
So last weekend I decided to spice up our backyard family time and built a hook and ring game. You know, that simple game where you swing the ring and try to hook it on the target? Heard it was fast fun for everyone. Here’s exactly what I did, step-by-step.
The Scramble for Stuff
First, I needed stuff. Grabbed some old decking board pieces leaning against the shed – maybe 6 feet long? Didn’t even measure properly at first, just eyeballed it. Found a hefty metal hook buried in the toolbox. Good enough. Then I remembered – the ring! Shuffled through a bucket of junk and pulled out a metal key ring, the kind you get at hardware stores. Maybe 2 inches across? Used my rusty pliers to open it up and widen it a bit.
Also grabbed:
- A scrap piece of sturdy string (found it tangled in the garage, hope it holds!)
- My trusty hammer
- A drill with a skinny bit (for pilot holes, learned that mistake before!)
- A hand saw
- Measuring tape (found it under the seat of my truck)
- Pencil (chewed the end off)
No fancy trips to the store. Just used what was lying around.
Whacking Things Together
Layed the deck board flat on my wobbly outdoor table. Decided to make the hook post about 4 feet tall. Measured roughly 4 feet from one end of the board and made a shaky pencil mark. Grabbed the saw. Chopped it off. Easy.
Next, the target hook. Needed something solid to screw it into for swinging. Cut another chunk off the board piece, about 8 inches long for the base plate. Laid the tall post upright on top of this base plate near one end. Traced around the post with my pencil. Needed these suckers connected! Drilled two pilot holes straight down through the base plate, right where the marks were. Lined the vertical post back up over the holes. Grabbed some fat wood screws – about 2 inches long? – and sunk them hard with my drill. Felt solid.
Now, the hook itself. Found a spot about halfway up the vertical post. Poked the pointy end into the wood to make a dent. Drilled a thin pilot hole there. Screwed the big metal hook into that hole, turning it slowly by hand with a wrench to get it really tight. Gave it a wiggle. Didn’t budge. Good.
For the ring post, cut a smaller piece from the leftover wood, maybe 6 inches long? That would be its base. Measured and cut a shorter post – like 2 feet tall. Screwed the tall part onto the small base the same way: traced, pilot holes, screws. Left that one plain, no hook. Just needed a post to hang the string from.
Hanging & Testing (The Slightly Sketchy Bit)
Took the string. Tied one end really tight to the key ring. Went over to the shorter ring post. Held it up next to its base. Measured roughly how high I wanted the ring to start swinging from – maybe 6 inches below the top of the post? Tied the other end of the string right there, wrapping it like crazy and using a knot my grandpa taught me (hope it holds!). Plopped the ring post assembly down on the patio.
Now, the main hook assembly. Carried it over and stood it up opposite the ring post. Took a big step back. Eyeballed about 6 feet apart. Seemed right. Held the ring post base down with my foot and gave it a shove. Didn’t topple over. Cool.
The big moment! Took the ring, stood next to the ring post. Held the ring out so the string was taut. Swung it gently towards the hook. Missed. Swung harder. Clang! Hit the post. Swung again… and suddenly thwack, it hooked on! Simple joy! Made my teenage daughter try. She hooked it third try. We grinned like idiots.
Done. No expert job, but damned if it isn’t fun. Took maybe an hour from grabbing junk to first successful hook. Fingers crossed the knots hold! Kids already want me to paint it.