Homemade or Store bought backstop ?s

[slugger3]

Has anybody here ever made there own smaller backstop, for hitting in their yard?
Did you build a frame out of frame connectors and EMT pipe? And buy a net to fit it?
Did you use a guy wire system with snaps?
Or did you just set up pole in your yard, and attach a longer net (ie. 12'x 72') to poles. Where there isn't a hood or cover on the backstop? Basically a "L" shaped backstop with out a cover.
I know Bownet makes a 17' x 9' backstop for $400, but the wind around here it relentless. If you have one, how does it hold up to 65 mph fast balls off of a machine? How does it hold up in the wind?
Anybody have a custom made backstop/hitting cage net made by one of the net companies, and attach it to your own pole system?
Thanks

 

[quincy]

Are you trying to contain the ball for hitting something or just do not want to chase balls all over the place?

 

[slugger3]

quincy, I'm looking for more containment.
The foul backs are going back into the woodtick/mosquito factory in the woods. I also have one of the nicest poison ivy patches you've ever seen, in those woods.
It'd be nice to keep the balls from going up and back...
When the ball go up and back into the gravity box when it's empty, it makes a big gong noise. The girls will throw their arms up in the air as if they scored a touch down, and yell, "IT'S GOOD"!

 

[quincy]

If the trees lineup right I would just pull something up with ropes.

If not I would build something with PVC that has @10' roof. You do not need a traditional backstop and having a roof should contain the balls really well.

 

[slugger3]

If the trees lineup right I would just pull something up with ropes.

If not I would build something with PVC that has @10' roof. You do not need a traditional backstop and having a roof should contain the balls really well.

Ya, the far post on the right is tied off to a light pole and a tree, but you can't see the orange baler twine.
My only concern with a flat top roof is a ball that's fouled straight up, and ricochets back down on top of her noggin... a PVC frame would have a little more give, whereas a EMT or fence post frame would cause the ball to come back in a hurry.
I think I've spent more time out there measuring dimensions for the back stop, than it's going to take me to assemble it.

 

[quincy]

She has a helmet and a mask, ball will lose most it spend when it hits the net.

She will be fine.

 

[Larrry D]

Buy a batting cage. If you do want to hit inside the cage then cut off the back 10 ft or so and have home plate on inset a couple feet so anything going up or back is caught and anything going forward is in play.

 

[Tom]

I built my own similar to yours with roof in garage. She hits into it instead of using as a backstop, but same thing would work with your setup. Should hold up just fine to high winds. If you added two more poles in front of backstop with cable forming a square between all 4 you can attach net as roof, and you could leave the backstop on separate cable with hooks so you could pull it back to use drive without having to take down roof. Just connect roof to this square with some slack in the net so it doesn't trampoline back down. Place plate towards front of roof so fouls angle back behind her. I did find a place called net world baseball that has great deals on nets in their clearance section.

 

[Cobb_of_Fury]

Like the ideas - My stupid question... Where do you get the netting? -

 

[Westwind]

I bought my batting cage net on eBay. It was for an indoor cage, my kids were young and I went cheap.

I see nice nets fairly regularly on Craigslist but they usually are not huge bargains.

I will have to upgrade soon. Holes popping up after 4 years of very hard use. Best money I ever spent on softball.