Portable Pitchers Mound

[big_smith]

Threw this together this weekend. With LL starting I needed one anyway. My son plays both LL and USSSA select ball, so the pitching distance is different. I checked prices on a commercial made mound and they were all from $400-$1200. I have $60 and some time tied up in this one.

[temple droptine]

Very nice. I have to build several of these for my select team very soon. I have looked at putting one larger "all terrain" tire on the back to move it around in the grass and dirt also.

-crb

[big_smith]

I probably should have used bigger wheels, but I did not want them sticking up to far. These were cheap. I might upgrade later to bigger wheels, and side mounts for them.

[junior]

can you list the dimensions, and a how to description? I need to do the same for my son's team!

[Bill]

Good idea, my kids are past that stage. I'd be afraid of the kid tripping over those wheels in a freak accident. Maybe I'm a clutz or a chronic worrier. Maybe a metal rod through the 2x4s under where the wheels are, and then slide a lawnmower tire on each end to move it?

[Golden Eagle]

very nice!!

[aggieman12]

Wouldn't you step off the back of the mound when pitching from the windup?

[Flame-Tamer]

No u do not. I makes the guys and gals step forward for momentum pitchin. Built one last yr.

[big_smith]

I stole the idea from commercial made mounds so hopefully the wheels will be out of the way. No one I know steps back as a pitcher, unless I am teaching it totally wrong. The dimensions: overall length is 4'. It is 38" wide, but only because I had a scrap piece of plywood that was that width. If I was making another on, I would probably go 42" wide, just to get the wheels further out of the way.

I cut 2"X6" boards at 4'. Then I marked them at 18" and cut from the bottom edge to that mark if that makes sense. This forms the angle for the slope of the mound. Then I had 18" that was flat. I cut 3 total pieces like that. Then I cut a 38" piece to form the backside of the frame work, and just butted the three angled boards to the back 38" piece, and screwed them together. Now the top flat part is 19 1/2" wide, which is the width I cut the top piece of plywood. I screwed that down to the top. I then realized that I needed some bracing at the juncture of the angle and flat, so I cut two pieces of 2X6 and screwed them in. You can see this bracing in the first photo. Then I cut a piece of plywood to fit the angle and screwed it down. Then I realized I needed some bracing in the front, so I had some scrap that I cut to fit the front bracing, also seen in photo @1. As I said, it was slapped together, but it is functional.

[big_smith]

The pitching rubber is just a piece of 1"X4" board cut at 18" and screwed down. I bought some indoor/outdoor carpet at Lowes and some adhesive. I cut the carpet to fit and slapped it on. If I can do this it has to be simple. I did manage to have adhesive all over me though.

[Peta-hata]

That'll work just fine. Nice job!

[ByronB]

You did a great job. I purchased one like that from a friend for $75. The overall length is 6'. He turned right around and built an eight footer for his 12 yr old. The one suggestion I would have for anyone building one of these is this: Build it to be 7' - 8' in length. The more the kids grow, the further thier second step will take them off of the smaller mounds. There is no way to simulate what you may find from field to field, but when your kid is practicing in the backyard it is nice for them to not have to make that last step in to the grass, driveway, etc.