Rolling ball game

I could never get that ball into the last hole

-- Hey you dang woodchucks, quit chucking my wood!!!!

Hello hhilm

Welcome to LJ’s

A very nice project I Like this game

What size?
Do you have a pattern ?Or is it a homemade project ?

Thanks for sharing

-- Diggerjack-France ---The only limit is the limit of the mind and the mind has no limit

Hi and thanks,

This is a homemade project mostly by recollection of my old one. The length is about 12” (the steel ball is 1” in diameter).

Cheers

-- hhilm

Welcome to LumberJocks. Great build from memories. I really like it.

CtL

-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."- PortablePastimes.com (Purveyors of Portable Fun and Fidgets)

If I recall the game was called “shoot the moon”. I sucked at it but the neighbor
kids practiced it while watching T.V. and had it mastered. Great old memory!!!

This brings back so many memories. I would love to make one for my daughter can you share or send me some details? Thank you. Jess

Hi Jess – I will put some more detail as soon as I can.
Thanks,

-- hhilm

Hi all and thanks for the comments. remdds, you are right – I recall that the targets (holes) had planet names in my original game.

Jess, here is quick construction description.

- lenght 320 mm
- hole dia is 30 mm
- steel ball 25 mm
- wood thickness: ends 12 mm , base 15 mm
- with: base 50 mm, small end 50 mm, large end 110 mm
- high: small end 35 mm, large end 55 mm
- stainless steel bars 380 mm – dia 6 mm
- slot: large end – with 8 mm, hight from bottom 45 mm small end – with 8 mm, hight from bottom 25 mm

I drilled the holes 55 mm apart through the base with forstner bit and then glued a thin piece at the bottom (total thickness 15mm). The first hole (closest to the small end) is 50 mm (center) from the inside of the small end.

I did some testing of the hight of the slot in the large end to test the difficulty of getting the ball running along the bars. I use cabinet door buffers (small plastic dots) underneath the ends to stabilize and protect the table. It could be nice to have some plastic screws at the large end to be able to adjust the difficulty. I just put something underneath to make it more difficult.

I did put several coats of clear mat spray varnish.

Feel free to ask if anything.

Thanks,

-- hhilm

G’Day “hhilm”, What a brilliant toy with hours of fun, play and frustration for young & old alike.
Thank you for the WIP photos and build notes, much appreciated.
Cheers, crowie.

-- Lifes good, Enjoy each new day...... Cheers from "On Top DownUnder" Crowie

Thanks and I’m glad you liked it crowie.

-- hhilm

Nice job! Many fond memories of playing this as a teen. Favorited and added to the ‘To Do List’. Wondering if the rods could be made out of dowels? Thanks for sharing!

-- God bless, Candy