About Me

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Cedar, Leelanau County, Michigan (near Traverse City), United States
I am a 76 year old (born 7/4/1937) retired Public Radio Engineer from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. Happily married to the love of my life, Teddy (nee Teddy Schlueter). Teddy is a retired Medical Records Clerk from Theda Clark Hospital in Neenah, Wisconsin. Two children, Michael and Lon. Lon passed away in 1994. Michael is married to his wonderful wife, Toni and lives in Appleton, Wisconsin. For photos click on link below or visit our photo site http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo NOTE: Click on photos for full-size images.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Larry's Pegs & Jokers project

At RV parks across the nation retired RVers often enjoy a number of daytime outdoor leisure pastimes such as golf, bocce, swimming & horseshoes. Indoor & evening activities include pool, puzzles, dominoes, and a variety of card games such as hearts, cribbage, poker and "Pegs & Jokers". We had never heard of P&J until we came to Arizona four years ago but quickly became fans. It is a derivative of the old Parker Brothers board game, Sorry and it's popularity has spread rapidly in RV parks probably due to the mobility of RVers. The game boards as of yet are all hand made, usually of wood and are quite easy to make with just a jigsaw and an electric drill. A Goggle search will find several entrepreneurs making and selling them on the Internet. As might be expected there is some variation in the rules from park to park as there is no official ruling organization.
Two years ago Teddy and I purchased a set of game boards from an internet website. It is an excellent set and well made. However, since I am somewhat of an internet nerd as well as a retiree with time on his hands, I continued to a search the web every so often just to check out P&J boards. This led to me to last winter discovering a seller making boards from "Corian". So then I began to muse on what would be the ultimate P&J board set and my tiny brain seized on polished aluminum. I could find no such thing on the web and began to wonder how difficult, and expensive, it would be to make them myself. All of the other guys here at Havasu Falls told me that I was crazy to even consider it...but then again they pretty much think me to be nuts anyway.




In late November I ordered eight pieces of 6061-T6 extruded aluminum bar 3/4" x 3" x 13" from a metal supplier in Seattle, Washingon. I drew up plans on my computer and then made a couple of prototypes from pine using my jig saw. I then borrowed a tabletop drill press and set up shop right here in the trailer. Using 3/16" jobber's bullet drill bits & Tap Magic Aluminum Cutting Fluid, I drilled and countersunk all 216 holes without breaking a single bit. I then rough cut the first board and quickly came to the conclusion that I was not going to be able to cut them by hand. Having come this far there was no turning back so I found a local machinist to cut and mill the boards. When he was finished I had them polished and the result is downright beautiful, albeit expensive. To make them into an anniversary set I've had Teddy & my name and our wedding date engraved on them by a trophy shop. We will be married 45 years on February 22 and according to the charts the wedding anniversary symbol for 45 is Sapphire but as far as we are concerned it is Aluminum.
I then sealed them to prevent oxidation & tarnishing.

Then to complete the project I purchased some metal pegs from Pete's Pegs, an internet site that sells cribbage pegs. For additional colors Pete also made me matching white & red pegs from nylon.



Here is a photo of a mock set-up for eight players.


So in retrospect, I'm happy and proud of the way the boards turned out...everyone that sees them oohs and aahs. They are more than game boards, they are art.
"Would I do it again?"
Considering the expense, probably not, but one thing is certain, we have what is probably the most beautiful, the most perfect and the most expen$ive Pegs & Joker set in existence.

4 comments:

Mark and Dortha said...

Glad to meet you Larry and Teddy. Thanks for visiting our blog, RVing
With Poppa.

I look foward to traveling with you down the road and through the world of blogging.

Come and join us all in the chat room of the rv-dreamers website. You will find me there under the name of Moppah.

Larry & Teddy said...

Thanx!

deedee said...

hi... Thank You for "following" my blog. I'm giving you the letter "C" - good luck! Remember it's 10 things you love and then pass on the challenge to other bloggers. Can't wait to see your 10 C's. Dee Dee

Frank Baker said...

Hi Larry and Teddy. Thanks for following my blog, and I'm also following yours.

I took a look at your blog last night and I must say I'm impressed. I'm not much of a card player, but I used to be a " crack-shot" with a sling shot.

I also see you have met Dee Dee, she's a great lady.