How To Make Plinko
Plinko is a game that has appeared on the game show "The Price is Right" for more than 25 years. Players drop chips against a peg-covered board. As the chips fall, they bounce around the pegs and find their way to the bottom. The bottom is labeled with different dollar amounts and the contestant wins the amount where the chips lands. You can build your own plinko board for classroom lessons or carnivals.
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Things You'll Need
- Spray paint
- 3/16-inch pegboard – 24 inches by 48 inches
- 200 grooved dowel pegs – 1/4 inch by 1-1/4 inch
- Plywood – 36 inches by 60 inches
- Hammer
- Nails
- Wood glue
- Rubber bands
Instructions
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1
Spray paint the pegboard and dowel pins. Use one color for the project or alternate the colors of the board and dowel pins. Allow the paint to dry. If you prefer another type of paint, be aware that more paint may be required. That could change the dimensions of the dowel pins and make it difficult to fit them into the pegboard holes.
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2
Attach your painted pegboard to your plywood with a hammer and nails. Center the plinko board on the plywood to allow space for labeling.
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3
Insert the dowel pins. Starting with the top row, insert one dowel pin into every other hole on the first horizontal row. Before inserting the dowel pins, apply wood glue to the base to help hold them in place.
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4
Leave the second horizontal row of holes empty.
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5
Insert one dowel pin, using wood glue, into every other hole on the third row. However, this time, skip the first hole and place your first dowel pin in the second hole. This will stagger the placement of the pins.
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6
Leave the fourth horizontal row of holes empty.
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7
Repeat steps three through six until you reach the last six rows of holes. For the last six rows of holes, place one pin in every other hole. When complete, the last six rows should form columns for your plinko chips.
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8
Create bumpers. Bumpers will keep your plinko chips from falling straight from top to bottom. Use rubber bands to make random triangles on the board by wrapping the rubber bands around three dowel pins. The number of triangular bumpers is up to you.
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9
Label your plinko board using letters at the top. Underneath the ending row, label dollar amounts. You can do this with paint, stencils or by printing labels on paper.
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Tips & Warnings
A finished board can be hung on a wall or leaned against a wall or table.
