Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Tournament Cornhole Goals
Check all your wood with a carpenter's try square to ensure that every end is cut to a 90-degree angle. If it is not, set the miter fence on your table saw to 90 degrees and cut each board as needed.
Cut two of the 4-by-8-foot, 1/2-inch-thick plywood sheet into four pieces, 2 by 4 feet each. These are the top and bottom boards of the two targets.
Measure 9 inches from one of the 2-foot ends along the right side of the first game board and make a mark. Repeat for the left side. Snap a chalk line along the two marks from left to right across the 2-foot end of the board.
Repeat previous steps, measuring 6 inches from the end and 12 inches from the end. This will provide three registration lines to help you correctly center the cornhole circle on the game board, per tournament rules of the American Cornhole Association.
Measure 12 inches from the right side, along the chalk line that is 9 inches from the end of the game board, and make another mark. Repeat along the edge of the game board.
Snap a chalk line between the edge mark and the mark on the 9-inch chalk line. That mark is the center point for the cornhole circle. Make marks 3 inches from the center point in all four directions.
Stick the point of the drafting compass on the center point on the game, created in previous steps. Draw a circle that passes through the four points marked in the previous step. This creates a 6-inch circle centered exactly 9 inches from the top edge of the game and 12 inches from each side.
Place the cornhole game board top across a pair of sawhorses and use C-clamps padded with 1/4-inch cardboard pieces to secure it. Drill a 1/2-inch pilot hole anywhere inside the circle on the game board. This hole will allow you to insert the blade of your jigsaw through the game board top.
Cut the out the 6-inch circle using your jigsaw, beginning at the hole you drilled. Move the saw toward the outline of the circle, angling it until you are able to cut along the line. Smooth away any burrs around the hole using coarse through medium sandpaper.
Repeat all previous steps to make the second game board top.
Place four of the remaining 2-by-4-foot pieces of plywood with the short ends facing you. Measure each one along the bottom edge, 2 1/2 inches from the bottom right corner, and make a mark. Snap a chalk line between that mark and the top left corner to create a diagonal line. Repeat to make a total of four sideboards.
Miter all the 23-inch and 47-inch lengths of 2-by-2-inch stock lumber to 45-degree angles, using the miter fence and table saw.
Arrange two long and two short pieces into two rectangular frames. Dry-clamp with bar clamps for a temporary hold. Measure the corner angles using the try square and verify that the diagonals of each rectangle are equal. This will ensure that your game box is not off square.
Remove the clamps and apply carpenter's glue to the mitered ends of each board. Clamp all pieces again and verify the angles once more before allowing the glue joints to dry for two to four hours.
With clamps still in place, drill two holes through each of the long sides of the frame, into the short sides, 1/2 inch apart. Countersink all holes. Secure the frame using 1/8-inch-diameter brass wood screws.
Have a helper hold the sideboards in place on each side of one of the rectangular frames, angled side facing the sky. Drill 1/16-inch-diameter pilot holes every 6 inches and secure the sides to the frame, using 1/8-inch-diameter brass wood screws. Repeat for the second frame.
Attach the 12-by-24-inch backs to each game board frame using the same screw spacing and secure with the same screws. Repeat for the 2 1/2-by-24-inch front plates for each game box. Attach the game bottoms last.
Smooth both game boards using medium through extra-fine sandpaper on the belt or disk sander. Paint both game boards with your choice of two to four coats of bright, acrylic colors with white accents. Allow paint to dry 24 hours between coats.
Carnival Beanbag Toss Goal
Draw one circle with an 8-inch diameter and two to four additional 6-inch-diameter circles in any arrangement on the 4-by-8-foot plywood sheet. Drill a 1/2-inch-diameter pilot hole in each circle and use the jigsaw to cut each hole along the line.
Smooth the edges of each hole with coarse through medium sandpaper.
Miter the ends of two pieces of 5-foot-long, 2-by-2-inch stock lumber to 45-degree angles.
Attach one of the mitered pieces to the top right and top left corners of the 4-by-8-foot sheet of 1/4-inch-thick plywood to create back supports.
Smooth the entire game board and back supports using medium through extra-fine sandpaper on the belt or disk sander. Paint as desired with bright, acrylic colors. This goal is usually painted to look like a clown face, with the holes making his eyes, nose and mouth.