ISO: advice on repairing a cracked bat

[salukidave]

I'm talking about a crack where the cracked part of the bat is overlapping the main part of the bat to the extent that you can't just press the cracked part into place. Obviously you have to remove the part of the bat that's blocking the pressing of the cracked part back into place. Can anyone recommend a good tool to slowly slice off the overlapping wood until the cracked part can be popped back into place?

Also, can anyone recommend a type of glue to use to hold the cracked part in place? I'd also like to know how much glue should be used if anyone has had anyone experience with this.

Thanks,

Dave

[mwbosoxfan]

Dave,

I'm no expert in this area, but have successfully repaired at least a dozen cracked bats that I have purchased. First of all, I've only had one bat that had such an extensive overlap that I couldn't get it back in its original position without a little trimming. I've made a protective clamp with padding for the barrel of the bat in order to hold that end in a vise. I am then able to pull or flex the bat handle enough to get the overlap to pop back in. Also, you may have to help lift the "under piece" a bit while flexing the handle. Be very careful. I use Elmer's wood glue, and try to get it to spread throughout the crack as much as possible. I then use some Stanley soft padded clamps to firmly hold the pieces back in their original position. I use a moist cloth to wipe any excess glue from the edges of the crack. When wiping the excess glue away, it hasn't affected the integrity of the pine tar on the handle. Most cracks are somewhat difficut to see when finished. Hope this helps. I'm sure there are much more qualified experts out there.

John

[salukidave]

John -

Thank you very much for taking the time to give me a detailed reply. I'm going to give it a go on a Timo Perez bat. Then maybe I'll try to improve a Carlton Fisk and a Bo Jackson.

Dave