The Woodshop Shed

Beer Swap 2019 submission

Furnished content.
(from Lumberjocks.com)


Hi all, I was travelling during the reveals of the swap so this project is a little late.
My recipient was RichBolduc.I was scratching my head trying to come up with something interesting to make. My wife and I went into a local quaint little bar that had some of these games and people were drinking beer and playing and it hit me, a beer drinking game! I took multiple pictures and measurements and got started.Researching, I found that this game goes by multiple names but the most common is Shut the Box. Also called Blitz, Canoga, Klackers, etc. according to Wickipedia. It's an ancient game usually with one set of tiles (the little things with numbers on them) not four.First I started a plan using my home made sketchup.I modified the plan to add tenons on the inside pieces fit together with half lap joints, and dados with mitered corners on the outside pieces to add strength, all made from found maple board. This took a lot longer than expected and a lot of chisel work. (pictures below and pics 4 and 5 above) I made two games so I could send the best one.There is a rebate on the bottom of the outside pieces to receive a plywood bottom. After glue up (pic 6) I went to a saddle maker and picked up some leather and fit it on the inside to give the dice a better surface to roll on. I found a local guy who did the laser engraving on the leather. Finish was spray lacquer on the wood and leather.I bought some 3/16” diameter steel rod for the pivot and cut it to length. Next, I cut the tiles from some leftover oak, and drilled 7/32” holes near the bottom for the rod to slip through. I drew the numbers on the tiles by hand (all 72 of them) and started burning the numbers in. Also very time consuming.Finish was spray poly on the tiles for durability. The tiles have tiny steel washers between them to keep them separated. The tiles along with the end pieces that hold them together are removable along with the plywood bottom.I used spray adhesive on the underside of the leather, taped off the insides of the wood and carefully stuck it in.
(The adhesive on the one I kept was coming loose so I'll use contact cement to attach it more permanently. I also sent Rich a PM warning him of this.)The rules as played in the little bar are:
First person rolls the dice and turns down any combination of tiles that corresponds with the sum of the dice.
Then each person in turn gets a roll, and so on, until one person gets all of his/her tiles turned down.
Here, there are two versions for winning. 1) the first to turn down all tiles wins the game. 2) after one turns down all the tiles, each other person gets 1 more roll and the game ends.
Or, make up your own rules.Thanks to Kenny for another great swap!

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