Solo Ping Pong

A simple game but like all good games takes skill to master. Play regular table tennis rules or just see how long you can keep the ball in motion. Just drop the ball on one side of the table and by flicking your wrist make it cross the net and land on the other side. Repeat until you drop the ball. That's it!

You'll need some 1/8 inch hardboard cut to 12 x 6 inches for the table. Sand the edges and slightly round the corners to avoid accidents. A piece of wood 12 inches long for the handle, I used 1/2 inch x 1,1/2 inch poplar. A piece of vinyl window screen cut into 2 inch wide strip. And two pieces of 3/16 inch dowel cut to 2, 3/16 inches.

Spray the table flat green, and drill a shallow flat bottomed hole 7 inches from one end of the handle. This is to store the ball when not playing. Cut your dowels to size.

Glue the handle to the underside of the table dead centre. Use good quality carpenter's glue. Measure to get it precise. Make sure the hole is on the opposite,(green) side.

When the glue dries, drill two 7/32" holes, 1/4" from each end of the table so they form a line dividing the table in half. Make them 3/16" deep. Push the dowels into them. Wrap window screen around one dowel and thread fine wire through the holes in the screen securing it around the dowel. Cut the screen about a half inch longer than the distance to the other dowel, wrap the end around the dowel and repeat the wiring process. Now you are ready to play. Get some ping pong balls and try it out.

Dimensions are only guidelines. You can build these any reasonable size with materials you have on hand and they'll be just as much fun.