ShuffleboardPlans?

[Demon-Seed]

Hello
I was considering buying a shuffleboard, however I was thinking it may be cheaper to make one? anyone have plans? or has anyone priced/tried making one?

cheers
Jim

[fixedpigs]

hey demon...i found this for you...

http://www.davesspot.com/shuffleboard.htm

 

[Demon-Seed]

Hey
Thanks I will check it out

[javeryh]

I would love to build one of these things but I don't think I have the skill to make the interior playing surface - it has to be perfectly 100% no-doubt-about-it flat, level, smooth and slick.  I could probably get it close but close wouldn't be good enough in this situation.

[Demon-Seed]

Hey
Yea that is the issue I am having as well..

Jim

[sstorkel]

I would love to build one of these things but I don't think I have the skill to make the interior playing surface - it has to be perfectly 100% no-doubt-about-it flat, level, smooth and slick.  I could probably get it close but close wouldn't be good enough in this situation.

It's actually not that hard, though the length does add some challenges. As the linked article states, you'd ideally use maple for the playing surface, which could get expensive. In terms of making it flat and smooth, all you need are a pencil, a set of winding sticks (make your own or buy from Lee Valley), and an old Stanley #7 or #8 jointer plane that's been tuned-up and sharpened. I think I paid $40 on eBay for my #7, though I had to wait a while to nab one at that price.

The big problem is that it's easiest to flatten something like this if it's a single piece of wood. Unfortunately, you'd probably want to build the table in sections so you could easily move it to its final location. Getting the two sections perfectly aligned could be a bit fiddly.

[javeryh]

There's no way I could do what you suggest with a hand planer.  That takes an incredible amount of talent - any deviation from a perfectly flat surface would ruin the game...

[sstorkel]

There's no way I could do what you suggest with a hand planer.  That takes an incredible amount of talent - any deviation from a perfectly flat surface would ruin the game...

No, it merely takes the right tool. A Stanley #8 plane is 24" long, the #7 is around 22". The extreme length means that the plane simply won't conform to random differences in height. The plane will just cut the spots that are high. You keep passing the plan across the wood until you're taking a thin shaving that's the entire length of the board. That indicates that the board is completely flat. This is the sort of task that was given to apprentices their first day on the job back in the 1800's. The winding sticks and the pencil speed the process along by helping you to locate high and low spots, etc. They allow you to narrow down your planing to specific areas, which makes your progress more rapid. The only skill that's really involved is perseverance... it'll take a while to plane a playing field that's 12' long by 18-36" wide.

[javeryh]

There's no way I could do what you suggest with a hand planer.  That takes an incredible amount of talent - any deviation from a perfectly flat surface would ruin the game...

No, it merely takes the right tool. A Stanley #8 plane is 24" long, the #7 is around 22". The extreme length means that the plane simply won't conform to random differences in height. The plane will just cut the spots that are high. You keep passing the plan across the wood until you're taking a thin shaving that's the entire length of the board. That indicates that the board is completely flat. This is the sort of task that was given to apprentices their first day on the job back in the 1800's. The winding sticks and the pencil speed the process along by helping you to locate high and low spots, etc. They allow you to narrow down your planing to specific areas, which makes your progress more rapid. The only skill that's really involved is perseverance... it'll take a while to plane a playing field that's 12' long by 18-36" wide.

Really?  It still sounds very complicated.  I didn't realize the planes were that long though.  I need to take woodworking classes or something...

[solderguy1]

I read somewhere that the easiest way to make you own is to find a bowling alley being domolished and grab a few big chunks of lane material.

[Demon-Seed]

Hey
Yea the bowling alley idea would work. Say what if you made a shorter one? like 10 foot?do they make a 10foot piece in that length?

also what is the cost to make one? I have seen em on craigslist for $500.

thx
Jim

[unclet]

Definitely the only "hard" part would be making the playing surface.  Those shuffleboard tables usually have multiple dehumidifiers mounted below them to keep the wood from warping over time by keeping the moist away from the wood.  I think it would be a heck of lot easier to find a old used one to restore instead of making one from scratch .....