Hello guys and welcome at my first
instructable, for the first instructable i seleted a cardboard because it is interesting material for many things and also lying in every shop. I wanted to make something really funny, cheap, easy, clean and once more funny. As you could see, the fun was number one on my list and that's why I selected Skee ball. Skee ball is not so popular in the middle of Europe where I'm living and I wanted to build my own from cardboard for me and brothers kids. The second target was make it easiest and cheapest as possible. So I made instructable for you, how to make your own Skee ball with points counting.

Step 1: Materials and Tools

As I mentioned at the beggining, I selected materials that you can easily find at home or in shop under one dollar. In my case was a budget of 21 czech crowns, it means something about $ 0.9. I spended this money on white papers, which I havent at home, but if you do not have papers, you will not need it. It is only for better look.

Materials:

Cardboard

Wooden sticks

Empty bottle

White papers, format A2 (not necessary)

Gluing tape

Small balls (diameter 3cm maximum)

Tools:

Scissors

Cutter knife

Hot glue gun

Paper glue

Ruler (metric)

Pencil

Marker

Small brush

Water collors

Step 2: Praparation of Parts

I started with designing and the prepararing the necessary parts. At first I made sketch. After that I made sketch of the main part on cardboard for cutting. When I sketched the main part, I prepared supports from wooden sticks, by spliting and gluing together, because they needed time for drying. Also I prepared 3 circles from plastic bottle.

Step 3: Main Part - Gluing Together

After preparation I started with cutting and gluing together. As you can see, I helped myself with couple of woodworking clamps, but you could use only gluing tape, if you don’t have clamps. For right angle I used right angle ruler. I also placed paper glue inside of corners for better connections.

Step 4: Playing Area and Balls Management

When I finished with main part I had some time because of drying. So I had time for playing with playing area and ball management. I measured dimension from real main part and cut rectangle from carboard sheet for playing area. On this rectangle I sketched openings and barriers. For barriers from plastic bottle I made small groove by cutting knife. This groove helped me with gluing of the plastic circle bariers. I sinked it 0,5cm, so it mean, barriers will be 2,5mm. This was dimension for other two barriers, which I cutted from cardboard and colored to the red. After this step, I made it same on clear white paper, which is top layer on playing area (this is not necessary, but it looks better, cleaner). When I finished top playing area I started with bottom rectangle, which have same dimensions, but it is slightly moved from the bottom edge. Between this two layers are glued ribbs, which are used also for guiding balls. This two layers I glued by hot glue gun. Ribbs are 4cm heigh and space between ribbs are also 4cm, because holes for balls are 3,5cm. It means, all balls, which could pass the hole, could go easilly through this guiding. In this step I also prepared guidings for balls through the game with drawers on the end. Heigh of guidings is also 4cm and it is covered by other rectangle from cardboard.

Step 5: Throwing Area

Last step before gluing together was throwing area. This area is very important, but dimensions of this area will be defined by your playing area inside main part. Throwing area must be angled and on the end must be radius. I measured this part and tested it in a non-glued condition. After I recognize which angle and radius is best for me, I made signs on main part for gluing.

Step 6: Final Assembly and Gluing Together

After I prepared all parts and made marks for final gluing I started with assembling. Firstly I made adjustment on main part. I cutted main part from both sides under angle, because main part was really deep and top hole wasnt visible, so you can see that the sides of the main part are skew. I placed more cardboard inside of canopy, because I mainly wanted to use balls from bearings, which are really heavy. Also I glued some pads from cardboard on bottom (it helps reach the drawer on end by ball) and wooden stick pads on sides and after that I glue it together, like you can see at photos. Also I made some bends on the end above the drawersfor balls and other small adjustments, which . Final step was gluing white paper on throwing area and add numbers, which I printed, but you could make it by hand. Also you could choose your own values.

Step 7: TIPS

How to nicely and easy cut empty bottle?

Cut bottle from one side and fill it with something. I used rolled up rubber plate

How to make nice 90° bend?

If you want to have nice bend, cut first layer of cardboard from opposite side and run over this cut with something with round shape(I used marker), this will definitelly helps you with nice bends.

How to make nice radius from cardboard?

If you want to have a nice radius(ramp), turn your cardboard and make cuts of first layer from opposite site with spaces as you need.

Thanks for taking the time to check out and read through this build.

If you like it, please vote for my Skee ball in the cardboard contest.