# Monopoly game (commissioned piece)



## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

I've mentioned this Monopoly game here before but I didn't have pictures where I could find them at the time. I finally came across those pictures so here you go:

I made this 10 years ago. A friend whose son was a huge Monopoly fan and had a collection going asked me to give him a quote to make a custom Monopoly game for his son's upcoming birthday. So I did, the price was approved and this is what came of it. The indoor pictures of the player pieces are really poor but I can't do much about that now. So I apologize in advance for the poor quality of some of the photographs.

I never did know what kind of wood I used to make the board. The top of the board is stained. The whole thing is coated with spray lacquer. The player pips are whittled from pine. The beer in the mug is made from clear epoxy with a drop of yellow food coloring added. And the houses and hotels are made from poplar.

The black lines, text and outlines on the various parts (the board, player pieces and buildings) are all burnt in with a soldering iron. No black paint was used, except for the trains. And even the trains are outlined with burnt, black lines. The lines on the board are all burnt deep enough as to create a recessed groove that mimic carved grooves.

Most of the paints are enamel nail polishes. A one color had to be created by first painting a base of one color, then using a semi-translucent enamel paint of another color. Amazingly, I was able to match all of the colors very, very closely to the official Monopoly colors on the cards.

The recipient was very pleased with the piece. As was I. Even though I don't enjoy playing that game at all, after I got it done, I really wished I could have kept it.

Enjoy.

Overview 1:









Overview 2:









Close-up of logo:









Guess what? Those are real 3pt diamonds in those eyes! Seriously.









Corner shot:


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Go:









Chance:









Go to jail:









Free parking:









Community chest:


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

As someone who enjoys hat game, you did a great job. I'd love to have a board like that.


Now, how about building Chutes & Ladders...LOL

Mark


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Jail:









Electric Co.:









Chance:









Luxury tax:









Bank:


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Player pieces:









Another angle:









You may recognize the hotels and houses. The mini bird houses I did were based on the same technique I came up with 10 years ago to cut all of these houses and hotels. I made some extras so I have a few of each around here somewhere.

All wooden accessories:


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

The board is actual size. And all of the placements are laid out exactly as it is on a real board.

To make this, I purchased a Monopoly game and cut the board into sections that would fit on a standard photocopier. I then taped the photocopies together and used carbon paper to trace and transfer the entire board to the already-stained, routed board. I used a high quality soldering iron with a flat screwdriver-like tip to burn everything that I traced with the carbon paper.



Burb said:


> As someone who enjoys hat game, you did a great job. I'd love to have a board like that.
> 
> 
> Now, how about building Chutes & Ladders...LOL
> ...


I've actually entertained the idea of making other board games out of wood. But that's something I probably won't do any time soon. I do think it would be awesome. Now, if someone wants to commission another board game from me I'll certainly jump on the chance to make it. :yes:


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

Are the dice loaded? :laughing:

Nice work even if it was many years ago.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

johnnie52 said:


> Are the dice loaded? :laughing:
> 
> Nice work even if it was many years ago.


Thanks. 

Actually, the dice are the only wooden parts that were not made by me. They were some I had in my dice collection that were salvaged from some other game at some point in life. I already had those wooden dice and they seemed so appropriate they I just had to include them with the game.


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## MmudKatD2 (Apr 1, 2013)

Very nice :thumbsup:


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## jharris2 (Jul 9, 2012)

That is way cool Steve.

I had forgotten how much I used to enjoy Monopoly.

Great job!


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## Travico (Dec 25, 2012)

You put so many ideas in my head! I will have a lot to do in RETIREMENT!


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## MidKnight (Aug 6, 2012)

Very cool. My next project might be a wooden Parcheesi board for my folks. This gives some inspiration to go and do it!


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## Phaedrus (Jan 18, 2012)

Very cool! It is a great mix between precision sized board with crisp layout and loose text and symbols marked by hand. As long as it takes to play a full game of Monopoly, it'd be nice to have an interesting board like this to look at for a change. Nice. 

On a side note, your bank looks a little, um, underfunded.:blink: Maybe they can throw some bailout bucks your way to fancy up their situation! :laughing::laughing:


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

That is awesome. Almost makes me wish I played that game more. I'd love a set like that.
Fantastic work Steve.


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## SgtSteve (Sep 12, 2012)

Nicely done Steve. You must have steady hands.


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## johnnie52 (Feb 16, 2009)

Back in college, we once played a game that took four days to finish. Sure would have been nice to have had a board like this back then.


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## MapleMoose (Sep 25, 2012)

Wow, that looks fantastic! Is all the burn-in work freehand? The hand-carved player pieces are very interesting - your design or theirs?
Is the NASA on the rocket actually burned in, too? I love the beer stein and epoxy beer!


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

MapleMoose said:


> Wow, that looks fantastic! Is all the burn-in work freehand? The hand-carved player pieces are very interesting - your design or theirs?
> Is the NASA on the rocket actually burned in, too? I love the beer stein and epoxy beer!


Thank you. As mentioned in post #6, I traced a photocopy of the board with carbon paper. So I did it free-handed, kind of. But I traced all the carbon lines with the 'wood burner'.

I designed all of the player pieces. My favorite is probably the rocket. Second favorite would have to be the beer mug. Also, the ball/ovoid is loose inside the cage. And the ring is loose on the shaft.

Yes, the NASA is burnt on the rocket. It's on the opposite side as well. Also, the roofing shingles, doors and "INN" are burnt on the houses/hotels too.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Another remarkable job!!!! 
Nice detail on the board and the pieces. 
I like the beer mug.


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

Really fabulous job. Very impressive --- terrific to look at. Never ceases to amaze me what woodworkers can do when they put their mind to it.


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## MagGeorge (Jul 5, 2012)

That's a super Monopoly board game, totally hand made! Like every beautiful detail of it especially the whittled ones. They will definitely outlast the latest ones and will be a great heirloom for sure. Excellent work!


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