October, 2023
I was inspired by an upcoming “Trunk or Treat” event to create an interactive activity for the kids to enjoy as they were collecting candy. After some thought, I settled on making a Plinko-like game (as seen on “The Price is Right“).
The idea was to let the kids drop a disk on the Plinko board and let the disk decide what their prize will be. It’s simple enough to be played by kids of all ages and abilities. With 5 slots at the bottom, the 1st and 5th slots (the easiest to get) will result in the reward of 1 piece of candy. The 2nd and 4th slots will result in 2 pieces of candy. The middle slot will result in the “grand prize” – a glow-stick necklace (until we run out, then 3 pieces of candy).
Of course, the whole thing will be Star Wars themed to complement my costume. I included a big logo at the top along with some graphics over each of the 5 slots at the bottom.
In the end, I was able to conclude this build over 2 weekends. My out-of-pocket cost was only $25 thanks to the use of scraps and left-over material from other projects.
The Design
I didn’t have much time to build this (started 2 weeks before the event) and decided to try to use up some of my scrap components to minimize the budget. I struggled a lot at first with the concept of building it “correctly” vs. building it with only materials on hand. I had to catch myself several times to resist the urge to go out and buy lumber.
My main goal was to make it lightweight and easy to transport. I also wanted it to be kid-friendly size – not so tall that they would have to climb up a step to reach the top to drop the disk. The final dimensions would largely be based off the size of a resin mold I had on hand and planned to use to create the drop disks. It resulted in a disk that was 3.5″ diameter.
As I surveyed my limited selection of scraps, I found a pre-cut 2’x4′ plywood board that was about 1/2″ thick. It was a bit thicker than I needed, but beggars can’t be choosers! I also had a bunch of 1x lumber from previous projects. I determined if I made some cuts, I could get enough 3/4″x2″ strips to get all around the top, most of the bottom, and have some left over for a pair of collapsing legs.
The Build
I made quick work of the 1x lumber with my table saw and chop saw. In the sprit of “fast and cheap”, I briefly considered just butt-jointing the pieces together. Then I had to pause – ok, I’m not an ANIMAL! Of course I’m going to miter joint everything! I’ve still got pride in my work even thought these are scraps! Let’s not get carried away… 🙂
Next came assembly. I installed the top rail first, followed by the short pieces to make the slots. I used screws from the back to mount these in order to keep a clean look. Next, I installed the back rails using pocket screws (yes, I know..). I installed a nested, fold-up leg on the back with a cross-brace to to keep the platform steady at a slight angle.
I then completely disassembled the pieces and set them aside so I could focus on the pegs. Using the size of the disk and diameter of the dowels as my main guide, I found an alternating peg space pattern that allowed the disk to drop easily between the layers, and avoid getting trapped on the sides. I went with alternating rows of 5 and 4-pegs with 4 inches between each row. I left 5″ at the top and bottom to allow room for decals and also for the loading and final drop of the disk. This layout resulted in the need for 41 pegs total.
During my 1-time visit to the local hardware store for this project (rare for me) I bought 3/8″ oak dowel rods. I was originally going for 1/4″, but felt the force that the pucks fell might cause them to break, so I opted for something a bit thicker and went with denser wood (oak instead of poplar) in hopes this would last more than 1 season. Considering the overall budget was $0, it was a bit of a splurge for this project, but I’m happy with the choice.
I used my cross-cut sled on the table saw to cut them exactly 2.75″ each which allowed them to be secured in the plywood with 1/2″ of material and still have 2″ sticking up, but not proud of the side boards so this can be placed on its face or back if needed during transport and storage. I then put each peg in my drill and spun it while holding one end against a belt grinder to get a rounded top – it worked well enough, but there are quite a bit of inconsistencies among pegs. I made a few extra just in case, and I’m glad I did because I ended up swapping out a loose-fitting one later.
I used a 3/8″ brad-point wood drill bit along with a perpendicular drill guide jig that I rarely get to use. I added some tape on the back of the board to help prevent tear-out. This setup worked pretty well – I was able to get really clean-finish surface buts, but the cheap painter’s tape on the back did not help much with the tear-out. Oh well – better a marred back than front.
I then re-installed the edges with screws. I also used wood glue and pin nails to secure the mitered corners. I then used a rubber mallet to hammer each of the pegs into their holes and they were a pretty snug fit. I went back with a right angle and tapped them perpendicular. Finally, I liberally added some wood glue on the back to affix the pegs.
The Disks
I used a 3.5″ silicone resin form I had on hand and mixed up some 2-part resin with the colors black and orange. While the resin cured, I used a Cricut to cut some shapes out of white vinyl. This being a Star Wars-themed game, I opted for the Star Wars Imperial and Rebel symbols. After applying, I added a clear-coat of UV resin on top of the vinyl to seal them on and protect them.
They have a good weight to them, which helps them drop quickly and avoid getting stuck. They are also an easy size to hold and manage. I like this better than a ball option like other Plinko games use because it allows me to avoid putting a plexiglass cover over the top to keep the balls on the board.
While the front-sides look fantastic, I was frustrated to find the backs dried with a concave shape which did not work well when sliding on a smooth game board. So, I had to manually sand down the edges using 400 grit wet paper and polish them to make them glide better.
Finishing
After the glue for the pegs was dry, the next step was to slap on some paint. I had some white Killz primer on hand, so setup some tarps and applied with a brush. I took care to keep the game board surface as smooth as possible while applying 2 coats to the front, then the back. After it dried, I still found small bumps on the playing surface that I knocked down with some 0000 steel wool.
After the paint was dry, I added a 6″ length of chain using screws to affix the leg to the back of the board. This helped to keep the leg from slipping or over-extending. I later added a washer to the screw to keep the chain from popping off after the link expanded slightly from the pressure. Finally, I added a bubble-level onto the back frame to help during setup and avoid the issue with having it lean to one side which would influence the fall of the disks.
Next, I use the Cricut again to produce some black vinyl decals which I applied onto the game board face at the top and bottom. These look fantastic, and really helped promote the theme of the board.
For some reason I can’t explain, the paint never fully dried. I was able to hold it without any paint transfer, but the surface felt sticky after 24 hours of drying in my workshop. Thinking it might be temperature-related, I brought it inside and it continued to be sticky after a week of drying. Testing the disks on the game board resulted in 90% successful drops, but a few got stuck. Pressing my fingers to the board for a few seconds confirmed that it was still not fully dry. Apparently, others have seen this issue, and it’s quite common with Killz.
So, I attempted to apply a light coat of clear spray paint which helped tremendously. It resulted in a slick, glossy surface that was perfect for the disks to glide down, and did not discolor the painted finish. The added benefit is that it protects the vinyl decals.
Conclusion
After 2 weekends, I have a play-able Plinko game board that I think the kids will love. Was able to keep the total cost very low by using scraps and on-hand, left over material from other projects. Really, the only things I had to buy were the dowel rods and the chain.
Here’s a video of the game in action:
I have additional plans for this, but don’t have time to complete them before our event.
- I’d like to add switches at the bottom that trigger RGB LED lights along the sides after a drop. I’d drive it from an Arduino board and a pair of battery packs to keep it portable.
- I have purchased 1″ x 4″ plastic holders for labels for each bottom slot to show the prize: “1x Candy”, “2xCandy”, “Grand Prize” (…or something like that). I’m planning to make the labels out of paper so we can swap them out when we run low on candy/prizes.
- Carrying case/pouch for the disks to make storage and transportation easier while protecting them.
Hopefully, the kids will love it and it will be around for many Halloweens to come.
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