Equipment Q for the Front Toss Guru's

[Westwind]

Front Toss Guru's,

I need more portable solutions for front toss. Stuff I can haul to practice and games.

Anybody use a bownet flat top?

I have a Bownet pitch through net which works fine when I need portable front toss protection but I would like to be able to use that frame and net for something else.

Also I don't think a Bownet Iscreen will work for me, but the legs on the flat top are off set. I have a really hard time pitching "around" a net when the leg of the frame is right where I want to put my foot down.

I think what would really work well is a narrow C screen. On a pitch through net (most are 7x7) all of the net to the outside of the pitch through hole is unnecessary and the un-needed width makes the net impossible to haul in a pickup with a short box or a bed cover. I could haul a 6' by 36" heavy frame C screen perfectly though.

Thoughts please!

 

[shaker1]

I made mine out of 3/4" electrical tubing and some left over netting we had. Think it's 72"×40". Offset at the top and only 1 leg(foot) on the opposite side of the offset so I'm not tripping over it when I throw. Leg is removable but it fits in the truck fine. Made it for less than 50 bucks. Some of these screens are expensive!!

 

[coachbob]

I made mine using the design below and 1 3/8 fence tubing, fence elbow, and t-clamps. You can slide the legs through the t clamps at bottom for better portability. We had a bunch of old netting at the high school. I also wrapped tubing with pipe insulation and blue duct tape for shock absorption.

 

[RichK]

We use the Bownet iFrame, it's nice because you can use the same Big Mouth frame (minus the bottom middle piece). So if you already have a Big Mouth or other Bownet net you just have to buy the iFrame net which is like $60, a good deal for a screen to pitch behind that is also portable....

 

[CoachYoYo]

The Morrow Sports A-Frame screen is awesome:

Softball A-Screen Portable Pitching Screen - Morrow Sports LLC


Very easy setup in about 2 minutes. The 48" carry bag fits easily in the back of my truck. I can turn it around to pitch overhand to my DS. I don't bring it to tournaments as we just use the Mojo Balls for warmups.

Rob.

 

[coachbob]

The Morrow Sports A-Frame screen is awesome:

Softball A-Screen Portable Pitching Screen - Morrow Sports LLC


Very easy setup in about 2 minutes. The 48" carry bag fits easily in the back of my truck. I can turn it around to pitch overhand to my DS. I don't bring it to tournaments as we just use the Mojo Balls for warmups.

Rob.

Looks really good. I want one.

 

[Westwind]

Thanks all for the responses!

Coachbob and Shaker1 I want to build my own so your ideas were exactly what I was looking for. I might build several for practices. I want to build a custom size/sizes that I can stack in the bed of my truck and still have room for other equipment. If it sounds like I am worrying about this way too much.... Yeah, I know. I tend to overdo stuff.

Coach Yo- Under the heading of full disclosure, I have a Morrowsports A-Frame pitch through net and also their portable batting cage. I have only had them a few weeks. The screen is very solid and I do like it. We have used the cage couple times per week for practice and warm ups. Our practice field prevents us from hitting real softballs while we are using the infield for defense and this has been pretty awesome for tournaments so I am glad to have it. There is a learning curve for setting both up and neither are something you can set up without previously doing it.

I gotta tell you, I feel a little self conscious about the cage. It's really pretty quick to set up but you kinda get looks from people and I know they are thinking we are crazy....

I have held off mentioning this on these forums until I use them more. At some point I will do some kind of review on both.

 

[shaker1]

Thanks all for the responses!

Coachbob and Shaker1 I want to build my own so your ideas were exactly what I was looking for. I might build several for practices. I want to build a custom size/sizes that I can stack in the bed of my truck and still have room for other equipment. If it sounds like I am worrying about this way too much.... Yeah, I know. I tend to overdo stuff.

Coach Yo- Under the heading of full disclosure, I have a Morrowsports A-Frame pitch through net and also their portable batting cage. I have only had them a few weeks. The screen is very solid and I do like it. We have used the cage couple times per week for practice and warm ups. Our practice field prevents us from hitting real softballs while we are using the infield for defense and this has been pretty awesome for tournaments so I am glad to have it. There is a learning curve for setting both up and neither are something you can set up without previously doing it.

I gotta tell you, I feel a little self conscious about the cage. It's really pretty quick to set up but you kinda get looks from people and I know they are thinking we are crazy....

I have held off mentioning this on these forums until I use them more. At some point I will do some kind of review on both.

If I had to make another, would probably go with 1" emt conduit, any home improvement store carries it and any fitting you would need, 90° bends and couplins. If you have any electrical buddies you know, they can bent the conduit with no problems, I have a hitting net 7x7, made out of 1" and it is sturdier. The pitching screen works great, probably less than 10lbs.

 

[Westwind]

I have a 3/4 bender but was eyeing a 1". I'm going
to figure this out.

 

[NVfishing]

Could have used one of these last night, or a glove. DD drove one right at my stomach and I blocked it with a bare hand. My knuckle swelled up for a bit last night.

Good ideas on the home made versions!