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Just built one - now up and running

Explored many options for the past year. I have a 15 and 10 YO baseball players and a 13 YO field hockey player.

Went with 70' long x 14' tall x 12' wide heavy gauge netting. Bought reinforced angle kit separately and used 1-5/8" chain link fence top rail for vertical, transverse, and longitudinal members.

Bought L-screens cheaper than I could make them. Reinforced and padded screen supports. Build my own pitching target and off-the-tee target frames and hung generic tarp with strike zone outlined with yellow electrical tape. Works great.

Build plywood mound that is portable.

Perfect size for batting and pitching. Get to have 15 YO face live pitching from 60' and 10 YO from 45'.

Carabiners are key - can't have too many of them. Will likely need 8' scaffold to do installation and/or maintenance, too much for a pair of ladders.

Happy to discuss and trade lessons learned. Kids LOVE it and use it twice daily. Next phase is to lay sand and turf. Daughter gets to smash field hockey balls all day long. Significant uptick in her game, too.

(In response to this post by Diehard Hokie)

Posted: 07/22/2016 at 11:38AM

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Current Thread:

Backyard batting cage advice sought -- Diehard Hokie 07/21/2016 2:57PM

Just built one - now up and running -- GoTechGo 07/22/2016 11:38AM

Here is what I would do.. -- Razor4VT 07/21/2016 4:09PM

It might not be as beneficial as you are thinking. -- Betabeachbum 07/21/2016 3:30PM

Right, but I do think reps make you better and more reps... -- Diehard Hokie 07/21/2016 3:36PM

Practice makes permanent -- Vienna_Hokie 07/22/2016 09:17AM

More reps have their pros and cons. -- Betabeachbum 07/21/2016 3:53PM

Will your HOA allow it? ** -- FfxStationHokie 07/21/2016 3:27PM

Is that code for his wife? ** -- dolph 07/21/2016 5:06PM

I haven't hit a hardball since the 70's but unless the machines can now mix -- Hoakie82 07/21/2016 3:22PM

Cage hitting, tee work, and soft toss are used ideally to perfect the -- BG Hokie 07/21/2016 3:35PM

That kind of skill doesn't come into play until the higher levels. -- vtbones 07/21/2016 3:28PM

I started JV in 9th grade batted 4th & never struck out once when my school -- Hoakie82 07/21/2016 4:11PM

If you build it -- HokieAl 07/21/2016 3:21PM

After my kids were done -- RTFC 07/21/2016 3:20PM

I have seen at least 5 or 6 in my neighborhood ... -- vt90 07/21/2016 3:16PM

FYI - I'm on a many acre farm, no neighbors ** -- Diehard Hokie 07/21/2016 3:12PM

It's just not an effective tool for developing, and grooving a swing -- JoesterVT 07/21/2016 3:35PM

Reason #862 I like living in an HOA neighborhood ** -- BigDave 07/21/2016 3:09PM

You don't want kids practicing America's Past time in your neighborhood? -- BG Hokie 07/21/2016 3:26PM

Why would I care if they practice football? -- BigDave 07/21/2016 4:13PM

I wouldn't... -- JoesterVT 07/21/2016 3:05PM

save the neighbors. A bucket of balls and a nearby backstop. Or... -- 48zip 07/21/2016 3:14PM

Don't ** -- 48zip 07/21/2016 3:04PM

If you ever plan on moving, that'll kill your resale value. ** -- RoswellGAHokie 07/21/2016 3:02PM

How so? It's not a permanent structure. ** -- vtbones 07/21/2016 3:25PM