Baseball is Safer

Do you remember a few years ago there was a lot of talk about baseball bats breaking and flying around the field, potentially injuring players and fans? Have you heard much about it this year? Probably not, because the incidents of broken bats are down by half in Major League Baseball.

Thanks to a partnership with Major League Baseball and the USDA Forest Service that began three years ago, there has been a 50 % reduction in multiple-piece failure (MPF) rates. Research engineer, Dave Kretschmann, at the Forest Products Laboratory has studied video of every shattered bat since 2009 and examined hundreds of those bats. Most of his recommendations address “slope of grain issues” which refers to the straightness of the wood grain along the length of a bat. A straighter grain is less likely to break. 

Also, MPF is fairly new to the game, partly because of changes in the geometry of the bats. One favorite among players is a thick barrel tapering quickly to a much thinner handle. Because MLB bats must weigh about the same, these bats need to use a lower density of wood which is also weaker. Over-drying during the process can also create weaknesses.

Because of these findings, in 2010 limits were placed on bat geometry, wood density restrictions and wood drying recommendations. According to Kretschmann, “One change made to address [the slope of grain] issue, that players and fans can easily see, is a small ink dot placed on the face-grain of bat handles. This helps identify grain characteristics at just a glance.”

The Forest Products Laboratory and MLB will continue to work closely to continue this trend of fewer broken bats. And I’m going to look for that ink dot on the bat the next time I’m watching a game.

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Interior Designer Kara Angotti on Social Media in our Industry

Interior Designer Kara Angotti weaves video blogging into her daily design practice

Photo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXEReADq5Os&feature=related Recently Kara Angotti of KO Angotti, a woman-owned interior design and energy audit firm located in Philadelphia, ventured out of the city to visit my wood shop, Superior Woodcraft in Bucks County, PA. To share the information with her design community Kara wrote a blog post and created a YouTube video. Now it’s not every day that I have an interior designer/energy auditor/blogger come for a visit; so this had me thinking about how Kara’s social media work is completely integrated into her interior design and energy audit business.  I sought to learn more about the ways in which Kara balances her actual work with her social media marketing endeavors, and heres what I learned:

PK: Kara, why did you start to create social media for your business?

KO:        Social media marketing is a low monetary cost high impact way to reach an interested audience,which is very useful when you’re not exactly a Fortune 500 company.

Do you have specialized training in this area?

  No, I have no specialized training, but we leverage experienced consultants for effective marketing techniques.  Social media marketing is still fairly underdeveloped and is rapidly evolving; therefore it’s difficult as a business owner to maintain focus on your core service while remaining current with the latest social media marketing methods.  I suggest finding a young eager marketing professional to help guide you.  

I like what you said about underdeveloped and rapidly evolving.  To me this means you can experiment and see what works.  You don’t have to spend a lot of time worrying about making mistakes.  Everyone is learning about what works in social media. Is it difficult to create a blog and videos?

 It’s fairly easy to get started with a blog thanks to the many available platforms (Wordpress, Blogger, etc.) and templates that exist.  Videos are a bit more challenging since they require filming equipment and editing software.  I recommend beginning with a blog and establishing it as the focal point of your online social media marketing campaign.  Become comfortable blogging and expand from that point.

 How has it helped your actual interior design and energy audit business?

 Social media marketing has given us a promotional outlet that in years passed could have only been achieved through large scale and costly advertising campaigns.  It’s also provided a branding opportunity, showcase for our designs, and platform to communicate developments in the auditing industry.

What benefits could a small woodworking shop gain from creating a virtual community or social media content?

Few media outlets offer a woodworker the opportunity to broadly display their craft.  A blog  would give your clients the chance to observe your progress and review your portfolio.

What small piece of advice do you have for a woodworker who is thinking about creating a blog or shooting videos?

I recommend beginning with a blog because of the low cost of entry.  Bear in mind that consistency and the quality of your content is imperative to maintain a successful and respected blow.

Thanks to all of our readers for dropping in on the conversation between CustomMade.com member Patrick Kennedy of Superior Woodcraft, Inc. and Kara Angotti of KO Angotti. Are you using social media for your business?  What results have you witnessed?

? Or just want some advice on how to market your business and make it stand out in the marketplace? Well this blog’s for you.

A joint venture between Fine Woodworking and CustomMade, The Pro Shop will give you tips on selling custom furniture or just getting started in the business.

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About Fine Woodworking: Your source for expert advice on woodworking and furniture making since 1975.

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