:
Advertisement
- 8-foot (2.5-meter) long 1 ¾-inch diameter galvanized steel poles -- four for approximately every 15 feet (4.5 meters) of batting cage length plus four for the initial frame
- 12-foot (3.5-meter) long 1 ¾-inch diameter galvanized steel poles -- one for every four 8-foot (2.5-meter) poles
- Two elbow and straight joint connectors for every set of poles
- #21 weight nylon netting with netting squares no larger than 1 ¾ inches on each side -- at least 36 feet (11 meters) wide by the length of the batting cage, plus 24 feet (7 meters) extra
- 12-inch extra-heavy-duty cable ties -- at least four for every set of poles
- Four cables or ropes, 18-foot (5.5-meter) lengths, for tension
- Four stakes
Directions:
- Mark the size of your desired batting cage and the locations of the support posts [source: Gourock]. Your cage will be 12 feet (3.5 meters) wide by as long as you wish. The support posts should be about 15 feet (4.5 meters) apart along the length of the cage.
- Create frames with four 8-foot and one 12-foot poles. Connect two 8-foot poles with a straight joint connector. Then attach them to one end of the 12-foot pole, using an elbow joint. Repeat the process on the other end of the 12-foot pole [source: Bland].
- Dig a 3- to 4-inch (7.5- to 10-centimeter) diameter hole for each post. The holes should be 4 feet (120 centimeters) deep. Insert the frames you connected into parallel sets of holes [source: Gourock].
- Hang your netting over the frames and attach it with heavy duty cable ties or ropes [source: Bland].
- Pull the cable or rope from each of the top outside corners of your cage tight and stake it into the ground for support [source: Bland].
Advertisement