Equipment

Forum Archive : Equipment

 
Board design

From:   Chuck Bower
Address:   bower@astro.indiana.edu
Date:   4 February 2004
Subject:   Re: Heavy Checkers-time to burn some metal!
Forum:   GammOnLine

From someone who has already built two "this is my last" backgammon boards
and has begun his third, I caution to make sure the board ("system" might
be better word) is playable. My first attempt is quite attractive (if I
might say so myself) and virtually unplayable! Here are some tips:

1) It is very important that the checkers *slide* smoothly across the
   surface. (This was the failure of my first board).

2) You want a playing surface that is both durable and cleanable.

3) You want a "Goldilocks" playing surface: not too hard, not too soft,
   just right! The dice should not hit and slide, and really it's better
   if they don't spin forever. Hard surfaces (including hard leather) lead
   to both of the above weaknesses.

4) Don't make the walls too high (problem with my second board). You don't
   want to have to sprain your neck when the dice land against the wall.

5) Make sure the bar will accomodate the checkers (i.e. they don't fall
   off).

6) Have storage space along the edge of the board for the checkers.

7) Don't make the board walls too thick or the board will be very heavy
   and difficult to lug around. (Another weakness of my second board.)

8) Make sure you have dicecups which are both of good quality AND fit
   inside the board! This may mean choosing (or making) a good set of
   dicecups before building the board.
 
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Equipment

Bakelite checkers  (Albert Steg, Nov 1998)  [Recommended reading]
Board design  (Chuck Bower, Feb 2004)  [GammOnLine forum]
Board design  (Adam Stocks, July 2002) 
Board design  (Gregg Cattanach, Dec 2000) 
Board design  (Michael Poche+, Dec 1998) 
Board design  (Albert Steg, Jan 1998) 
Boards  (Bert Van Kerckhove+, Aug 2002) 
Boards--Custom-made  (N Merrigan, Mar 2003) 
Boards--Dal Negro  (Erin+, Jan 2004) 
Boards--Features to look for  (Matthew Mueller+, Dec 2000) 
Boards--Hardwood Creations  (Ben Fairbank, May 1998) 
Boards--Tak Morioka  (Gregg Cattanach, Feb 2002) 
Boards--Tak Morioka  (Ed Zell, Jan 1999) 
Boards--Zavoral  (Robert Zavoral, Oct 1999) 
Buying a tournament board  (Chuck Bower, June 2011) 
Care of backgammon boards  (Ken Bame+, Mar 2009) 
Checkers  (Mike O.+, Feb 2003) 
Checkers  (Chuck Bower, Nov 1997) 
Dice  (Gregg Cattanach, July 2004) 
Dice cups  (David Montgomery, Nov 1999) 
Dice cups  (Leo Bueno, Feb 1998) 
How much to spend on a board?  (Ian Shaw, Apr 2004)  [GammOnLine forum]
Leather boards  (HGM+, Dec 1999) 
Luxury boards  (Paul Vianna+, Feb 2010) 
Meyer Dice Tube issues  (Stick+, July 2010) 
Meyer Dice Tube usage  (Justin Nunez+, Feb 2011) 
Meyer Dice Tube--Why I hate it  (Bob Glass+, Dec 2010) 
Moderately priced boards  (William Womack+, Feb 2010) 
Precision dice  (Patti Beadles+, Jan 2001) 
Precision dice  (Larry Strommen, Feb 1998) 
Precision dice  (Chuck Bower+, Feb 1998) 
Replacing cork on backgammon boards  (JP White, Apr 2003)  [GammOnLine forum]
Suppliers--BG Shop  (Michael Nelson, Jan 2002) 
Suppliers--Backgammon boards  (CKT, July 2004) 
Suppliers--Backgammon boards  (Ian Shaw+, June 2002) 
Suppliers--Where to buy dice  (Andrew B.+, Jan 2008) 
Suppliers--Yenigun  (yenigun, Sept 2005) 
What finish to use on a cork board?  (JP White+, Apr 2003)  [GammOnLine forum]
What is "standard size"?  (Daniel Murphy, Mar 2001) 
What is "tournament size"?  (Rodrigo Andrade+, July 1999) 
Woodworking--Finishing a board  (M Moore+, Jan 2008) 

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