Air Hockey Table

For the playing surface, I used a standard whiteboard. Making a smooth, low friction, and cheap surface is nontrivial, and whiteboards are readily available alternatives. The dimensions were approximately 5 by 8 feet, which made the main challenge drilling enough holes for consistent airflow without weakening the board. My final pattern uses 1/16-inch holes on a 1-inch grid, ensuring the puck always has multiple sources of air flow beneath it regardless of position.

Drilling roughly 5,800 holes by hand required a system; I drew a grid directly on the whiteboard surface as a jig, and drilled holes at each intersection. Given the amount of holes, I had to recruit some friends for help, and we ran into tearout issues along the way; it turns out the back of the whiteboard being particle board makes tearout very easy to occur.

A 4 inch tall chamber beneath the whiteboard acts as a pressure chamber; I used two standard shop vacs to blow air from opposite ends, and the sealed chamber distributed the air evenly across the underside of the playing surface. Air escapes only through the drilled holes, creating the cushion effect. I painstakingly sealed the edges with caulk and paint to prevent air leaks.

The frame is wood, assembled with screws. When making this, I hadn't learned about good joinery practices, so everything was drilled directly into endgrain. Rails around the playing surface serve as bumpers, lined with felt to deaden puck impacts and keep rebounds predictable. I checked flatness with a level during assembly, and added shims as needed to eliminate any irregularity. The table has held up fine with regular use, but if I were to make it now, I would use finger joints or pocket screws.

I designed and 3D printed the puck and strikers to match standard air hockey dimensions. The puck floats well on the air cushion, and I even improved the striker ergonomics with a grip that matches the contour of our hands. I also designed the goal and laser cut it; this was the most complicated part, since I wanted the puck to flip inside of the goal and land so it was easy to take out. When the angle wasn't correct, the puck would get jammed in the goal or shoot out and hit the person playing behind the goal.

The table was selected as best engineering project at a district wide showcase, and it is still regularly used.