Premise One: Jenga is fun.
Premise Two: Summer is a good time to be outdoors.
Conclusion: build an Oversized Outdoor Jenga Set!
Okay, I know that the formal argument needs quite a bit of propping up, but:
Premise: Summer is not the time for carefully arranging formal arguments.
That being said, this was quite a straightforward (if at times tedious) build. In Jenga you take turns carefully moving hardwood blocks from the base of a tower to its top – making it less and less stable as the game progresses. A traditional Jenga set hat 54 polished hardwood blocks. My oversized outdoor Jenga set has 54 unfinished, but finely cut softwood blocks. The proportions of a traditional Jenga set are: 15mm tall, 25mm wide, and 75mm long making it really easy to up-size the traditional set into an oversized outdoor Jenga set – just make it imperial. 1.5cm becomes 1.5 inches, 2.5cm becomes 2.5 inches, and 7.5cm becomes 7.5 inches, which can be cut from a standard 2×4 without much hassle.
2x4s have rounded edges, so the first step is to trim off the first rounded edge – set the fence on the table saw to rip off the first edge, and feed the whole thing through. I don’t have a proper outfeed setup, so I just set up a little table to support the eight foot boards. After you’ve taken off the first rounded edge, set the fence at 2.5 inches turn it 2×4 and set the flat edge against the fence, this time you’ll be trimming about an inch off. Speaking of, if you can think of something fun to do with 8′ x 1.5″ x1″ strips of 2×4, please! let me know ;- ). Cut the pieces to length (plus a 1/32nd on each end for sanding if you aren’t using a finishing blade), chamfer the edges, and you’re done!
I’ve also made a carry box for mine (because nobody wants to carry 50 wooden blocks around – I made it with a bit of extra space at the top so I can toss in my bocce set, a frisbee, and a beach towel to make a full-fledges summer fun box. The box is just half-inch finished plywood, glue, and brad nails.
You take a block from the middle and you put it on top.
