Building a Crokinole Board

Advantages of Building Your Own Board

The Crokinole board game is a fun game to play because it can be played by players of all ages and all levels of dexterity. It is a strategy game which involves flicking discs to achieve point scores. The game board is usually about 26 inches in diameter with a ditch around the board of about two inches.

The game boards are readily-available wherever toys are sold. However, many people like to build their own Crokinole board because:

• It is a great woodworking project.
• You can customize the board by adding family names, favorite logos, characters or colors.

It is not a simple project, nor is it inexpensive. Woodworking skills are necessary to achieve the grooves, create tight veneer edges and then sand and finish the board to a slick surface. A wide variety of cutting and sanding equipment is also required. If you don't have the equipment, this would be a good project to complete in a friend's woodworking shop.

Supplies Needed

• Board pattern for grooves and holes
• One 4-foot x 8-foot sheet of one-half inch birch or oak plywood (deck and base)
• Two 8-foot strips of one-eighth inch birch plywood (sold in craft stores)
• 25 feet of three-quarter inch veneer strip (glue on one side)
• Eight pegs (purchased)
• 80 discs (20 discs of four different colors) (purchased)
• Sandpaper – 60 to 80 grit, 120 grit, 220 grit, 320 grit, 600 grit and 1500 grit
• One pint polyurethane finish
• One 3-inch foam paint brush
• One small can of dark stain and a small watercolor-type brush (both are optional for grooves)
• Wood glue
• Pencil
• Box of one-half inch tacks
• Rubbing compound
• Carnauba car paste wax
• Three felt pads or dots

Equipment Needed

• Router with circle cutting jig to make 1/16 inch v-shaped grooves
• Drill with 3/8-inch drill bit, a 1 3/8 inch circle cutter and a drill bit the same size as the purchased pegs
• Jigsaw
• Belt sander
• Random orbital sander
• Hammer
• Mallet
• Razor blade (to trim veneer)
• Four wood clamps
• One long wood clamp

Building a Crokinole Board

The basic building directions are not difficult. It would be helpful to have a picture of a Crokinole board to follow as you complete your project.

Cutting the Board

• Cut a 26-inch circle in the plywood.
• Screw the circle cutting jig into the center of the board.
• Use the router to cut the outer circle, the inside circles and the four short cross lines.
• Use the drill and the circle cutter to drill the center hole.
• Use the jigsaw to cut out the circle using the router marks as a cutting guide.
• Use the belt sander to smooth the outside edges.

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Finishing the Board

• Sand the board.
• Drill pilot holes for the pegs.
• Finish the edge with the veneer strip.
• Trim excess veneer with a razor blade.
• Sand the board with the random orbital sander, finish sanding with the 220 grit sandpaper.
• Apply the polyurethane finish with the 3-inch foam paint brush, brushing in the direction of the grain.
• Let the finish dry for up to five hours.
• Sand the board with 120 or 220 grid sandpaper.
• Apply a second coat of polyurethane finish.
• Apply up to 10 coats of polyurethane finish, sanding between each coat.
• If the grooves are not distinctive, a dark stain can be painted into the grooves with a small brush.

Constructing the Base

A bottom platform and rails

• Lay the board onto the base. Draw a pencil circle on the base two inches from the edge of the board.
• Glue the board onto the base. Clamp down to dry.
• Use the jigsaw to cut the circle on the base.
• Sand the outside edge of the base.

Attaching the Rails

• Cut each of the 8-foot strips into two 4-foot strips making four rails.
• Soak the rails overnight to make them pliable.
• Drill pilot holes into the rail every two to three inches about one-quarter inch from the bottom edge.
• Attach the inner rail with tacks hammered into the pilot holes.
• Glue the outer rail over the inner rail.

Finishing the Base

• Sand the inside railing by hand with coarse sandpaper. Repeat sanding with 220 grit sandpaper.
• Apply polyurethane finish to the top of the base and the inside and outside of the rails.
• Fine sand with 320 grit sandpaper, followed by 600 grit and 1500 grit sandpaper, sanding in the direction of the grain.
• Apply rubbing compound increase the sheen of the finish.
• Apply several coats of car wax.
• Drill out the peg holes.
• Glue the pegs into the holes. Tap the pegs in with the mallet.
• Affix the three felt pads.

Where to Get Detailed Plans

Several books have been written including plans for building a Crokinole board. There are also plans and game pieces available online:

• Crokinole World – Detailed building plans and instructions
• Mr. Crokinole – Crokinole board plans
• Vintage Games – Plan for inlaid Crokinole board
• WorkshopSupply.com – Crokinole board pattern, bumper kits and playing discs