How to Make Your Own Carnival Games to Test Your Strength

The "Test Your Strength" game is a staple for any classic carnival. The game is also called "The Strongman," "High Striker" and "Space Launch." In the game, participants use a mallet to strike a board as hard as possible and force an object upward to ring a bell. The "Test Your Strength" carnival game can be painted in different themes to fit the carnival, or to add diversity if you have more than one such strength carnival game.

Make an "L" shape with the 1- by 6-inch, 10- foot-long board and the 2- by 6-inch board. Stand the 1- by 6-inch board vertically and attach the 2- by 6-inch board at the bottom with an "L" bracket on each side. An adult strength carnival game is normally set at 10 feet and a child's game is set at 6 feet.

Measure from the base of the game and mark a spot 8 inches from where the 10-foot board meets the base. Place the 2- by 2-inch board on that location so that it stretches across the base from right to left. Lean the game on its side and nail the 2- by 2-inch board into place from the bottom.

Paint the game to indicate the score of the player. The markings on the vertical board should go up in increments of 100 every foot. For a "Space Launch" game, paint the vertical board like the horizon gradually turning into space with the planets or the moon toward the top of the game.

Mount an L bracket to the top of the board under where the bell will be placed. The horizontal arm of the L bracket will have the spool on it that strikes the bell. Attach the last L bracket to the vertical board 1 inch from the base of the game.

Thread the wire through the screw holes in the horizontal arm of the bottom L bracket , wrap it around and tie it off. Slide the spool on the wire and pull the wire up through the hole in the top L bracket. Pull the wire taught and tie it off. A metal nut will also work in place of the spool.

Attach the bell at the top of the vertical board with the screws that come with the bell.

Hold the 1 foot long, 1- by 6-inch board flat up to the wire and mark on the board where the wire is. Cut a notch in the board so that the board slides under the spool. The notch should be no more that 1.5 inches wide.

Slide the notched board under the spool and over the 2- by 2-inch board. Nail the notched board to the 2- by 2-inch board and hit the end of the notched board to test the game. The 2- by 2-inch board works as a fulcrum and the end of the notched board will push the spool upward to complete the construction of your strongman carnival game.