Introduction: Monarch Cornhole Boards V2

How to create one corn hole board with customizations that has the proper length under the ACA (American Cornhold Association).

Supplies

-2x4s SPF

-½” Maple Plywood Wood Screws

-¼” bolts and wing nuts

-(2) 2x4x48

-Finish- Water-Based pre Stain Conditioner & Water-based Polyurethane Cut List

-Elmer's Wood glue

-Stain of your choice

-Finish of your choice

-Miter saw

-Table saw

-CNC router

-Sand paper (80, 120, and 220)

-Cordless drill w/ 1/4" bit

Step 1: Proper Safety

Make sure you wear all the proper safety equipment for using power tools. This means you should be wearing safety glasses at all times!

Step 2: Measure and Mark the Wood for Cutting

- gather your (2) 96" 2x4 boards

- for the long side of the frame, measure 47&3/4" from either side of the board and lightly mark with a pencil

- for the short side of there frame, measure 23&3/4" from either side of the board and lightly mark with a pencil

Step 3: Cut the Frame and Top Board

You will need to:

Use miter saw:

Cut Top and bottom 2"X4" to 21 inches long.

Cut right and left side 2"X4" to 48 inches long.

After cutting these, you will need to joint these boards so that 1 side is completely flat.

After jointing, table saw the board with the jointed side along the fence. You should cut the least amount of material possible.

Then cut the 60inX60inx1/2in Baltic Birch wood to get two pieces of plywood until they get to be 48inX24inx1/2in.

Step 4: Making the Legs

Using the 2 by 4s, you have remaining, cut 13 inch boards. These will be used for legs.

1. On one side of the board, mark 2 inches on one edge of the board.

2. From the opposite corner to that mark, cut a diagonal, using the miter saw. Make sure the miter saw blade is accounted for when cutting.

3. Using a 3/8 in bit drill a hole on the other side. This should be 11 inches from the longest side and 9 inches form the shortest side, 1.75 in from the width of the board.

4. At the hole side, cut a 3.5in radius from the hole. If this doesn't fit the board without rubbing, sand this radius down to fit.

Repeat this step for each leg.

Step 5: Cutting the Hole for the Top Board

For our project, we utilized the C&C router in order to cut out our holes for the top boards. This was much more efficient and precise compared to using a plunge router, which was our first idea.

1. Open Vcarve on the computer and select the file made for the cornhole boards. Also use a stand to make sure the board is level and make sure to clamp down the board using the provided clamps.

2. Center the axis on the hole you have marked on the board, which should be 12 inches from the long side and 9 inches form the top.

3. Execute the program from the file to cut the hole.

4. Repeat for the rest of the boards. Vcarve file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3MF0QmCLcFLZ095...

Step 6: Measure and Drill Pilot Holes for Screws

- measure 3/4" into the board and 1" down and mark the spot with a pencil and a punch

- repeat the process for both sides of each board

- with a 1/8" bit, drill a hole all the way through the board on the marked spots

Step 7: Assembly of the Frame

We assembled the frames using wood screws and wood glue. We advise to make sure all the corners are 90 degrees and the frame is 24 inches wide by 48 inches long when completed. This will ensure perfect fitment when attaching the top board.

1. Drop a bead of wood glue on the wood that is going to be made. Don't put too much or else it will spill out and be hard to clean later on.

2. Using a square, make sure the boards are lined up at a perfect 90 degree angle. Use clamps to clamp them down in this position. Also make sure there is a clamp holding the 2 boards together.

3. Using 2 1/2 inch screws, screw them in to the pilot holes drilled earlier. Make sure these are in all the way.

Repeat these steps to complete a frame. Make sure the frame has perfect 90 angles and the correct dimensions for length as it will affect the fitment of the top board later on.

Step 8: Sand the Frame Boards and Top Board

- For side boards sand through grits from 80 to 400

- For top board sand through grits from 220 to 400

- Sand with the grain and on the good sides of the board, remove any markings, scratches, and ink.

- Wipe all the boards with a tack cloth to remove any loose particles or sawdust to insure a clean finish or stain.

Step 9: Frog for Some Reason...

Step 10: Attaching the Legs

We attached the legs using a nut and bolt combination to safely secure the legs and make sure that we could swing the legs out.

First drill a hole using a 3/8in drill bit, 4 inches from the top edge of the side and 1.75 from the bottom of the board.

The order to place the bolt in is:

1. Bolt (5/16in x 3 1/2 in.)

2. Washer (5/16in x 1 1/4in)

3. Leg 4. Lock washer (5/16 in)

5. Nut #1 (5/16 in)

6. Nut #2 (5/16 in)

Before placing Nut #2, tighten Nut #1 until the lock washer in set inside the leg and the bolt head is flush with the outside. Then, loosen the nut until the desired resistance is achieved for the leg. Finally, use 2 wrenches to tighten both nut 1 and nut 2 in opposite directions.

Step 11: Apply Finish and Stain to the Frame

The instructions on the can for the stain or finish tell you the best way to apply that specific product.

What we did was:

- Apply 2 coats of stain to the top board and sand with 220 or 400 grit in between to guarantee smoothness.

- Sand the top and sides smooth with 220 or 400 then use a tack cloth to rid of any sawdust or particles.

- get any kind of finish you desire and apply 3 coats to the frame and top board

Step 12: Attach the Top Board

Once the top board is fully stained and sanded you are ready to attach it using a nail gun.

Honestly it really doesn't matter how you space the nails, as log as the tops are flush with the top of the board and don't affect how the bag will slide across the surface. Just try to make it look nice.

Step 13: OPTIONAL: Hole Backlight

You can make your board look really good with some lights on the backside of your board.