A two person blaster game using ball bearings

Supplies

3/4" plywood used for floor and sides of game box
1x6 pine used for top frame , Wheel of Doom, and barriers
2x6 pine used for cannon turrets
3/4" wood dowel-- and 3/8" dowel --both used for firing pins
4-1/4" hole saw or band saw to make cannon turrets
Drill press or hand drill
Table saw or circular saw with straight edge
7/8" fostner drill bit
Ball bearings (16)
7/8' od roller bearings with 5/16" id (2)
5/16" - 1-1/2" carriage bolts with locking nuts (2)
5/16-3" hanger bolt used on "Wheel of Doom" with CAP NUT
12mm x 3mm disk magnets NEODYMIUM (6)

Step 1: Build the Box- ( Box to Be Sloped After Completion)

Cut the 3/4” plywood bottom 35.25” x 22.75”

Using the left over plywood cut the three sides.

Two pieces at 3” x 34”

One piece at 3” x 22.75”

Miter the corners and glue together the sides and bottom. There will be 1.25 “ gap on the open side that will be used as a dust and dirt clean out. Add wood screws from the bottom into the side walls

Step 2: Build the Cannon Turrets

Using the 4-1/4” hole cut drill bit - drill a hole in the 2x6 board. Make sure you clamp the board as much torque is generated. Also drilling down part way to start then flip the board over and drill down using the pilot hole that should now be on the bottom will prevent tear out.
Now pry out the 1-1/2” tall round cannon turret from the drill.

Drill a 1/2 inch hole through the center of the turret 1 “ high and straight through the center. The drill must be at least 5” long to make it through.

Using the same bit drill a vertical hole down following the pilot hole made by the 4-1/4” hole cut drill - through the center of the turret BUT YOU MUST STOP when you reach the first hole that you drilled horizontally. ( this is where the 7/16” ball bearings will be loaded - they must stop when they land in the horizontal drill opening.) REMEMBER YOU SHOULD ONLY BE DRILLING DOWN 1/2” to meet the horizontal hole.

Now use the 3/8” (5-1/4” long) dowel glued into the 7/8” (1” long) dowel to make the firing pin as shown in the picture.

You will use a rubber band that measures 4” UNSTRETCHED from end to end.

Using a coping saw , cut an angled slot into the 7/8” dowel. Also cut an angled slot below the cannon exit hole. These will be used to hold the rubber band in place. You can now test your cannon turrets.

Step 3: Add the Barrier Walls

-Using 1"x 3/4" strips from your 1x6 board (save a 5x5 section for step 4) cut out the barrier walls as shown on drawing. Note all barrier walls have a 45 degree cut on both ends. The top of the barrier walls should be longer that the bottoms when placed on the plywood surface

-Attach them to the bottom plywood surface using wood screws. PRE DRILL YOUR SCREWS

The angled barrier walls should be placed using the turret as a guide. They are the only ones that have a height of 3/4" as the exit port of the cannon must clear them. Note leave some space for the turret to spin freely. The dimensions shown should work if not adapt to what you have.

Step 4: Build and Install the Wheel of Doom

Using your hole cut drill (or band saw) cut a 4-1/4"" hole in your remaining 1x6 board.

Save the inside wheel you just made -.You might want to sand it smooth.

Using a 7/8" Fostner bit drill a hole in the center 1/4" deep - this is where the first 7/8" roller bearing will be super glued in. But before the glue - reem the hole out with a 5/16" drill bit all the way through to allow for the 3" long 5/16" hanger bolt to pass.

Drill two more 5/16 holes to allow for the 5/16 carriage bolts that are used as targets for the ball bearing projectiles. You might use a 7/16"drill as a counter sink for the square part of the carriage bolt heads. THESE CARRIAGE BOLTS WILL NEED TO BE CUT TO LENGTH to clear the surface when the 3/8" dia spring and locking nuts are installed.

TIP - the first carriage bolt hole can be drilled 3/4" from the outside circumference of the wheel. The bolt should be installed with the nut and spring.

Now install the 3" hanger bolt into the top center barrier wall ( you may have to trim the barrier wall to let the carriage bolts spin by) Pre drill your hole

install a 5/16" washer then the wheel of doom assembly then a second roller bearing on top then finally the cap nut. Now tighten the cap nut which in turn will tighten the hanger bolt

Now spin the carriage bolt so it clears the top of the barrier wall but strikes the barrier wall toward the bottom. At this point drill your second carriage bolt hole 3/4" from the outside circumference but lined up with the center line of the top barrier wall. The purpose of these carriage bolts is to prove a target for the cannon projectile ball bearings. If you hit one from down range it will spin the wheel towards your opponents zone allowing you to score points against him.

Step 5: THE GATES OF THANOS : RULES OF PLAY

THE OBJECTECTIVE OF THE GAME IS TO IS TO FIRE ALL YOUR PROJECTILES (BALL BEARINGS) OUT OF YOUR ZONE BEFORE YOUR OPPONENT CAN.

SETUP: EQUAL NUMBER OF PROJECTILES GIVEN TO EACH PLAYER - WHEEL OF DOOM POSITIONED TO CENTERLINE OF TOP BARRIER USING CENTER ARROW.

ONCE A PLAYER HAS ACCOMPLISHED THE ABOVE OBJECTIVE - THE GAME HAS ENDED AND THE POINTS ARE AWARDED AS FOLLOWS:

1 POINT FOR EACH PROJECTILE ON YOUR OPPONENTS FIRING BARRIER
THE SUM OF THESE POINTS THEN GET MULTIPIED BY 2 FOR ANY PROJECTILES STUCK ON MAGNETS IN THE OPPONENTS ZONE
THAT TOTAL GETS MULTIPLIED BY THE WHEEL OF DOOM POINTER
ANY PROJECTILE NOT ON THE BOTTOM RACK AREA OR ON A MAGNET DOES NOT COUNT
RAISING THE TURRET CANNON OFF THE SURFACE IS IMMEDIATE DISQUALIFICATION

NOTE: A FRAME WAS ADDED TO HELP KEEP THE PROJECTILES FROM ESCAPING. THE DIMENSIONS ARE SHOWN ON THE LAYOUT SKETCH