How to Make a Giant Jenga Game

Alright! So I was asked by my sister to make her a giant jenga set for her wedding, I gladly accepted the task and thought I would take you all along for the journey I took. This is a great project because you don't need a lot of tools and it can be finished in a weekend. This project can literally be made with 2 tools. So here is a list of tools that I used below.

2x3 Stock lumber (amount varies)

Saw (hand saw, chop saw, circular saw, or jig saw)

tape measure

sandpaper 80-220 grit (or power sander)

router (optional)

Step 1: Planning Size

To make a proportional Giant Jenga game I used 2x3s (actual size 1.5"x2.5") cut to 7.5 inches long. By using this dimension it will yield a proportional looking game. The number of 2x3s you buy directly relates to how tall you want the game to be. For example if you want your Jenga game to be 3 feet tall you will need 45 feet of 2x3s, making 72 total 7.5" long pieces. This really all depends on what you want and how tall you want to make it.

Step 2: Cutting the Pieces

Using whatever saw you have access to, cut the 2x3s into 7.5" long pieces. To make this process faster I set up a stop block on my miter saw. While this was the most time efficient method the same job can be done with a hand saw.

Step 3: Cleaning Up the Pieces

To match the cut edges with the factory round over I used my router to chamfer the edges and make the blocks a little easier on the hands. While this is totally unnecessary it can be done with heavy grit sandpaper.

Step 4: Sanding

Depending on where you got the lumber from it could be pretty rough being that it is sold for construction. So a sanding is pretty important. Being that there can be many blocks this can be a pretty time consuming process. I used my orbital sander with 80, 120, and 220 grit sandpaper to leave a nice smooth to the touch finish. Although you can use regular sandpaper sheets and some elbow grease to get the same results.

Step 5: Final Finishing and Enjoying!

Now finishing is all up to you but I left the blocks raw because people would be writing messages on them at the wedding. Although I did brand my logo on all the pieces with a hot iron. Overall I think this project came out great and it was a big hit at the wedding! If you guys have any questions feel free to ask below.

Make sure to check put my Youtube and instagarm below!

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMNOOV5ytTH1aCVlvEbVgJw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bitterbladeco/?hl=en

Comments

[Tsu Dho Nimh]

Sanding before cutting would be easier. Clamp the 2x3s together, sand, rotate each piece 90 degrees, sand, etc.

Then round off the sides of each long piece.

Then cut, clamp together one end up, sand, flip and sand other side. (the saw might leave the surface smooth, in which case skip this part)

Only rounding the ends would require handling each block individually.

[Ninzerbean]

I love this!

[Bitter Blade Co]

Thanks!

[Kink Jarfold]

The bar where I used to go for Trivia Night had one of these giant Jenga games. The blocks were always all over the place. All right, so the game was not around for long. But it was fun while it lasted. I really like your simple approach for making one. --Kink--

[Bitter Blade Co]

Thanks! Yea I can see his that would be a problem, so I threw all the blocks into a wicker basket.

[audreyobscura]

This is a great idea for a wedding! Thanks so much for the inspiration :D

[Bitter Blade Co]

Anytime, thanks!