Setting Telephone Poles for a Batting Cage

Eric Patterson

Eric Patterson

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Staff member
With all the time we spend driving to and from the park for batting practice I'm starting to give some thought to putting a batting cage in my backyard. Thank goodness I don't have a covenant that prohibits this. After looking at various designs the cleanest approach seems to be four stout poles with a very taught guy wire aroud the top. The pics below are the best example I've seen thus far.

I can find old telephone poles fairly cheap so the real question is how do you set them? Obviosly you dig a hole about 4' but what methods can the average joe use to lift and dop them in. Maybe renting a small crane would be the way to go. Anyone here ever set 16' posts before and have any tips? My neighbor has a Kubota tractor and I can get my hands on a post hole digger. I'm just thinking about the next step of picking them up and dropping them in. I'd prefer not to have on get away from me and crash the house. What if I drop back and go with 16' treated 4x4s. Would these be strong anough for a 12x12x70 cage?

Eric

institutionalcage.jpg


instBattingCage2.jpg


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hi eric

I'd write more but im still crippleed up and its difficult for me to type. ive set litterally thousands of utility poles inh my day. feel free to give me a call at 269 720 8775 and i can fill you ih on the details. anytime is good except saturday march 20 between noon and 6pm as i'll bee at aa wedding. hope all is well

my best paul;
 
Eric,

I would go with PT 6X6's, just like they use for pole buildings. I have put them in the ground with 3 guys by getting in the end near the whole and just walking them up until they slid in the whole. Not really that difficult.

My best,

Don
 
You would be better served with 6 poles. Those batting cage nets are very heavy and get heavier w/ moisture. Only 4 4x4 or 6x6 will bow very quickly. Just my .02 worth.
 
Why not some pieces of steel pipe? I'd skip the wood entirely and go with some good sewer pipe or even old clothes line pipe.

Mark W
 
Eric, You can call me as well,I too am a lineman and have set many of sticks,depending on the weight of the netting,you might want to think about anchor and guying the set up,to prevent pulling the poles over,my number is 618-780-3822,I would place bigger class poles on the 4 corners to support the weight,call me anytime,wish I was closer to help you out,Brian
 
Eric,

You could always stock up on whiskey & beer and invite a bunch of Scots over for caber toss practice!

If you think about going the small crane route make sure your yard is hard and dry. Our smallest crane (18 ton) weighs about 52,000lb. Might be able to find a boom truck that's a little lighter but it still might tear up your yard.

Jim S
 
http://www.fishnetco.com/batcage2.htm

Eric,

That is an alternative that is portable. I have bought fish sampling nets from Fish Net Co and they have treated me good.
 
I guess wanting some help on an off-topic is just asking too much. heheheheh

Seriously, thank you all for the advice and offers to help. I'm holding onto the numbers and links you guys gave me and will probably be making some calls.

I had no intentions of doing another machine restoration this summer and instead have been planning to do some home repairs and be at a lot of baseball practices and games. Well up pops a machine of interest. No, not another woodworking machine, a pitching machine. I found an old curvmaster two wheel pitching machine on CL for $100. It was 100% complete but a bit rusty from neglect. It's now taken completely apart and awaiting a fresh coat of paint and a new base. So that's why the interest in a batting cage, besides the obvious that Thomas likes playing baseball. Rather than lugging the pitching machine to the park and back I'm investigating setting up a cage in the backyard. You guys have been a big help and I'll keep you updated as to what we end up doing.

Eric
 
If it wasn't for our kids we wouldn't be able to do all the cool stuff we never got a chance to do when we were younger. Wow, your very own pitching machine!

I remember when we put up a backstop in the back yard so we could learn how to throw curve balls, sliders, etc. 4x4's and chicken wire. Did you know that a baseball going 90 mph could blow right through the webbing of an outfielders glove AND the chicken wire backstop? My Dad was a pitcher in college but by the time he started teaching us, he had lost a bit of control. I can tell you that a knuckle ball jinking and jiving all over the place was a real scary sight to a 12 year old.
 
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