Making a chess set | Forums

[Choctaw111]

16JAN2012-It's been a long time but I have finally started the project again. I have my workshop set up at my future in-laws. It is an hour away but my in-laws are wonderful and allow me to use my workshop and spend as many nights there as I wish.
Over the last several weeks, I turned the black pieces and more recently the white pieces.
I ultimately decided to use Ebony for the black pieces and Rock Maple for the white.
For the border I used Purpleheart with a maple laminate edge which gives a nice border transition from the squares to the Purpleheart.
Since we are now only allowed 4 photos per post I will have to put the new photos on page 3 of this thread.

17JUL2010-Just another small update.
I visited the world famous Hearnes Hardwoods near Oxford, Pennsylvania, about a half hour from my home. People from all over the world visit Hearnes for their exotic hardwoods. Hearnes has more hardwood and exotics woods in one place than I have seen at all other places combined.
Anyway, I picked up some Purpleheart wood and some Ebony. I decided to use the Ebony for the dark pieces as it will contrast nicely with the East Indian Rosewood I am using for the dark squares.
I am still waiting for my table saw to come in.
It is a Delta Unisaw. It is a very nice cabinet saw in 3 Horsepower. I cannot continue my work until it comes in next few days.
On a similar note I accidentally broke my jointer. The jointer I use has a granite fence and as I was moving the jointer to clean up my shop, I bumped the fence and the granite just broke in half and fell to the floor.
A replacement is on the way.
It has been a rough week I guess.
I will post some more photos soon.


11JUL2010- Just a small update. I have been having trouble with my table saw over the last couple months. It just doesn't want to cut a 2x4 lengthwise in the vertical position. It starts binding and the blade gets so hot it smokes like an overheated machine gun!
Anyway, for the FIRST time in my woodworking "career" I was cut as the piece I was running "bucked" on the hot blade.
It took a few good gouges from my right thumb (good thing I am left handed, eh? ). My thumb is still attached and will heal with care.
The table saw is already history and I will order a new one tomorrow.

I have been woodworking for a number of years and thought I would try crafting a chess set.
Over the last couple years I have been trying to come up with a design that I liked.
Well, it was time to stop drawing it and start cutting it.
The "white" squares are cut from Marblewood and the dark squares from East Indian Rosewood.
For the chess pieces, which I already have drawn designs for, I am using Osage Orange for the "white" pieces and Honduras Rosewood for the dark pieces.
I will post more photos as I progress.
Has anyone else done something like this?

[M2morris]

That looks like it's gonna be a beautiful chess set. I made a table top like that for my Mother a while back. I imagine your gonna glue and clamp that up pretty soon and then plane it.
Something that could stay in the family for generations.
My most recent project was this coffee table idea with a secret panel. I found some real thick glaze-coat that turns out looking like fifty coats of varnish with one covering. Only frustrating problem was that after a couple of weeks the removable panel apparently dried out and warped a little causing an annoying 1/16 inch imperfection in a corner. I might toss it if I can't fix that.

[BillyTheKid_22]

Very nice!!

[K_Freddie]

Great pieces of work
M2M - Your mom can hide her 'stash' (or WMD's) in those panels .

[Pirschjaeger]

Nice.

How did you get the dark lines in the light pieces of wood? What wood are you using?

[T_O_A_D]

I like the wood choices, very nice.

I made a chess set in HS after I graduated in 83 a classmates Dad gave $300.00 for it.

It was birds eye maple and walnut, The table was a four legged single post with a drawer for the pieces.

Sorry no pics, I should of kept, it.

[Choctaw111]

Originally posted by Pirschjaeger:
Nice.

How did you get the dark lines in the light pieces of wood? What wood are you using?

I meant to include the types of wood in the original post.
The "white" squares are cut from Marblewood and the dark squares from East Indian Rosewood.
For the chess pieces, which I already have drawn designs for, I am using Osage Orange for the "white" pieces and Honduras Rosewood for the dark pieces.

@M2Morris
That is a nice looking table.
How do you lift the secret panel? I mean before the gap appeared.

[TinyTim]

Wow, this looks beautiful!

Just a small remark though - have you already glued all those squares that make up the half of the chessboard together?

The thing is that chessboards should fold along ranks (rows), not files (columns), so that when you unfold the chessboard and set it up for a play, each player has his own half, like here:



In other words, the folding line should run horizontally, not vertically.

This is important only because the lower right square of both players must be white. On your picture it looks like the other way around, if you already glued it together maybe you can solve the issue by turning the bottom side up.

It looks very nice, please do not hesitate to post your progress!

[Choctaw111]

Originally posted by TinyTim:
Wow, this looks beautiful!

Just a small remark though - have you already glued all those squares that make up the half of the chessboard together?

The thing is that chessboards should fold along ranks (rows), not files (columns), so that when you unfold the chessboard and set it up for a play, each player has his own half, like here:



In other words, the folding line should run horizontally, not vertically.

This is important only because the lower right square of both players must be white. On your picture it looks like the other way around, if you already glued it together maybe you can solve the issue by turning the bottom side up.

It looks very nice, please do not hesitate to post your progress!

This is not a folding board.
It will be part of a table that I am also building.
The squares are not yet glued together.
I was just putting them together to check for fit, appearance and to take some photos.

[M2morris]

Originally posted by Choctaw111:


@M2Morris
That is a nice looking table.
How do you lift the secret panel? I mean before the gap appeared.

There's a button in a hidden place underneath the table that you have to find and push. You can see the end of the pushrod sticking up if you look closely, it's centered on the inside rail on the near end.
BTW sry for posting pics. I thought this was a 'post my woodwork stuff' thread.
I'm looking forward to seeing your chess set when it's done.