DIY Air Hockey Table

Inspired by a do-it-yourself miniature table spotted on youtube we decided to built a full-size (122cm x 244cm) air hockey table. This instructable will guide you through all the steps in making this large air hockey table (without table legs).

You can download a 3D model of the DIY Air Hockey Table here. This will help you understand the project better. In order to view the 3D model you need to install the free application SketchUp.

Don't forget to check out the DIY Air Hockey Mallet instructable !

We hope this information is useful to you and start building this thing straight away!
If you've got any questions or remarks or you just appreciate this instructable, don't hesitate to comment!

Step 1: Requirements and Measurements

                                                                                                 
COMPONENTS (MEASUREMENTS ARE EXPRESSED IN MM)


Some of these measurements are standard european measurements. So if you are American these might vary a little. This means that you cannot make an exact copy of this project and need adjust the project to the materials available to you.

The drawings might clarify what materials you'll need. They show the basic construction and measurements.


Construction frame (of whitewood)

• Two long sides: L=2530 ; W=45 ; H=70 (no. 1, see this component in the drawings)
• Two short sides: L=1310 ; W=45 ; H=70 (no. 2)
• Two long sides: L=2440 ; W=20 ; H=35 (no. 3)
• Two short sides: L=1220 ; W=20 ; H=35 (no. 4)

Expenses: 27 euros (about $37,-)


Playing surface (of MDF)

• L=2440 ; W=1220 ; H=6 (no. 5)

Expenses: 13 euros (about $18,-)

Supports

• Small beams of scrap wood with heigth of 35mm (no. 6)

Expenses: 8 euros (about $11,-)


Plate opposite to the surface (of chipboard)

• L=2440 ; W=1220 ; H=12 (no. 7)

Expenses: 11 euros (about $15,-)


Air source

• Leaf blower, centrifugal blower or vacuum cleaner (no. 8)

The required output for a 7 to 8 feet air hockey table is about 400 cubic feet per minute. Regular household vacuum cleaners have an average air output of around 140 CFM. You'd need at least 3 vacuum cleaners to make the puck float. This air source would therefore be to expensive. There are more powerful industrial vacuum cleaners, but are hard to get and expensive. Centrifugal blowers are highly specialized. The output ranges from a few CFM to a 1000 CFM or more. These blowers are used in air hockey tables as well. You might want to try to get one for cheap. Overall centrifugal motors are pretty expensive.

Leaf blowers are very powerful. Their output ranges from 350 CFM to 600 CFM. We believe that getting a cheap second-hand electric leaf blower is the best option. We therefore bought a new leaf blower with adjustable output (max. output: 490 CFM). We tried out the leaf blower at the lowest speed (7000 rpm) and it worked fine. The noise produced was significantly less than at higher speeds. It should have a circular outlet. The blower cost 40 euros (about $56,-).


Air inlet

• One or two meters of tube with a diameter of about 90mm (depends on size of leaf blower outlet)
• A sheet of PVC measuring 250mm by 250mm, with hole in which the tube fits. (no. 9) 
• If the tube doesn't directly fit into the hole, use a PVC muff (which does fit around the tube and in the hole)
• Two pieces of plywood measuring 250mm by 250mm (no. 10 and 11)

Goal

• Wooden beams with a length of about 400mm
• Strong piece of fabric measuring 400mm by 400mm

Puck and Mallets


             
TOOLS

Note: these are the tools we used, but you might find that other tools can be used for the same job as well.

• Proper tenon saw
• Jigsaw
• Regular saw
• Hole saw
• Wood glue (regular and polyurethane glue)
• Drill with adequate drillbits
• Dremel with adequate drillbits of 1mm (or 1/32)
• Sanding machine with very fine and super fine sandpaper (P180 and P1200)
• Hammer and suitable nails
• Screwdrivers and suitable screws
• Thermoplastic adhesive (hot glue)
• Duct tape

Comments

[Johnte]

Hi Guys thanks for a great instructable. I have built the table it works brilliantly. I made some slight changes (12v blowers from a camper van and an old desk for the base) We have had hours of fun. keep up the good work

[casvandegoor]

Great! Great to hear you build one!

[emmkayy41]

Great Instructable. Built this guys for about $250 and it works great.

[casvandegoor]

Great! Have fun with it!

[Evilthingamabober]

Awesome idea. I'm actually trying to make my own 6 x 3 version of this. But instead of using a leafblower, I am planning on using 8 40CFM computer fans (http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G16778) They should add up to a bit over 225, which is the minimum CFM for a 6 x 3 air hockey table. But I'm not sure if this will work. Can someone help me?

[casvandegoor]

Hey, I was wondering whether you have completed this project succesfully. Many people like to know whether they can use computer fans in their table. Thanks in advance!

[Evilthingamabober]

I never actually attempted the project, so I'm afraid that I can't tell you about that. I did make a small version with a single fan, though, and it worked surprisingly well. I don't see why a scaled up version wouldn't work.

[anteino]

Yes it will, I bought a fan with 340 m²/h and 127 Pa pressure and it worked, the puck does not float as smooth as with the leaf blower but the noise, oh the noise, it is gone. If you play hard you will probably not notice the difference in smoothness. Here is the fan I bought, @Casvandegoor I can send you a video of the fan so you can upload it here for others. Anyway I bought the fan here, make sure you buy another piece of crap along so the total price will be over 50 euros, you can google a couponcode for getting 5 euros of from orders above 50 euros :) Shipping is free above 25 euros, but I don't know how it works for people ordering from outside the Netherlands.

http://www.conrad.nl/ce/nl/product/189493/Ventilator-172x150x51mm-230V-IP55/SHOP_AREA_17202&promotionareaSearchDetail=005

[casvandegoor]

Thanks for your comment! I could embed the youtube video into the instructable?

[anteino]

Sure :)

[anteino]

Watch this to get an idea http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0Mz7grOln4&feature=plcp

[Braideneaster]

how many hours did it take to complete the table and how much was all of the material to build it ?

[phatkowz]

Thinking of building one of these this coming summer! Does anyone know whether a fan like this :
http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/valueline-inch-435-cfm-centrifugal-inline-fan-p-2260.html
would be sufficient to supply the air?

[casvandegoor]

I'm guessing that it's a fine air supply. Good luck!

[punkrockscienceguy]

does it make a lot of noise with the leaf blower? any quieter solutions?

[where is waldo]

pleas post the video you got the idea from :p

[casvandegoor]

[sidharthbhatia]

Hi! I just made the whole table following every instruction above but when I connect my blower, air comes out of 2-3 holes above the pipe and isnt spreading throughout the table! Any ideas why this is happening?? Do you think I need a more powerful blower? Please let me know quickly!! Thanks on advance! Awesome tutorial! :D

[goriak]

Big diameter of holes can bring it to this problem

[casvandegoor]

I really can't imagine that the air only comes out 2 or 3 holes, even when air pressure is low (because the holes are so close to each other). So the only thing I can think of is that the air inlet is too close to the holes. Please provide some more details about your table, air inlet, blower (perhaps some photos). I think I will then be able to help you better.

[tinker234]

wow if i did the top black with el wire llines be amazing lyly cool also love the viedo woho is funny

[casvandegoor]

Don't worry; I like to try to help you out. I don't know the minimum CFM my leaf blower (max: 490 CFM). Neither do I know if a to high CFM creates problems. Can their output be varied? If these fans are the only option you could of course let some air escape to reduce the air pressure in the table. Sorry if this wasn't very helpful.

[bblake1]

Hi,

I'm very new to all this DIY and I just built a surfboard rack successfully! Now looking for a more demanding project and this sounds like it. I'm just wondering whether using a PET laminated MDF board would create less friction and thus create a faster table? Also, I'm curious as about whether you could use some sort of plastic rail that bounces better than wood (which I imagine would dent and crack over time) and if you have any suggestions as to what to use.

[casvandegoor]

Hey!
I don't think laminated mdf would create a faster air hockey table, because the puck floats above the surface of the table and doesn't actually touch it.

A lot of people have suggested the use of some sort of rails along the sides. I haven't used the table thourougly and just used the bare wood. I'm not sure what material is most suitable. Perhaps strips of acrylic or aluminium would work.

If you've got any other questions, just ask. You might also find a lot of information in this comments section. Good luck!

[bblake1]

Thanks for the advice oldschool. I think you talk about different types of leafblowers throughout the comments; however, I'm wondering if a powerful fan could be used. One like this one


http://www.hydroponics.net/i/131194

or maybe 2 of the following:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/INLINE-DUCT-VENTILATING-EXHAUST-FAN-6-150MM-25W-METAL-/320578560668?pt=AU_Seed_Starting_Hydroponics&hash=item4aa3f8a29c#ht_2973wt_907

would 2 of those work ?

maybe one at each end of the table or something... ?

Thanks for any advice you can offer

[casvandegoor]

I think both options you proposed are ok.

[bblake1]

My only concern with 2 of the ebay fans is that they produce 250 CFM each

so that would be a total of 500 CFM for the table.

Do you know what the CFM is of your leaf blower at the lower level that you use ?

I would like to know the optimal CFM for the area in your design, if you know it?

Sorry for all these questions

[tinker234]

wow can i use a broken pro one and fix it with this wow

[casvandegoor]

What component is broken? If it is the blower; yes, I think you can use a leaf blower.

[tinker234]

yes

[pilot-civic]

Very nice instructable!

I have one question. I build my own table, and all i have to do to finish it are goals and edges (rails). And there is my problem.

With whitewood the rebound of the pack is not as good as with aluminium edges of the table. But with aluminium, the whole thing becomes really loud!!
I tried with 2mm thick right angled aluminium profile. It has much better puck rebound, than whitewood, but its damn loud.  The other problem with the white wood is that it gets damaged durring powerful hits.

Has anyone same better solution?

[jarleek]

I believe that the puck will bounce better from an aluminium rail because the aluminium has more elasticity than whitewood. That is, the puck is not able to deform the aluminium rail, and all the force it excerts to the rail is excerted back from the rail to the puck, with whitewood some of that force will deform the wood and energy is lost. So any hard surface should do, why not try hardwood; like oak?

[zack247]

lots of air hockey tables are made out of plastic. may i suggest putting a plastic rail with a layer of foam behind it? the plastic rebounds good, and the foam should absorb some noise.

[engineer8604]

have you tried using the drywall edge protectors its like a piece of plastice angle

[snelpiller]

epicly awesome, now to find a less noisy airsupply =P

[Mundy101]

what sort of drill did you use. would the holes be straight every time, or would it not matter that much if they were not exactly straight

[Evox_Rider]

If you have a Dremel tool, there is an optional add-on plunge router attachment for the Dremel. Would make drilling perfectly straight holes a snap. Could even set up a guide bar to rest the edge of the router to...

[Mundy101]

Thats exactly what i ended up doing. Took about 10 hours though :(

[frollard]

Really you could drill the holes at all different angles so long as there were enough evenly spaced and enough airflow to get the puck to float. Off angle holes will make the puck wander when not hit. 'wander' will have a very negligible effect when you're talking with a 'shot' puck.

[casvandegoor]

I used a dremel with 1mm (or 1/32 inch) diameter drillbits. Drilling by hand will give holes that are straight enough.