AKs suggestions should work. I had better results with a photo transistor than a diode. With R2 @ 1 meg ohm ,
2 ft. was iffy. Transistor with 100 k , cone, 50 mA for Tx., 2 ft. was doable. Either 555 should work .
What part of the world are you in, Rachel?

 

I planned on switching and using a photo transistor. I'm in Pennsylvania in the U.S. Thank guys for all your help. I have to order some new parts because I live in the middle of no where and have no access to any kind of store that carries stuff like this.

 

Small world- just last week I mailed a completed project to PA.
Here's a drawing showing the suggested changes. I would bring spacing down to 14 in. horizontally.
What do you have for test equipment ?

 

Thanks! I have my parts coming tomorrow. I have a multi meter as far as testing equipment. I wish I was still working. I had almost every piece of testing equipment known when i was working.

 

Mods Note:
This message just testing for the alerts of system, so ignore it.

 

Ah yes, back then it was Fluke, now Heathkit. An analog ohm-meter on high range with photo transistor makes an IR beam strength meter.
At top of this page there is block- Search Forums where there is another beam break project,
Fascination, TS Whitedragond can be found. I retried a red LED & Cd-S cell, with a lens on LED & had god results up to 5 ft. Never had any final report on game.

 

I just had my hands on a corn hole board, 3/4 in. plywood with a 2 X 4 rim on bottom. If up to 3 in. of bag was in hole it always fell. If you have trouble mounting the sensors, then I can supply 2 mounting blocks with sensors mounted & tested for postage & your sensors, or $5.00 +postage.
'Hadn't thought about circuit board; do you need it also ?

 

Sorry I haven't gotten back to you. It's been a crazy week. I finally got time to get back on this project and got it working great. I built 2 small boxes for the sensors to go in and it works great. I added a picture of what the under side of my board looks like. I still need to paint the boxes to match and cover the wires but that's the easy part. The worst part was drawing out the circuit on my board. I have never built a pcb...I just use a regular prototype board...so there was a bit of frustration laying everything out before I soldered it together. I might try my hand in a pcb. Especially since my friends want a set also. Thanks for all your help!

 

Looks good. Can you post your final schematic?

ak

 

Congratulations on completing your project. Have fun.