This page goes through the process of constructing your own copy of Centre Rock. For rules and other information, please return to the main Centre Rock page.

More tips and notes on working with foamcore board as used in this walkthrough are also available here.

• Download the board and components printout. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this.
• Print out the piece pack, turning off page scaling. There should be an option in the print dialog to do so. If the printout is cut off by the printer margins re-enable it, but this should not be necessary.
• Collect your materials. This example uses the following:
  • Foamcore---some scrap pieces were used for mounting the game pieces.
  • Poster board---a scrap piece was used for the board and die.
  • Hobby knife---much better than scissors for cleanly cutting out everything.
  • Metal straightedge---use to help the hobby knife cleanly cut everything.
  • Cutting board---make sure the hobby knife does not cleanly cut your table. Self-healing boards are available at hobby and crafts store, or scrap foamcore may be used.
  • Spray adhesive---for mounting the printouts to the thicker stock. Rubber cement also works well. The spray gives a stronger, thinner, more uniform bond, but is more difficult to use. In particular, it sets immediately, so pieces must be positioned correctly before they touch.
  • Scrap paper---to shield the work area from the spray adhesive.
  • Rubber cement---to dab on the glue tabs of the die.
  • Pencil---for marking the board corners and score lines on the posterboard.
  

• Carefully cut out the board segments and blocks of pieces from the printout. Cut out the die as well if constructing it. Note that you do not need to and perhaps should not carefully cut out the die and blocks as they will be cut from the stock later. The board segments however must be cut carefully, at least where they overlap.
  
• Mount the cut out components onto the stock you've chosen. Take care to properly align the overlapping parts of the board segments. They overlap by a quarter inch and form an 11"x11" board. It is useful to mark the stock with the corners of the board beforehand to help with this. Rubber cement will allow some play after placing, but spray adhesive will not. Use a napkin or cloth to lay down and smooth out the pieces, to prevent adhesive or dirt from rubbing into them. The following shows two board segments and the die mounted on the posterboard, and one of the blocks of game pieces mounted on the foamcore.
  

• Carefully cut out the board, die, and blocks of game pieces. Remember at all times to place the straightedge inside the piece being cut, to prevent the piece from being damaged if the knife skips or veers. Use many light, easy strokes of the knife rather than a single hard cut. This will help prevent tearing and make a cleaner cut. When cutting thick stock such as foamcore it may be useful to use a hobby knife with a built in guide to ensure the edge is not under- or over-hanging.
  
• Cut the piece blocks into strips and then cut out the individual pieces.
  
• Cut the board so that it folds, either into halves or quarters as desired. To make it fold into quarters with the printed surface inside, you must:
  • On the back of the board, score along the entire length of one center axis.
  • On the back of the board, cut along half the length of the perpendicular axis.
  • On the front of the board, score the remaining half of that axis.
  Folding the printed face inside won't look as good in the box, but will protect it from travel wear. After scoring and cutting, it may be useful to fold the board up and press it under a stack of books or other weight. If the creases start to wear over time, tape them along the back.
  
• If desired, lightly sanding all cut edges to remove burs and irregularities.
• Score each edge and glue tab of the die so that it can fold up. For each glue tab, dab rubber cement, white glue, or superglue along it and then press into the adjoining face.
  

• Finally, marvel at your beautiful homemade copy of Centre Rock, then find some friends and get to it! Don't forget to send in a picture of your copy afterward, we'll post it on the RocketShip Games website!