This is a printer friendly version of an article from the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune. Posted with the permission.
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September 25, 2008

Assumption's own bat man

By Mark Massoglia
Daily Tribune Staff

Baseball is an important part of Mike Schulte's life.

Eight years at the helm of the Assumption High School baseball team and a small glove-repair business are proof that he has a love of the game.

Recently, Schulte has taken his passion for the game another step as he has started making wooden baseball bats.

"I ordered some bats last spring from a gentleman by the name of Jack Vierck for gifts for my seniors," Schulte said. "I was hoping to meet with him and learn how to make bats, but that fell through, so I did some research on how to do it. It's just a hobby I wanted to learn because my life revolves around baseball."

Schulte bought a lathe off eBay, picked up the necessary tools at the hardware store, ordered wood and got to work.

After watching three videos on YouTube, his neighbor let him borrow a magazine on how to make bats.

"I expected to mess up 10 bats or so before I made a good one, and I had it figured out after about eight," Schulte said. "It was all trial and error. I read a lot of articles on how to make bats, and the first one took me five days to make. Now I have it down to about two-and-a-half hours."

Schulte uses ash for his bats, which is one of the woods used in Major League Baseball bats. The majors also use maple and hickory for their bats. Schulte noted that using a hardwood with a straight grain is necessary for making a bat that won't break.

To make the bats, Schulte uses measurements from online sites or can even replicate a bat that someone brings to him.

Most of his bats are 29/16 to 27/16 in diameter and are from 32 to 33 inches long.

"When I make a bat, it looks like a jigsaw puzzle because I work on one part and then another, but when it's done, it looks like it should," Schulte said. "There is quite a bit of work that goes into them. Sanding takes quite a bit of time, and staining and sealing the bat is time-consuming as well."

After mastering his new hobby, Schulte had a graphic company from California design a logo. Buck Bats was born.

"I wanted a logo, and when I thought about it I thought, 'Why not combine baseball and hunting?' because those are the things I love to do," Schulte said.

It costs about $25 to $30 to make a bat, and Schulte charges $40 for a finished bat. He's made approximately 20 "good" bats by his count and is using them for gifts for ball players and family members.

"If it goes somewhere, great, but it's just a hobby I enjoy," Schulte said. "It's a craft, a lost art."

Assumption baseball coach Mike Schulte makes a bat from scratch on his lathe Wednesday evening. (TOM LOUCKS/Daily Tribune)