Air hockey is one of the most popular sports now especially in the summer. It is a game that can be played both outdoors and indoors and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. In fact, the game is fairly versatile and can be modified to suit any situation or environment. There are many ways to make the game more fun and there are lots of resources available once you get stuck in the process of learning how to play. In this blog post, we will discuss how to make air hockey from scratch so that you can get started playing right away without needing much guidance or assistance. With some simple tools and a bit of imagination, you will be able to craft your own customised hockey puck in no time at all! Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
The Materials You’ll Need
For a game of air hockey, you will need a surface to play on (indoor version) or a surface to project onto (outdoor version), a puck, and a net. For the indoor version, you can use just about any surface; tiles, hardwood floors, or concrete are all suitable options. For the outdoor version, you will need to opt for an open lawn or a large area of concrete or dirt. With these four items, you will be able to start playing right away.
The Tools You’ll Need
If you are playing indoors, you will need a hockey puck crusher to break down the hard plastic casing so that you can extract the air inside. You can also use a hair dryer to melt the ice if you are using an ice maker. For the outdoor version, you will need a hammer and a knife to shape and trim the end of your puck, respectively. You will also need a screwdriver to tighten the airtight seal when you’re done to ensure that all the moisture stays inside.
How To Make A Puck
For the indoor version, take your hockey puck and insert a screwdriver into the top of the casing. Using the screwdriver, drive it all the way down into the center of the ball, pressing firmly on the top as you go. This will push the plastic down into the middle and break it open. Once you have depressed the casing enough to reveal the air inside, take your finger off the button and remove the screwdriver. The air inside the ball will rush out due to the pressure release and you will be able to extract it with ease using your mouth or a straw. Once you have removed as much air as possible, replace the screwdriver and push the plastic back down into the casing to close it back up.
To make the outdoor version, take your knife and cut a small slit in the side of your hockey puck. Make sure that you cut all the way through to the centre of the ball so that you can extract as much air as possible. Using the knife, cut around and inside your circle, gradually working your way towards the centre. Once you have cut all the way around the perimeter, take your knife and scrape down the inner wall to create a channel towards the center of the ball. You can also use the edge of the knife to make divots or indents in the surface if you want to create more texture or design elements on your puck. When you are done, insert your finger into the slit to ensure that all the air has been evacuated from within and replace the knife by pressing it straight down into the surface to create a solid flat base for your puck. This will also help keep the surface clean as you will not have to worry about any sticky substances causing friction when you are playing.
The Net
If you are playing outdoors, a nylon net will be indispensable to keep your shots on target. You can also use a volleyball net for the same purpose if you are using a net gun to shoot the puck. For the indoor version, just about any fabric will do; you can use a tablecloth, a bedsheet, or even a towel to create a makeshift net. If you are using a thicker material, you can lower the bounce back by taping a few corners together or using a thicker material on the inside.
The Scorekeeper
It is important to keep track of the goals in your game of air hockey. Fortunately, there are devices available that will do this for you. If you are playing indoors, a large digital screen and a camera to capture the action will be all you need. For the outdoor version, a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip will do the job. These devices will also track your strokes and keep track of the game automatically so that there will be no need to add goal markers or keep a score manually. In either situation, all data can be inputted and viewed online through an app or on a mobile device.
Playing Equipment
For the indoor version, you will need a table with four stools, four chairs, or one long table. You will also need four walls – two for the length of the table and two for the width. For the outdoor version, you will need a place to sit, four sturdy chairs, four small tables, and four walls. You will also want to consider buying an outdoor rug to keep the surface smooth and clean. Of course, you will need a place to store all of this equipment so that you can retrieve it easily when you are done playing.
The Game Strategy
The strategy in air hockey is fairly straightforward. Like in real hockey, you will want to keep the puck in the air as long as possible using techniques such as wrist snapping, toe poking, and headhunting. The main difference in air hockey is that you will not want to push or drag your opponents around as you try to stay in the game. Instead, you will want to outsmart them using your talent and quick thinking. If they make a move that threatens your team’s defensive structure, you can counter by luring them into a headlock or tripping them as they try to get the puck.
To ensure that your team stays tight, you can ask any of your teammates to act as a spotter and help monitor your opponents’ movements. If one of your opponents tries to isolate a member of your team and force them to make a mistake, your spotter will be able to relay the information to you so that you can plan an effective strategy to stop the attack.
Once you have mastered the art of making air hockey, you can modify the game in a number of ways. You can use materials like wood, metal, or plastic to shape and decorate your puck, net, and playing surfaces. You can also create teams of any size and have fun with it. Just remember to keep everything as flat as possible so that the puck travels in a straight line and does not veer off course due to friction. Once you get the hang of it, you will see how easy it is to create customised hockey pucks and enjoy the game for what it is worth.