Suggestions on a good hitting aid.

[KevinC]

If you decide to stick with a regular tee I've found the Tanner Tee to be the best. Our rec league uses them and they can handle a lot of abuse.

Tanner Baseball and Softball Batting Tee

 

[softballphreak]

Kevin is absolutely right about the Tanner Tee. There is none better. Very durable. It will outlast a dozen or more of most of the others. The Atecs might be more durable but their hard plastic is distracting when trying to hit the ball properly.

What I like most about the Tanner is it doesn't interfere whatsoever with the swing like some of the cheaper models do.

Tanner is what the major leaguers use also.

 

[SBdad]

IMO, the absolute best hitting aid is a hitting coach. Second is a plain basic $20 tee to hit balls off of for practice.

Won't argue with you on this, but it would be quite expensive to pay a hitting coach to sit there and watch your kids hit balls in the back yard every day. Kids do need to learn proper machanics first, but it's the ones that go out on their own everyday and hit a lot of balls, are the ones that become the better hitters.

 

[undergroundga]

<iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Pmb-gHLNNEE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Made this tee about 4 months ago for about $10. Held up through 8u summer season with girls that did not know how to hit. We still use it at home instead of regular tee we have.

 

[Mr T]

underground that is waaay too sweet, may have to try that

 

[softballphreak]

I like it except for one very important reason. The PVC pipe is DANGEROUS! I don't know if you have ever seen PVC pipe shatter but it turns into splinters.

I would spend a little bit more and use galvanized pipe.

It did answer a question I had when considering trying to make one and that is the use of the gasket rubber. One material I'd still like to find is the rod that the rubber is attached to. That needs to be durable and somewhat flexible.

Anyone else have any suggestions to make one? The homemade one would be great without the PVC.

 

[undergroundga]

I like it except for one very important reason. The PVC pipe is DANGEROUS! I don't know if you have ever seen PVC pipe shatter but it turns into splinters.

I would spend a little bit more and use galvanized pipe.

It did answer a question I had when considering trying to make one and that is the use of the gasket rubber. One material I'd still like to find is the rod that the rubber is attached to. That needs to be durable and somewhat flexible.

Anyone else have any suggestions to make one? The homemade one would be great without the PVC.

Good point about the pvc. I had a cheap Franklin tee(broke first time we used it) in the garage, so instead of the gasket I used the top of it. It slips over the top of the pvc. Or you could use ductape and wrapit.
I painted mine black and flourescent green.
Definately an alternative to an $80 Tanner tee.

 

[hen]

Two suggestions, both a bit expensive but well worth it imo: wheeler dealer for soft toss and the swing away as others have said. For me the wheeler dealer has outlasted the jugs soft toss machine and the battery lasted longer. Can adjust height and frequency of the toss. Fits in my civic's trunk and lasts a few days.

Swing away is just awesome. Had a different brand but same idea some 10+ years ago (solo hitter i think it was called) way back when then found the swing away a couple years ago. Seems like the same concept but slightly different construction.

 

[SBFAMILY]

I can't see the picture, but I think I understand what is being asked. We made one with the galvanized pipe and then cut pieces from a swimming pool noddle that slips over the pipe at the top to set the softball on. Works great and the noddle is cheap to replace. We screw the pipe into the plywood base with a mount for the pipe so it is portable.