Cribbage Board 17 – Big Scary Laser

Project Details

Board #17 — completed 2020. A classic 3-lane board (2, 3, or 4 players) and absolutely one of a kind. Made from maple, using dark and natural stain for contrast. The back is laser-engraved with a keyhole hanger for ready-display. This was a fun build for a long time friend and co-founder. Happy that Big Scary Laser gets to survive on in larger form as a fun object.

The finished Big Scary Laser cribbage board — laser hazard warning triangle with the cribbage tracks running the three borders
The maple back, laser-engraved with the RedsToyland mark, the board number, and a keyhole hanger

Big Scary Laser, Do Not Stare At It With One Remaining Eye

Some backstory. Years ago Manuel and I cofounded a company called Mobius Photonics. We built lasers — actual big scary UV ones — and early on I designed our big-scary logo and we printed shirts for our early investors and friends that said: “Big Scary Laser, Do Not Stare At It With One Remaining Eye.”

So when it came time to make Manuel a board, there was really only one design on the table. The classic triangular warning sign is already a gift to a cribbage maker — it’s a triangle with a clear border where the holes can go, leaving negative space in the middle for a graphic. “Big Scary” dropped right in. Form + function, using black for contrast and aesthetic reasons.

The Build

The figure and starburst aren’t inlaid — they’re masked before routing. The process is this:

  1. plane the board to thickness.
  2. put a small layer of sealant or clear coat down to prevent bleed over.
  3. CNC route through the masking tape, exposing the areas to stain.
  4. stain.
  5. remove masking tape. (6) touch up.

Quick Mounting For CNC Routing

For the peghole panel, here are a few pictures of a really cool CNC technique that I use when you have nothing to hold onto. Simply:

  1. put down masking tape on both your spoil board and your object.
  2. put cyanoacrylate (CA) adhesive on one side (usually the spoil board tape) and then spritz CA accelerator on the other side, then
  3. put them together and press down for a few seconds.
  4. then you can route away and
  5. pry underneath gently with a flatbladed screwdriver to release.

I find this far easier than tabs and less problematic than clamps on a small part. Super fast, like the bottle promises, just be careful not to lose fingerprints in the process.

Starbond thick CA glue and accelerator — the trick for holding a small part down with nothing to clamp
The masked peghole panel, taped off and ready for the CNC to route through
Releasing the routed part by prying gently underneath with a flat-bladed screwdriver

The back of the board is also masked and CNC routed and then stained.