| Project by TomFran | posted 350 days ago | 446 views | 0 times favorited | 26 comments | ![]() |
This is a game board which almost got thrown out. The sides broke, and I had just the panel sitting in my shop for several years. This thing is probably over 40-50 years old. One day my son told me he wanted to make some sides for it and put it back in service, since we had a lot of fun with it over the years. It was given to us by a man who was almost 90 years old, and we’ve had it for about 15 years.
Anyway, my son and I went to the lumberyard and bought some black walnut for the sides and MDF for a stable base (the original had no base), and we put a lazy susan unit on the bottom to make it easier to play the game. I actually assisted my son on this project, so he gets the credit for the entire design and completion of the project. He has shown himself to have some great woodworking ability.
We originally finished it with Watco Danish Oil, but were not satisfied with the dull look, and so we ended up applying (3) coats of Waterlox Original and were happy with the result.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
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26 comments so far
Thos. Angle
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3243 posts in 368 days
posted 350 days ago
Neat project, Tom. Great idea to get the son involved.
-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon
Lee A. Jesberger
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2201 posts in 385 days
posted 350 days ago
Great project Tom and son.
It’s nice to spend time working with your son in the shop. Some of my favorite times are spent that way.
Lee
-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com
Bob Babcock
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1809 posts in 491 days
posted 350 days ago
Wow very cool. I remember a carom board we had when I was a kid. A little different design as it had a number of setups on one face and was reversible with a checkerboard and backgammon on the reverse. Lots of great memories at that board. Thanks for bringing them back. Great job to do with your son.
-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org
TomFran
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2333 posts in 400 days
posted 350 days ago
Thanks a lot Thos.
My son actually got me involved. He’s the one that wanted to have a carrom board again. If he ever gets serious about woodworking, he will be better at it than me for sure!
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
TomFran
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2333 posts in 400 days
posted 350 days ago
Lee,
Thank you for the gracious comment. Yes, my son and I have done woodwork, automotive repair, and played a lot of tennis together.
I agree with you, that some of your favorite times are working on projects together. Neither of us watch TV, so we have more time for “constructive” things like this.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
TomFran
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2333 posts in 400 days
posted 350 days ago
Bob,
This board was like the one you mentioned with checkers and backgammon on the back, but he wanted a “solid” carrom board with the lazy susan so you wouldn’t have to move all over to make your shots.
Thanks for the kind words.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
DAN
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2642 posts in 388 days
posted 350 days ago
nice piece … good enough to hang on the wall
-- ..... smalll army of cast iron wingnuts !! cool photo in FORUM
Max
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5058 posts in 678 days
posted 350 days ago
Turned out very nice. I know I like the time my Dad and myself spend together especially doing projects. That time spent is worth a lot….
-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT
TomFran
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2333 posts in 400 days
posted 350 days ago
Thanks a lot Dan!
My son gets the credit for designing this board with the walnut sides, innovative lazy susan, and the solid MDF base. I was just his “grunt” cutting the wood and helping out.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
TomFran
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2333 posts in 400 days
posted 350 days ago
Max – thank you!
I agree – good times doing profitable things together. And, we saved an antique game board from the land fill.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
PanamaJack
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4453 posts in 483 days
posted 350 days ago
Cool Game board repair! Great job Tom (& Son).
-- Carpe Lignum - Seize The Wood,
TomFran
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2333 posts in 400 days
posted 350 days ago
Thanks Jack for the kind words.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
MsDebbieP
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11040 posts in 566 days
posted 350 days ago
a treasure before.. and doubly so, now!
Congrats to your son on a vision/job well done.
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
TomFran
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2333 posts in 400 days
posted 350 days ago
Thanks Debbie. I just read your post to him, and he appreciated the gracious comment.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
oscorner
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4576 posts in 716 days
posted 350 days ago
I’ve never heard of the game, but it looks like your son did a great job of restoring it back to usefulness.
-- Jesus is Lord!
TomFran
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2333 posts in 400 days
posted 350 days ago
oscorner,
Thanks!
After I found this web site, I told my son to send me some pictures, and I’d post them on the web for others to see. Maybe this will encourage him to do more woodwork. He really does enjoy doing it.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
mot
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4830 posts in 442 days
posted 341 days ago
Great family project, Tom. Sorry for the late viewing. I’m just trying to catchup after a couple of weeks away. Nice job.
-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)
TomFran
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2333 posts in 400 days
posted 341 days ago
Thanks Mot!
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
Karson
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12000 posts in 806 days
posted 340 days ago
Tom Great project. I’m also back after 10 day gone to KC MO.
-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
TomFran
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2333 posts in 400 days
posted 340 days ago
Thanks Karson.
Welcome home! Hope you had a nice time our there – we did miss you here.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
mjpierson
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54 posts in 398 days
posted 322 days ago
cool project. I like these “old” wood games…there are some neat ones out there. Like the Black Walnut sides in the #2 picture
-- Mike - Columbus, Ohio
TomFran
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2333 posts in 400 days
posted 322 days ago
Thanks a lot, MJ!
I was my son’s assistant on this project. It was his idea to go with a high quality wood. He has Cadiallac taste for wood (black walnut).
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
sarge
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31 posts in 274 days
posted 273 days ago
TELL THE BOY GOOD JOB. I LOVE THE USE OF THE WALNUT WITH WHAT LOOKS LIKE BIRDSEYE. THEY MAKE A GREAT CONTRAST.
-- GOD CREATED THE EARTH WITH TREES, GOD CREATED MAN WITH BRAINS TO MAKE A SAW. THE REST IS UP TO US. LETS MAKE SOME SAW DUST.
TomFran
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2333 posts in 400 days
posted 273 days ago
Thanks a lot, Sarge. I will relay your message to him!!!
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
Paul
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577 posts in 498 days
posted 273 days ago
Neat! I passed by the title on the pulse page many times before I remembered the name of the game!
Great save! Like Bob B, I remember playing when I was a kid. I hope one of my brothers took it, but I think we pitched the board we had when we cleaned out the homeplace this past Spring before Mom’s move to the retirement high-rise.
I remember colored plastic rings we used as game pieces. A game similar to playing marbles, as I recall.
-- Paul, Texas
TomFran
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2333 posts in 400 days
posted 273 days ago
Paul,
Yep, that’s carroms. And, if it wasn’t for my son, this board would be landfill as well. I’m really, really glad that he did this. He has shown me that he definitely has woodworking talent and, he likes to do it. In fact, he’ll be better at it than me, because he is really gifted with good math skills and mechanical ability. I’ve already told him he’ll get all my toys, when I go to heaven!
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28