Homemade Skee Ball Game

Deep down, we all secretly wish we had a Skee Ball game in our own homes. If you're unfamiliar with this, it's a bowling-type of game where you get nine balls to roll up a ramp and off of a jump, trying to get the them into different holes for different amounts of points. It's a fun and simple game, and very addicting.

But to buy your own they're just too darn expensive.

So I decided to make one. It uses golf balls and has no electronics whatsoever (by design). It has an automatic ball return system which places the balls in separate lanes to indicate each ball's score, which is visible through a plexiglass window at the bottom of the ramp. A ball-drop lever is pulled to release the balls back into a storage compartment at the front of the game.

This was a fun and challenging project. The finished size is 86 inches long, 17 1/2 inches wide, and about 49 inches tall. It weighs a lot, and is awkward to move. I'm not sure exactly where we're going to put it. I should have thought of that before I made it...

Step 1: Basic plans

I had an idea of how I wanted to make this, but when I began to plan out the details it became much larger in size than I had imagined. It also proved to be much more challenging than I had expected.

The entire structure is designed to accommodate the size of a golf ball. The plan I laid out uses two 49" by 97" sheets of MDF (one 1/2" thick and the other 3/4").

I also used some 1/4" MDF, a few pieces of PVC, an old plastic mudflap, a piece of used plexiglass, and a handful of other little things.

These photos are of the plans that I sketched out. Many things changed as the project progressed, but you can get an idea where it all started.

Comments

[eagleeye2174]

I tried to stick to your general plan, but i didn't do the ball drop lever because it looked too confusing and I was working with a deadline

[eagleeye2174]

Here's the one I built

[joedog86]

Your scoring system is brilliant! Great build, and nice design!

[seamster]

Thank you! It was a fun project.

[afreeland]

Why is it every instructable I like....you write lol =) ... Keep up the awesome work.

[Iron Cowbell]

Nice design. I've been trying to think something like this up myself.

[eagleeye2174]

So how easily does the main ramp slide out after the side rails are put on? Did you have to raise the rails up at all to make more space? I just don't want to put the rails in so tight that the ramp won't slide out.

[seamster]

Everything fit snug, but I could disassemble it all to reach any part of the game if needed. I would recommend designing yours likewise, just in case an errant Hot Wheels car or some other toys gets stuck somewhere... I speak from experience.

[seamster]

It also makes painting different parts much easier if you can assemble it completely beforehand, make sure it works, and then take it apart to paint.

[eagleeye2174]

Hey how big did you make the space out of the main ramp that the jump sits in?

[seamster]

I don't remember exactly. It seems like the opening from the end of the ramp to the target board was about 8 inches or so. There was a lot of trial and error at this point in the project. I recall having to reshape and tweak angle of the jump quite a bit.

[eagleeye2174]

Yup I see it, thanks! Also, how far did did you cut down on the top of the side frames to make the slant? It looks like 6 inches on your diagram, but it looks less than that in the pictures.

[seamster]

Ah, eagle eyes you have. Apt username.

It looks like you're right, but I don't know exactly if I changed it or why, or what the new dimensions would be. I sold the thing a while so I can't measure it. One step I never included here is that I added some casters to make it easier to move around. When I did that I believe I made it so the back would sit a couple inches higher, and this might be why the slant angle appears in some photos to be less than in the layout. But like I said, I can't remember for sure!

[eagleeye2174]

How did you attach the target board to the frame? Did you just glue it?

[seamster]

I put some cleats onto the frame sides, and the board is screwed to these from behind. You can see them in a few shots. They are just 3/4" by 3/4" strips of wood that were glued and nailed to the sides.

[seamster]

I take that back. You can only see what I'm talking about in one photo--2nd photo in step 17, right side.

[nickels]

Wow, that looks fantastic. Tempted to try this, but your skill level >>>> mine. This is a top notch instructable. Nice job!

[nickels]

An idea just occurred to me: How about adding an LED or LCD screen and some switches to register the different areas of the table. My guess is this already incredible instructable can be kicked up a notch with some intermediate arduino electronics added to it for keeping score automatically. I'll update if I ever get it working. This project seems out of my league, but I am going to attempt it anyway. Here goes nothing!

[cmor2125]

Hi there, so I was planning on making this, and just to be clear the only materials that i need are 3/4, 1/2 and 1/4 inch mdf and pvc to make this build? Thank you!

[seamster]

Ah, I can't say exactly since I made this quite a while ago. There are many more things you will need than those you listed. 

I say this with no intention of sounding rude, but you'll have to just read the whole instructable for the details. This is my record of the project, and I don't have any more information than what I have already included here.  

Good luck with the project if you decide to make one for yourself!

[bobthebuilder728]

Going to try and make one of these, although a bit smaller. Still using golfballs, but the overall frame. Have you ever thought of building vending machines? I have made a soda machine. Not one to put out by a store or anything but just a cool little table top one? By the way, all your instructables are really cool. I don't know how you think of them.

[seamster]

Thanks. It looks like you've got more than enough woodworking skill to make your own skeeball game! You should totally go for it.

Good luck, and let me know how it goes!

[nchaney]

Can I use PVC instead of cardboard for the return?

[seamster]

Absolutely, you could try it. I thought of using pvc, but struggled to come up with a nice, tidy way to cut the oddball shapes and how to glue them all together. Good luck if you try it, and let me know how it goes!

[walgrimph]

please list a list of all supplies and how much \

[jujubee69733]

Is there any possibility that you could elaborate on this part of the project, I'm not sure I get it just yet. I am thinking of building one of these for a cookout that is carnival themed and this would be perfect! I love skee ball!! Do you have any more pictures of how you used the rubber bands? I see how the lever works, but I'm not sure how you kept tension on it.

[seamster]

The rubber bands are attached to the bottom of the lever and stretched toward the front of the game, and attached to a nail that is in the side wall of the game. As you pull the lever forward to release the balls, the bottom half of the lever moves toward the back of the game, pulling on the bands and the small metal rod that lowers the hinged ball drop thing. I hope that helps.. now as far as the holes, I used a jigsaw. Let me know if you still need a little more help with anything.

[jujubee69733]

I'm no wood worker, so I was wondering what tool you used and how you made your holes so perfectly?

[colossalman]

This is really great, I've been looking for a good end-to-end howto for this exact thing! Thanks!

[seamster]

Cool, thanks!

(I see you're from Seattle. I grew up in West Seattle. I sure miss it!)

[colossalman]

I live in Greenwood. I have some good friends in West Seattle as well.

[shepnstein]

I WANT THIS TOO!!

[sharkking]

could cardboard be a feasible replacement for this MDF you speak of?

[seamster]

Yes, although you'd have to make it pretty beefy if it was to be this size. I made a smaller version out of cardboard when I was younger that used marbles. It didn't take too long to make, and was pretty fun.

[Jedrokivich]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Desktop-Skeeball/

Not my instructable, btw.

[seamster]

Yep, my first one was kind of like that one, but a little bigger.

It is a popular game, and I'm sure a lot of people out there have made some homemade version or another.

[claymiller33]

cool but id make smaller

[reschner]

Fantastic! Well done! I can really appreciate your work-keep it up!

[zieak]

This is excellent! And i love your comment in step 19. "There was so much trial and error and constant modification involved that it was difficult to document any sort of cut-and-dried process."

Most of my projects seem to progress that way!

[seamster]

Thanks! I enjoy projects like this that present all sorts of challenges. It's fun for me to push myself creatively.

It's like continually painting yourself into a corner, just for kicks. My wife thinks I'm crazy, but I generally don't make to have. I make because I enjoy the process.

(By the way, do you want to buy a 170 pound skee ball game?)