How are Aluminum Bats Made?
- Aluminum tubes
The making of an aluminum bat starts with aluminum tubing. A piece of aluminum tubing with a diameter between 2 and 3 inches is cut to bat-length size, which can range from 24 to 35 inches. Once the tube is cut, it is slipped over a tapered spindle and forced through a shaping die with the help of hydraulics. Next, two separate dies spin around the aluminum tube and move along the length of the tube until the final handle size is attained and the desired exterior shape of the bat is achieved. - Aging furnace
The bat is cleaned to remove any contaminants from the machining. Then it must be hardened and aged. Hardening is achieved by immersing the bat in a super hot salt solution and then submerging it in a water solution. The chemical reaction that takes place through this process is what hardens the bat. Aluminum bats are then aged in special 300-degree furnaces for 12 to 24 hours to further harden the bat by causing parts of the aluminum alloy to granulate. - Grip tape
The finishing touches of an aluminum bat are closing the ends and applying a grip. The barrel end of an aluminum bat is either capped with plastic that has special grooves to stay in place or sealed for good through an additional heating process. The additional heating process spins the bat while a special tool pushes against the end to close it. Additionally, this second heating process is what is used to seal the grip end of an aluminum bat. The grip is then applied by hand if grip tape is being used or with air pressure for one-piece rubber grips. - An optional step to the making of aluminum bats is the addition of a logo and artwork. Logos and artwork are applied through a silkscreen printing process after the aluminum bats are capped but before the grip is applied. The inks used in the printing of aluminum bats are special inks that will not rub off on a ball. After the optional logo and artwork are printed on the aluminum bat, a sealant is applied to further protect the design. Then the grip tape or rubber grip is applied to complete the making of the aluminum bat.
