I just got done these today. Here is what I used
Machine: XCarve 1000X1000
Laser: 15W generic from Wish.com (most likely not 15 W)
Speed: 20 in/min
Power: 70 %
Material Size : 2ft x 4ft x 3/4in.(each one)
Engraving time per board approximately 30 minutes
Software used: Vectric Aspire and Lightburn
I first used blue painters tape on the entire board, then engraved a 2’ x 2’ section creating registration marks on the lower part. Then I shifted the boards down and engraved the upper part. Removed the tape in the areas I wanted to paint and just used spray paint with primer, then sealed with polyurethane. There is a total of 4 coats of the polyurethane with a light sanding in between each dry coat to knock down any bumps. Just have to cut out the hole and make the base and legs.
By the way my wife and son are addicted to WOW so that’s why I made them.
Oh wow. Here are ones I did. I drew it all in Lightburn and used my CNC spindle for the cuts (with Vectric’s VCarve Pro for the toolpaths and post processor).
I have no clue, but considering the time and materials if I were selling these I would change up the design slightly and definitely not paint them in the manner I did (because that painting is a lot of extra time).
I would make the tops of 3/4" plywood (where I made mine from 1/2" to make them lighter). That would eliminate the need for the depth / support ring under the hole and provide for less reflection when a bag hits the top.
I would not lighten the sides with the holes (as this takes more machine time and creates a lot of post processing finish work with sanding).
The legs could be simplified and not be as “fancy” (in that I made it where the legs appear full and thick and as if they are extending directly from the back rail). The legs could be a simple 2x4.
I made my boards as a keepsake but that comes with a constant wish that I had made them to be knocked around and cared less about.
So with all of that, if I were to stamp out and make this design in the more production version I described, you’re looking at roughly $70 to $80 in material, about 30 minutes of machine work / fiddling with material movement, maybe about two hours for post processing and assembly, and an hour to finish with a couple of coats of poly.
Maybe that’s why I don’t sell them because I am not sure if someone would want to pay the price for the level of quality (maybe $350 - $400) when they would be so tempted to buy one of those HORRIBLE sets from Amazon for $60.
The only reason to pay the 350-400 you mentioned was for the type of work and quality you put into your set. If you’re making a standard set of cornhole boards, you can use 2x4’s for the frame and legs and 1/2" or 3/4" ply for the decks. By the time you have hardware invested, assembly time and/or paint, you can easily market your boards anywhere from $160-250. The prices you also listed were pretty reasonable for material costs as well.
I have been building a set currently, pictures to come later, and I plan on selling those for around $300-350. This decision is because of the extra detail I’m putting into the boards.
Any other boards I plan to make, depending on details, I will sell for between that $160-250 range. Also note that you should look into your market for pricing in your area. Some people are willing to pay for a well crafted set of boards but others may not want to dish out that much. A lot of it has to do with what you’re able to create and what options you’re willing to offer moving forward.
hole boards.