Washer Game Plans

These washer game plans are for creating a two-piece portable wooden washer game set. This woodworking project is small enough to be built from scrap plywood you might have left over from a previous project.

This game is called the washer "box" game. There are also the three-hole washer board, the one-hole washer board, and the in-ground "pit" game. Each has specific rules (at the bottom of this page).

Washer Game Plans - Getting Started

One piece of 3/8 plywood 4 feet wide by 2 feet long
Eight inches of 3-inch diameter PVC pipe
Two 16-inch by 18-inch pieces of green turf
Eight 1-inch "L" brackets
Four 3/4 inch long #8 nuts and bolts
Eight 1/2 inch long #8 nuts and bolts
One brass door pull
Two brass clasps

The tools that you will need are also relatively few.

Table Saw (a circular saw would also be sufficient for this project)
Finish Nailer
Power Drill
3/16-inch drill bit
8mm wrench or socket
Screw Driver (sized for #8 bolts)
Carpenter's glue
Flooring glue
Polyurethane/paint brush

To create the base of the washer game, cut the 3/8 inch plywood into the following sized pieces. The dimensions provided are from the "long points" of the mitered pieces.

Two pieces 8 inches by 13 inches
Two pieces 8 inches by 19 inches
Two pieces 13 inches by 19 inches

Assemble the six cut pieces of 3/8 inch plywood to create a rectangular box (that has no opening). Use Carpenter's glue and a finish nailer to assemble the pieces. I highly recommend thoroughly sanding the pieces of plywood before nailing them together. It is hard to get a sander into the inside corners of the plywood box after assembly.

Once assembled, measure 2 inches down from one of the 8-inch dimensions of the box, and do the same on the opposite end, but in reverse. Draw a line to connect the points. Flip the box over and make the same marks on the other side. Using a circular saw, cut along the lines that you just made. The idea is to create two trays for the washer game with equally sloping sides (as shown below).

Polyurethane the two trays to seal and protect them. Cut two pieces of the green turf to match the bottom of the inside of the bases and glue in each piece.

Cut the 8-inch piece of PVC pipe into two equal pieces. Using the 1-inch "L" brackets and 8mm nuts/bolts, attach the 4-inch PVC pipe to each base part. Drill four 3/16-inch holes into the PVC pipe for the four "L" brackets. Drill the holes so that when you bolt on the "L" brackets, they are flush with the bottom of the 4-inch piece of pipe. Position the assembled PVC/"L" bracket parts in the center of the bottom of each base. Using the holes in the "L" brackets as a guide, drill additional 3/16-inch holes through the 3/8 plywood base and the fake turf grass. Attach using the 3/4 inch long 8mm nut/bolt combinations.

These washer game plans are complete, but it would travel much easier if you could attach the base parts and have a handle to carry it. That's where the brass pull and the clasps come in. Attach them as indicated.

Success!

Washer Game Rules

These washer game rules apply to this washer game. Other rules apply to different washer games.

Scoring is easy. You get 1 point if your washer lands inside the box and 3 points if your washer lands inside the cup. If one of your washers lands on one of the edges of the box, you automatically win the game!

Place the boxes where the cups are 21 feet apart. To determine who will pitch first, each player will toss one washer to the opposite cup. Whoever gets closest to the cup starts the game. This process is called the diddle.

Applying the Washer Game Rules

Player 'A' will toss their four washers, one at a time, to the opposite washer game box, followed by player 'B.' The person or team who scored last throws first. After the players/teams have tossed all their washers - scores can be calculated.

Only one player/team may score per round, but only score points for all washers closer than their opponents. For example, if player A has one washer inside the box and player B has three washers inside the box, player B scores 2 points.

The first player/team who scores 21 points wins the game. If player/team A reaches 21 points, and player/team B has yet to toss their washers, player/team B must be allowed to finish the round in hopes that they will nullify or make more points than team/player A.

A skunk can be called, with a score of 11-0, or a whitewash, with a score of 17-2.