Need a Foam or Rubber Baseball Bat

[Luis Ortiz]

I need a foam or rubber baseball bat for a short film (32"-34" long). It's going to be swung at an actor without actually hitting him. For safety purposes, I don't want an actual bat should the actor get hit accidentally.

Where's a good place to get such an item? Is this a prop that I would have to get custom made? If so, any recommendations?

I appreciate any help.

Thanks.

[Wayne D]

use the real thing and make them work for their fame:)

[Dylan Reeve]

What about one of those Nerf ones or whatever? Spray paint it so it's not fluro yellow.

[Luis Ortiz]

What about one of those Nerf ones or whatever? Spray paint it so it's not fluro yellow.

They're too short. It has to look like the actor is holding a full size bat. Shape and weight matters also. I'm currently looking online. Somebody's gotta make these things for film.

[Luis Ortiz]

Wayno,

I thought about your advise, but opted not to. LOL

I'm going to paint this one black and try it out (it's 29" long). I'll still be interested in other suggestions.

Thanks.

http://www.ssgecom.com/products/images/usg135_x.jpg

[Andrew Martin]

I used to do make this type of thing when i was a model maker. Crazy.

Everything like this is normally custom made or hired from a prop house. Prop house being the cheapest option. Making one involves molding a real one in a fibreglass 2 part mould and a soft expanding foam such as J-Foam poured inside it and allowed to set. It gives a smooth skin but is soft as anything - put a piece of dowel in the centre to give it some strength but its not going to be as harmful. You can mix up different ratios to get the correct degree of softness from really soft to like rubber. But be careful of H&S with the fumes.

I'm making a fake hammer for a short i'm doing in a few months time when my camera arrives. On a side note we made fake breakaway railings for Tomb Raider 2 the same way.

Andrew.

Link to a UK manufacturer of J-foam below.
http://www.jacobsonchemicals.co.uk/tdhs_casting.htm

Just remembered Smooth-on in the states might have something similar you might want to give them a try.

[Mark Phelan]

I need a foam or rubber baseball bat for a short film (32"-34" long).

I love that line. If your film is going to be 32" - 34" long, that WOULD be a very short film, or are you speaking of the bat?

I did see such a bat in a toy store recently. Was very authentic looking and made out of a rubber type material. Looked like the real deal, wood grained and everything. Might try looking in a local toy store.

[David Morgan]

If you're looking at making you on, Try Smooth On's website. They have some good basic information on the process as well as calculators that help you figure out how much of product you'd need. All of their material is room temp vulcanising, so you won't need a special place, just some clear space.


And...having said all that, it's probably just cheaper to go through a prop house.

[number6]

Try contacting Sammy Sosa. He uses corked bats and AFAIK is currently out of baseball, so has no use for them. Might even autograph it for you... but then I guess you'd have to give him a screen credit.

[Wayne D]

luis - you're taking the fun out of film making!!!

my only serious suggestion is to make a mould from a real bat and cast replicas in foam filler. like the type you get in hardware stores to fill voids in walls -do you know what i mean? it's been a long day so i may not be making sense.............as usual.

hope you are going to post your film when it is finished and we get to see "the bat"

[Luis Ortiz]

I love that line. If your film is going to be 32" - 34" long, that WOULD be a very short film, or are you speaking of the bat?

I did see such a bat in a toy store recently. Was very authentic looking and made out of a rubber type material. Looked like the real deal, wood grained and everything. Might try looking in a local toy store.

I was talking about the film. Its really short.

Hey, thanks for your suggestion.

[Luis Ortiz]

Thanks for the suggestions,everybody.

[Nick Gardner]

I have done scenes where guys were beaten to death with bats, and we had no problem getting foam bats. Call any big props rental house, or failing that call a stunt coordinator and they should be able to tell you where to get one (You should have stunts on set anyway for safety).

Cheers,

Nick