How to Build a Shishkaball Ball-Drop Game

By: Jennifer Stimpson, This Old House online

Shopping List

Supplies You Will Need

½-inch birch-veneer plywood

  2x4 for the legs

  4-foot welded-wire garden fencing

  2-foot bamboo plant stakes You'll need at least 90

 Plastic pit balls Get about 100

220-grit sandpaper

Stain-blocking white primer

Spray paint in three colors

 ⅞-inch wood screws

 2 ½-inch trim-head screws

 Wood glue

 Wood filler

Painter's tape

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Tools List
Tools You Will Need
- Jigsaw fitted with scroll blade (for plywood) and aggressive blade (for lumber)
- Drill driver fitted with ⅛-inch bit and ¼-inch bit
- Linesman pliers
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Photo: Room 5 Films

Introduction
Overview
Steps:
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8

7: Set the wire in place

6 hours
$73, including pit balls

Difficulty: Moderate Sizing the pieces calls for some math, and wrangling the large wire roll may require a helper.

The heyday of classic board games like Ker-Plunk and Jenga may be long gone, but you can re-create that heady feeling of pulling out a piece and waiting to see if everything comes crashing down. You can do it in a yard-size version that's sure to become the raucous centerpiece of any summer gathering. All you need is some wire fencing, lumber, plastic balls, plant stakes—and perhaps a dose of video instruction from Team Saturday. Once the pieces are assembled, invite your friends and neighbors over to get reacquainted with the heart-pounding fun of yore.