Okay, so I’ve been wanting to make a scoreboard for tennis games, you know, for when we play in the park. Just something simple, nothing fancy. I started thinking about how to actually do it.
The Cardboard Conundrum
First, I grabbed some cardboard. Figured that would be the easiest thing to work with. I cut out two big squares for the main score and some smaller ones for the sets. Then I started messing around with ways to actually show the numbers.
- Initial Idea Fail: I thought I could just cut out flaps in the cardboard, so you could flip them up to reveal different numbers. Nope. That was way too fiddly and the cardboard kept tearing.
- Sticky Note Struggles: Then I tried writing numbers on sticky notes and sticking them on. That kind of worked, but they kept falling off, especially when it got a bit windy. Plus, it looked pretty messy.
The Wheel Deal
Then I had a bit of a brainstorm. What about those number wheels, like you see on old combination locks? I rummaged through my junk drawer and found some old bottle caps. Perfect! I cleaned them up and drew numbers on them (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). I used a thick, bold marker so you can read from some distance.
I poked a hole in the center of each cap and through the cardboard. Then I used those little metal fasteners – you know, the ones with the two prongs you bend back? – to attach the caps to the cardboard. It worked! I could spin the caps to change the score. It can be used with one hand.
Set Scores and Finishing Touches
For the set scores, I did the same thing, just with smaller bottle caps. I also added some color. Green for one side, red for the other. Makes it easier to see who’s winning at a glance. Painted the cardboard solid white.
Finally, I reinforced the edges of the cardboard with some tape, just to make it a bit sturdier. It’s not exactly weatherproof, but it’ll hold up for a few games, at least. I added labels to each score, “games” and “sets”. Now it looks neat and well arranged.
It’s not the prettiest scoreboard in the world, but it works! And it was kind of fun to make, figuring it all out. Next time, maybe I’ll try using something more durable than cardboard, but for now, this will do just fine. Happy to finally check this off my “to-do” list.
