Friday, August 8, 2014

Hecklers will be disqualified...

I was at the store the other day and thought I would buy a lawn game.  That is until I saw the price tag.  $60 for a cheap made in China game.  I came home and did some Pinterest searching.  I then asked my husband how much a 2X4 costs.  When he said around $3 to $4, I made a plan of action. 

I had a few days off, as it is the Sturgis Rally and I prefer my sanity. I hide in the cabin and avoid paved roads at all costs.  Luckily there is a washboard, gravel, free of motorcycles road that goes from my house to the local lumber store.   Ten 2X4s and $40 later I was on my way home.   Here are the results of my efforts...
  
Project #1:  Lawn Jenga
Pretty simple take six 2X4X8s  ($20)and cut them at 10.5 inches.  Volia 54 cuts later a Jenga game.  That is after you sand them. That was no small task.  Notice my little sanding workbench.  Behind the sander are the three finished blocks.  Only 51 more to go.  Good thing I have my big glass of lemonade and a place in the shade.





 All done and ready for a mean game of Jenga.  Just watch your toes when the tower goes:)


I came up with a carrier for it.  I put little feet on a 14x14 piece of plywood.  Then drilled holes for cording.  The last cord can be un-clipped so the top will come off.


Project #2:  Bean Bag Toss
This required a few more things:
4 4 1/2 inch long  3/8 inch wide Carriage bolts
3/8 inch washers
3/8 inch wing nuts. (total $6)
4 2x4x8  ($14)
2 2 feet by 4 feet pieces of 1/2 inch plywood (already had in the garage)

 Cut four 2x4 four feet long and four 2x4s 21 inches long. Cut plywood to 2 feet by 4 feet.  Construct a 2 by 4 foot frame.

Measure 9 inches from the top and 12 inches from either side and mark the center of the hole.  Use a compass to draw a circle 6 inches in diameter.  Cut the hole with a jigsaw.  This is no easy task and requires a steady hand (something I don't have).  Sand everything.  Then attach the plywood to the frame by screwing in place.   All this was pretty simple.

 The legs were anything but simple.  Cut the remaining 2x4s into 11 5/8 inch lengths with one end cut at a 99 degree angle.  Round the other end.  This part got complicated quickly and there are no photos, because I probably would have broke the camera.  Attaching the legs to the frame with the carriage bolts was way harder then what those directions said.  There are a few extra holes in the the frame and the legs.
 The bean bags are old uniform pants cut into 7x7 inch squares and filled with one pound of beans.  I drilled holes in the side and added a rope to make it easier to carry.   We will paint it with latex paint once we decide on the colors.  Finally, we looked up the rules of the game and I wrote them on the inside of the board so we didn't have to look them up every time we played.  I especially like the "hecklers will be disqualified" rule.
There you have it.  Two American made games for $40.  
I used up some materials that were sitting around. To be honest I really had fun making them.  I like using power tools.  I can't wait for somebody to visit...  
circa 2011 The ORIGINAL Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop

11 comments:

  1. They look great, and the lawn jenga game especially looks fun!! I'm ready to play!

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  2. Playing together will make these priceless. I enjoy group games like this.

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  3. I think they turned out great and I really am impressed you did all of that.
    It looks like the beginning of great fun,.

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  4. I'm impressed! Bring on the competition!

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  5. Wow great idea you are handy I love working with power tools too. You go girl. Great job. Hug B

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  6. Very cool ! Mountain man actually did make the washboard game last year ~ but now that you have shown us how to make the other lawn game , we have a new project :)))

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  7. We've made JENGA games....tons of family fun.... Everyone get's one for a gift when thy move out on their own.

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  8. The games look awesome. I especially like the lawn Jenga one.

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  9. LOL at your Hecklers comment on the game. They both look like fun. We played `Texas Horseshoes` on the weekend and it was much like your second game. Practically impossible to get them in holes though. What a hoot!

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