Building a Monster (Bat)

Since I realized I failed to cough up an 896 special to the NYC crowd, I made one. Today. A beast weighing in at 85 grams original blade weight, OK weight) made heavier to 92 grams (now that's BETTER) and heavier by grip tape. (97 grams !! Even Moar Better !!) Total weight for this Franken-bat came out at 196.6 grams. Now that's in the zone I LIKE !!!

Overall weight would seem HEAVY to most, but in reality, the weight is LOW and so well placed, you don't feel it so bad and it doesn't slow you down. The impact on big shots feel more solid and confident and it still loops heavy like a king.


The 896 is easily one of the greatest blades made for around $15 USD, give or take a few dollars before shipping. It is ALL+ to OFF- in speed, has good feel, touch, and can loop like a BOSS with your favorite rubber. Aurus and XP 2008 Super Power are my default rubbers of choice for blade testing and I recycled a sheet of it from a broken expensive bat and added in a new black 2.1 sheet of XP 2008 Super Power, a great allround control rubber.

Since here is the breakdown of cost...

Blade: USD $16 from colestt.com
FH Rubber: Recycled Red 2.1 Aurus from Nexy.com (new $35 USD, but this is a one year old sheet) so added cost is ZERO.
BH Rubber: Black 2.1 XP 2008 Super Power $8 SUD new at colestt.com

Already had glue, scissors, edge tape, and racket grip tape lying around, so no additional cost there either.

My cost to build it $24 mius the shipping charges I paid (whopping USD $5) and the pro-rated cost of recycled rubber and edge tape/grip tape ($2 a roll that makes 8 bats for the grip tape) ($15 for a big roll that makes 100-150 bats)

Lets safely call this bat under $30 cost and let the dead horse lay where it is.

I had to get all the stuff together, carefully use an artists putty knife to slowly take off one handle, add in some nails and glue weight, put it back together, clamp it, allow it to set, add on grip tape, the rubbers, and edge tape. I had to cut a little bit of the Aurus off as the Tibhar Inca blade size was a bit different.

So... here are the pics.

Here is everything gathered together for the project


Intitial weight of blade is 85 Grams. Not bad, but we could make it better


We slowly slide in the thinnish artist's putty knife and carefully take off handle.


We add in some small nails and glue. This time, I only added 5-8 grams of nails. Usually, I add 10+ grams. I filled it all in with glue to stabilize it all.


Gotta get everything into position and wiped off excess. Clamp it to get it to set for a time.


Weight of blade is now over 91 grams - Better. Time to improve it more.


Grip tape bumps up the blade weight to 97 grams on the button. SUPER !!


Both rubbers cut are around 48 grams



Slap on the rubbers and here's what we got. 195 grams.


Add on the edge tape and we arrive at 197 grams monster looping machine.

Had a hit with it vs the rec crowd and this thing hits like the other modified 896 outfits I made, plays great. Very satisfied.

I declare this WMD ready for battle.

Now I just gotta get this thing to my friends in NYC.

Sounds like I will have to make an excuse to get to NYC again. Gunna have to bring back some prize money for wife though.

Maybe me Carl, and PPHolic can hustle the Korean crowd for some eating money.

TT store bought grip tape will add weight to the handle and low. That will instantly help SOME, prolly a good bit, yet likely not quite enough if it is that noticeably head heavy.

The generic racket grip tape I used (kinda like black color medical tape and tacky) added 5 grams.

2nd day of hitting at rec center shows this was a worthwhile modification.

Usually a show will say "Don't try this at home !!" but I sez TRY IT AT HOME.

The 896 is already a good blade and can help you spin the ball well, but I feel the weights of most of the batches are on the light side.

Since the balance of weight is LOW, you really don't feel slowed down by the additional weight and the feel of the impact is better to me. More solid, good feel, feedback is not excessive, ball stall has dwell and on more powerful shots, the blade flex kicks in for good speed and spin possibilities. Not as good as say a TBS, but jolly good enough and your shots land in.

Every time I long term test a slower bat (than a TBS) and go back to the same class (TBS range) my game is improved and I can use the TBS (or whatever Nexy OFF blade I get) and my playing level gets better.

KM1976. If you buy some BTY or TSP or whatever brand grip tape, it will usually be around 7-8 grams. That is good stuff and will help out a lot in lower the center of gravity of your bat.

If it isn't enough, try to do this mod. You prolly have enough stuff around to do it.

Remove the brand plate from bottom. Use a 6, 7, or 8 mm drill and drill into your blade bottom being very careful. Drill around 6-7 cm deep. Fill in the hole you made with wood glue. Replace the brand logo and allow the glue to harden overnight.

That will add anywhere from 5-15 grams of weight depending on how wide and deep you drilled the hole.

That will surely lower your weight center and even if the actual weight is more, it will not feel that way, might even feel lighter, since it will be easier to move hte blade with better weight distribution.

It is an individual thing for everyone, but I think it is worth doing. Also, some blade makers do this, but with a light foam compound to help the blade NOT be over vibration. I think Nittaku calls this "Super Core". It is the rage of blade makers to hollow out either the blade handles some, and/or even the blade itself where the handles mate on. This works for some, but to me, it makes teh blade weight too light and weight distribution too far forward. That is just me and not everyone sees it like this.

Thx for sayin' thanks.

To me, grip tape not only makes a smallish handle feel better, but it make the weight distribution better to me. Some people cannot put of with something heavier, but I cannot put up with weight too far forward, even if the overall weight is 10-15 grams less.

yogi_bear said:

der_echte, if you love heavy blades why not try a DHS 08 60th anniversary special. it is one awesome monster

Click to expand...

Maybe for a special, I will dress like RAMBO with an headband and ammo belt and go at it with Ur suggestion.

For this one, it was a special creation for the NYC crowd and a demonstration of how one can make a hard hitting inexpensive effective setup.

Don't get me wrong, I like me my expensive OFF class setups from Nexy, (gunna get a Kanaph real soon once Koreans get back to work after their week long Thanksgiving rush) but this one was low budget, heavy hard hitting power all the way.

Rambo can block in a rally with this blade...

Drove 6 hrs to visit my daughter in Boston and played 4 grueling hrs at the Boston Medford TTC. Played better than I did my last visit.

The newly created franken-freak blade plays just like one of my favorite modified specials. Control, feel, and pace when needed for hard hits.

I certify this bat is worthy for service as a decent backup bat for an allround flexible offensive attacker.