Molkky Number Toss
Build your own set. For the love of play.
A dozen numbered wooden pins plus one throwing pin, all cut from the same round post. Easy to medium build, one good afternoon with a saw.
Materials
- A length of straight birch or other hardwood round post (closet rod or fence dowel), 55mm to 60mm diameter (2.2 to 2.4 inches). You need roughly 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) total to get all 13 pieces with a little waste.
- Fine-tooth saw (a miter saw or a hand saw with a miter box for clean square cuts)
- Pencil, tape measure, and a square for marking
- Sandpaper: medium grit (120) and fine grit (220)
- A waterproof marker, wood-burning pen, or black exterior paint plus a small brush for the numbers
- Optional: clear exterior wood oil or spar varnish to weatherproof
- Optional: a drawstring bag or small wooden crate to carry the set
Cut list
- 12 numbered pins: each 15cm tall (5.9 inches), 5.9cm diameter (2.3 inches), flat base, top beveled at 45 degrees
- 1 throwing pin (the molkky): 22.5cm long (8.85 inches), 5.9cm diameter (2.3 inches)
- Note on stock: official sets are exactly 5.9cm diameter. Common round post comes in 55mm or 60mm. Either is close enough for a great home set as long as all 13 pieces come from the same post so they match.
- Playing distance for setup (not a cut): pins start 3.5m (11.5 feet) from the throwing line
Steps
- Mark your post into segments. You need twelve marks at 15cm (5.9 inches) for the pins and one at 22.5cm (8.85 inches) for the throwing pin. Use a square so every cut line wraps cleanly around the post.
- Cut all 13 pieces. Keep the cuts square and flat so each pin stands up straight on its own. A miter box keeps your hand saw honest.
- Bevel the top of each of the 12 numbered pins. Tilt your saw or sand a 45 degree angle around the top edge so the pin comes to a flat-topped, chamfered crown. This is the classic molkky look and it helps pins tumble. Leave the throwing pin square on both ends.
- Sand everything. Knock down all sharp edges with 120 grit, then smooth with 220. Pay attention to the bases so the pins sit flat and stable.
- Number the pins 1 through 12. Write the number on the angled bevel face or the side near the top so it reads while the pin stands. Use a wood-burner for a permanent look, or paint, or a heavy waterproof marker.
- Optional but worth it: brush on a coat or two of exterior oil or spar varnish to keep the wood from drinking up rain and dew. Let it cure fully before play.
- Drop them in a bag or crate and head outside.
Notes
Two things make or break the set. First, square flat bases: if a pin rocks, it falls too easily and the game gets cranky, so sand the base until it sits dead flat. Second, matched diameter: cut all 13 pieces from one post so the pins nest into a tight starting cluster. The numbers do not need to be neat, just readable from throwing distance. Birch is the traditional wood and it is lovely, but any straight, knot-free hardwood post will play great. Diameter tolerance is forgiving: anywhere from 55mm to 60mm gives you a proper-feeling set.
Made with love by Moehr Games. Build it, play it, pass it on.