Introduction: How to Use the Laser Engraver to Make a 9 Man's Morris (a Medieval Board Game)

How to use the Laser Cutter to make a medieval board game Nine Man's Morris

I made it at Techshop.

This is going to be a really short and simple one, I’m putting together a series of medieval games for reinactors and history buffs, the one I’m presenting this time is

Nine Man's Morris
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8Bg9eVVQhaYQVpFNGdEWUJHMXc/edit?usp=sharing

the rules and a description are here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Men%27s_Morris

You can buy these games at plenty of places online but you'll be able to make one yourself.  If you have access to Techshop or equivalent tools, in this case all you need is a laser engraver like this Trotech which is whats at Techshop

See pic 3 below for a gif of what the cut file looks like.

The red lines are cut lines, the black lines are etch. Pretty standard stuff here no surprises.

All of the parts are designed to be cut out of wood or leather, my plan was ¼” birch plywood, but you can use whatever you prefer.

Each set comes with a few extra men cut out so you have spares.

Several of the sets checkers 9 man morris etc, use the exact same pieces so you can
Swap them back and forth.

Two of the games, Fox and Geese and Tablut have custom pieces cause I thought it made them cooler.

The image here is an example of 9 mans morris, but the one we make will look different, i just don't have any photos yet. :) I'll put them up when i get them.

Step 1: The PDF Vector File

Step 2: The Vector Pdf file

The first pic is a GIF of the file so you can see it easily.

The second  is the vector Pdf file in case you have trouble getting it from my Google drive link.

You may have to play with the cut line stroke thickness, as Iususally have to do that when i burn them the first time an these hae nto been tried yet(i'll post more pics once I do). Simply select all the red cut lines  in Illustrator or Corel Draw, and change them to the thinnest stroke (i.e. hair line) before cutting.

Some of these files are freaking huge because of all the vector data for the knotwork and art. Sorry about that, but once burned you'll be amazed at the detail.

Step 2: Lasering It Out of Wood.

If you want to make one out of wood, just go to the laser, Run the Etch pass, then run the cutting pass. You can do them all in one pass, but in my experience you have to run the cutting passes twice to get a clean cut , so I suggest doing it separately.


Step 3: Step 5: Finished


If you do this properly you'll get a nice professional looking game like they sell on the intertubes.

I made it at Techshop... we'll I'm About to make it at Techshop, once I get mine cut out I'll add more Photos. I'm putting the Instructable up as at Techshop.

I hope you enjoy it.

Did I say Techshop!