How to Make a Cribbage Board from Reclaimed Wood

Sometimes things just come together at the right time and with the right materials. That's the case with this cribbage board made from reclaimed wood. I needed a birthday gift for my son who enjoys all kinds of games. I had been hoarding a couple slabs of reclaimed olive wood, and he didn't have a cribbage board, so, as they say—the rest is history.

Equipment and Supplies to Make a Cribbage Board

• Slab of reclaimed wood large enough to accommodate the template
• 8 rivets
• Template for cribbage board
• Liquid Leaf by Plaid Enterprises
• Proxxon Bench Drill Press TMB 115
• Proxxon Delta Sander OZI/E

Instructions for Making a Cribbage Board

1. Paint four of the rivet heads with Liquid Leaf Gold and four with Liquid Leaf Silver (or paint colors of your choice). I found it easiest to dip the heads in the paint rather than try to use a brush. Set aside to dry.
   
2. Print the board template. 
   
3. Cover the piece of wood with painter's tape. Spray the reverse side of the template, and adhere to the taped wood. Using painter's tape protects the wood from adhesive residue and makes for easy removal of the template.
   
4. Select a brad point drill bit slightly larger than the shaft of the rivets. 
5. Set the drilling depth of the drill press so the holes do not penetrate the back surface of the wood slab. Drill the holes according to the template.
   
6. My piece of wood is irregularly shaped, so the drill bit needed to be manually positioned for each holes. However, if you are using a piece of wood with a flat edge, you can set the adjustable fence to drill each line of holes.
   
7. Keep the flutes of the drill bit clean to ensure accurate drilling.
   
8. Use the Proxxon Delta sander with progressively finer grits of sandpaper to sand the surfaces of the wood.
   
9. Use olive oil to buff and polish the sanded piece.
   

To complete the gift presentation I embroidered a sleeve for the board. Yes, his birthday is on the fourth of the month :)

Carole