Keep cabin fever at bay with a new version of an old
pastime... 3-D Tick-Tack Toe
!
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By David Dyer
This little game—the "board" for which can be made in
one evening—is simply a much more
challenging version of the tick-tack-toe almost
all of us played (and quickly mastered) as children . . .
and the three-dimensional version makes the childhood
pastime fun again, even for grown-ups!
The only tools required to construct a 3-D tick-tack-toe
set are a saw (a handsaw will do) and a drill (preferably
electric) with a 17/64" or 9/32" drill bit. The materials
list is equally modest. It includes a 26" section of a 1/4"
dowel (you should be able to purchase a 36" length for
under 25¢) . . . a scrap of 1 X 4 (preferably
hardwood, but softwood is OK) ... 28 macramé beads
with 1/4" holes, which cost 10 to 20¢ apiece (get 14
each of two different colors) ... and finishing materials
(sandpaper, glue, and stain or varnish).
EASY CONSTRUCTION
To make the base of the game board, saw a 3-1/2" square
from the 1 X 4 stock. Next, cut nine 2-3/4" pieces of dowel
(to use as the game's upright "posts") and mark the peg
holes on the base.
The best way to position the holes-to-be is to draw a
2-1/2" square on the board, centered and 1/2 inch from all
edges (see the accompanying diagram). The corners of this
square will serve as the centers for the four corner pegs.
Now, measure and mark the halfway point (1-1/4") between
each two corners. These spots should be used as the centers
for the four remaining perimeter peg holes. Finally, simply
connect the last four points with two straight lines, and
their intersection will position the middle peg.
Before you drill holes at your marked points, you
should—as a precaution—begin each one with a
center punch or a nail. This will prevent the bit from
drifting, which would result in an off-center bore. (If you
use a handheld drill, be extremely careful to keep it
perpendicular to the base.) The holes should be
1/2" deep (an easy way to make sure they're all the same
depth is to wrap a thin strip of masking tape around the
drill to serve as a temporary gauge).
