Bat Rolling Machines 101

What type of bat rolling machines are there?
The preferred rolling machine is a perpendicular type Bat Rolling Machine (similar to our BR2008 Bat Roller). During our 6+ years of rolling we've found this method to provide the best results. The Parallel Bat Rolling Machine (similar to our Tri-Roller) allows you to roll your bat faster but they also could put too much stress on the barrel of the bat if not properly done. Bats are designed to be compressed in small areas similar to hitting a ball.  We do offer multiple rolling methods now to provide our customers with as many options as possible. Again it is our belief (based on experience) that Perpendicular rolling is still the best.

Update 10/5/09 - There are some inexperienced companies claiming they will roll your bat Perpendicular AND Parallel. They are claiming this will give you better results. I challenge any of those companies to provide proof that this does in fact help the rolling process. The TRUTH is it does not benefit your final result. The only thing it's benefiting it their company because most people are being misinformed. Perpendicular rolling most closely resembles the impact of a softball and that what composite bats are designed to accept. They are not designed to accept a 6 or 7 inch impact on the barrel. It  may put too much stress on the barrel and could cause it to crack much sooner than if it was ONLY rolled with a Perpendicular Rolling Machine. Recently, due to many requests we've decided to allow you (the customer) to make your choice on how we roll your bat. We can roll it Perpendicular (recommended), Parallel or a combination of both. Please note: We still maintain that Perpendicular bat rolling gives you the best results.

Can you briefly explain your bat rolling process?
Most companies determine the maximum rolling pressure and start at that pressure. This is totally incorrect and usually causes durability problems and also potentially causes your paint to spider web prematurely. We roll all bats in 3-4 progressive compression points (depending on the type of bat). After we've rolled your bat it will have approximately 200 passes through the machine. Our process takes longer than those charging less but we want you to be happy so we don't cut corners. We DO NOT heat your bat before rolling since it does not provide any additional benefits. In fact it actually hurts the rolling process.

Why should I roll my bat?
When rolling a bat, it's placed between two rollers of a bat rolling machine and then pressure is applied so that as the bat passes through the Bat Roller the bats fibers are stretched out and the resin holding the layers together is broken down. The is the same thing that happens as you take hours of batting practice. This causes the fibers to become more flexible which greatly improves the bat's trampoline effect. This trampoline effect is what produces the batted ball speed and distance. It will also widen the sweet spot of the bat which will make you a more consistent hitter.

Will rolling my bat shorten it's life?
No, when we finish rolling your bat it will have the same durability it did before rolling. It will however be performing at its highest level of performance.

How will rolling effect a bat that already been rolled?
Even bats the have been used will benefit from our rolling process. We get bats in every week that have 300-400 hits on them and after we get the bats back to the owner they are very surprised with the results. In most cases you haven't properly broken your bat in and after a good rolling your bat will performance at it's highest potential.

Is bat rolling legal?
This is one of the most debated topics today. All we can do is give you the facts as they stand today. Currently rolling is legal in only 1 slow pitch softball association. This association (ISA) clearly state in their rule book that rolling is legal. In another association (ASA), they have recently adopted a bat certification process that requires all bats to be tested after they have been rolled. This ensures that each bat that is certified by them does not exceed their performance factor after being rolling. We interpret this as rolling being legal even though it doesn't specifically say so. In USSSA, they do clearly state rolling is against the rules. Our opinion is that rolling your bat is doing nothing more than taking 500 BP swings. You're just doing it in a more controlled fashion and in a shorter period of time. Our advice to you is to check with your local association or league and find out what their stance is on this subject.

What type of bats can be rolled?
Any aluminum or composite bat can be rolled to increase the performance. This includes Softball bats (Fastpitch or Slowpitch) and Baseball bats (2 1/4", 2 5/8" and 2 3/4' barrels). Aluminum bats in general do not benefit as much as Composite bats but will benefit somewhat. Double wall aluminum bats are better than single wall aluminum.

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