DIY Network

Building a Backyard Sports Complex NFL star Michael Strahan helps a family create the ultimate backyard sports haven. From "Special Presentation" episode DHFA-STM

(Continued from page 5)

Batting Cage

Gary Valinoti and his family love the game of baseball. They spend countless hours a week away from home practicing at a batting cage. Michael Strahan, the host of DIY's Homefield Advantage special, eliminates the need to leave their backyard by installing a cage for them.

Now the Valinoti family can spend more time in the friendly confines of their own yard.

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	Why leave home to get a good "hit" in when you...
	...swing a round right in the comfort of your backyard?
	PDF Download the batting-cage plans.

Layout Out the Batting Cage and Supports

Materials:

baseball cage netting (we chose a net that was 55' feet long)
eighteen 14' length 1-5/8" galvanized steel round tubing (16 gauge)
five 15' length 1-5/8" galvanized steel round tubing (16 gauge)
ten 2' length 1-5/8" galvanized steel round tubing (16 gauge — used as sleeves)
twenty eight 5-16 x 1/2 hex bolts and lock washers to be used as set screws
4" bolts, lock washers and nuts
4 corner pipe connectors
6 four-way pipe connectors
10 concrete forms 6" in diameter (sonotubes)
post hole/aggregate concrete
rocks and/or gravel

Tools:

abrasive cut off machine
wire wheel metal grinder
metal drill press
2-man gas powered auger
5/16" Allen key (one for each person)
5/16" socket wrench (one for each person)
wooden garden stakes
string
post hole and line levels
measuring tape
mini bar clamps
two 14' ladders
cement buckets
shovels and spades
hoe
100' tape measure
extra long zip ties used for ductwork
carabineers
outdoor vinyl signs (can be made by any sign shop)

	Figure Q
	Figure R
	Once a stake is placed at every connection outside the frame, this will become the rough outline for the hole placement.
	Figure S

Note:Round galvanized steel tubing and connectors are available at any fence supply company, ask the supplier to cut tubing to exact length and take the discarded pieces, they will be used later on. Before digging in your backyard, contact your public works or utility company to make sure you will not be damaging any underground wiring or sewage lines.

Tip: Having at least two people for cage placement and leveling is extremely important.

1. Try to find the most level part of your yard (figure Q). Establish where you would like the first corner of the cage to be. Drive a stake to mark the spot, have one person hold a tape measure there while another person walks the tape measure out 56 feet and stakes that mark. That will be another corner. While still holding onto the 56' tape measure, walk 15 feet towards the next corner and set a stake a both ends of the 56' tape measure. Repeat until the entire cage is outlined.

2. To make a template for the location of the holes in the ground, assemble the top of the cage by attaching the eight 14' pipes as the horizontals and five 15' pipes as the perpendicular supports with connectors (figure R). Use an Allen wrench and socket wrenches to loosely tighten the pipes in the connectors. Place the template inside the corner stakes and lay it flat on the ground. At every connection, place a stake on the outside of the frame.

3. When you remove the template, you should be left with 10 stakes in the ground, each representing the point where an upright vertical support will stand. Use the 2-man auger to dig at least 2 feet into the ground at each stake. Clear excess dirt away from hole, but do not discard. It will be used to back fill the hole later. Insert one concrete form into each hole, this will support the cement and prevent the surrounding dirt from collapsing (figure S).

Preparing the Sleeves

1. In each of the 2' metal sleeves, drill a hole using a metal drill press roughly 2" from one end. Make sure the hole only penetrates one side of the sleeve. Tap the hole to take a 5/16th set screw. Insert the set screw and lock washer. The set screw will act as a pressure point to hold the upright steady.

2. Drill a hole through the entire tube at the opposite end approximately one inch from the bottom. Insert the 4" bolts that will act as a stop for the upright poles at the bottom of the sleeves with appropriate lock washers and a hex nut.

3. Continue until all 10 sleeves are prepared.

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