Finish for a kid's baseball bat?

[Woodchipper]

Just got word that we will have our first great-grandchild about October 3rd. His father, our grandson, plays AAA ball for the Braves. Wife has already bought some things for him. I was going to make a small bat for him. I don't think he will use it to cut teeth but I do want to use a safe finish. Any suggestions? I was also thinking of getting a maple bowling pin from the local alley.

 

[jttheclockman]

Interesting. First bowling pins are not one piece to begin with. They are basically a block of wood and then boxed in with individual pieces surrounding it. When turned down they form shape of pin and then coated with high density paint and this hides seams of glued up pieces. Not a good choice for bat. I would buy a billet of either maple, beech, birch or ash for bat. Use a hardwood because it will not splinter like soft woods if broken of dropped. Finish is tricky because it has to be child friendly. Mineral oil such as used on cutting boards, polyurethane that dries hard Do not do too many coats where it can chip off into pieces.

 

[InkyMike]

Just got word that we will have our first great-grandchild about October 3rd. His father, our grandson, plays AAA ball for the Braves. Wife has already bought some things for him. I was going to make a small bat for him. I don't think he will use it to cut teeth but I do want to use a safe finish. Any suggestions? I was also thinking of getting a maple bowling pin from the local alley.

I'd suggest a beeswax/mineral oil combination like folks use on cutting boards and such.

 

[Woodchipper]

Thanks, InkyMike.
John T., must have changed over the decades. My cousin used to make lamps out of bowling pins back in the late 50s when he was in high school. They were solid maple. Need to visit the Woodcraft store!

 

[jttheclockman]

Thanks, InkyMike.
John T., must have changed over the decades. My cousin used to make lamps out of bowling pins back in the late 50s when he was in high school. They were solid maple. Need to visit the Woodcraft store!

They change a long time ago. If you have solid block pins they are vintage. They found a solid block pin crack much more because of the end grain and amount of it. By making a box around the core there is less end grain.

 

[Woodchipper]

Off to Woodcraft!