I made this at school last year with the help of some of the kids. It’s a 9 Men’s Morris game. When people come to the house, I’ll often get comments like, “Is that some type of game?” or “Oh wow, is that 9 Man’s Morris?” It’s a game that goes back to Roman times and was very popular until at least Shakespearean times. I’d seen it in a museum and was fascinated. It's actually a really good game and decided to make my own. The main board is a scrap piece of pine and the playing pieces softwood dowel pins. I drilled some holes, dyed half of the dowels and scorched the lines with a pyrography kit. A few coats of Tung oil and it was done. I’d like to make a nicer version and have a piece of spalted beech put aside for when I have the time...
Something I made in 2003: