WOOD PROPERTIES

There are several species of wood that can be used to make single piece wood bats.  The most common wood used is Northern Ash, followed very closely by Hard Maple ( also known as Rock or Sugar Maple).  To a lesser degree, Yellow Birch, European Beech, and a mix of less common hardwoods occasionally make their way into the game.

Ash is chosen over most other hardwoods due to its availability, good long grain structure, and is a good blend of medium density yet durable.  Maple has a closed grain structure, slightly more dense than ash, but has a much harder surface rating and is more durable.

When choosing a hardwood for a baseball bat, one has to keep in mind, density (for weight), grain type (long, straight is best), surface hardness, shock resistance, and workability.  For example, according to most physical attributes Orange Asage is a great hardwood to make bats out of, however, the dust is very toxic so it is not practical to turn bats out of it.

Below are some commonly used hardwoods and their properties to compare:

Northern Ash                            Hard Maple                          Yellow Birch

Fraxinus americana                Acer saccharum                 Betula lutea                             

Density = 39.38 lbs/cu. ft        Density=42.40                    Density=41.70

Strength=109                           Strength=106                      Strength=98

Hardness=108                         Hardness=115                    Hardness=86

Shock Resistance=139          Shock Resistance=138     Shock Resistance=171

Red Oak                                   Hickory                                European Beech

Quercus borealis                    Hicoria laciniosa                   Fagus sylvatica

Density=41.02 lbs/cu ft.         Density=51.21                      Density=45.00

Strength=92                            Strength=123                        Strength=94

Hardness=103                        Hardness=142                     Hardness=96

Shock Resistance=139         Shock Resistance=292      Shock Resistance=135

These are basically the hardwoods we use commonly in baseball.  Obviously others are out there and every so often someone stumbles out of the jungle in South America or some other distant place and claims to have found the perfect hardwood for baseball bats.  Unfortunately, even if someone had found a great wood in Madagascar, we still have to consider it’s availability, cost of shipping and processing, and whether or not it’s a protected species.  The best sources for baseball bats are right here in the U.S.A.