Hey all,
Try not to abuse me too much here, I know I’m a FHB editor and the common answer to our problems is to hit it with a hammer….
I’m making a chess set on the lathe – I’m working on the pieces right now, but I would like to plan for the board in the meantime. I would like to have a raised design which will have a drawer on both sides of the board to store the pieces when not in use. The two woods I’m using for the pieces are cherry and maple – I would like the same for the squares on the board.
My question is: how do I design the squares on the board so that it won’t expand and throw everything out of square. I’m worried about having 64 squares lined up side by side. Should they be inlaid? mounted on top of somethign stable like MDF? I would like to avoid veneers if possible…
This is still in the design stages, so any help or experience with this would be most helpful.
Thanks in advance!
Justin Fink
FHB Editorial
Replies
The most stability can be had by veneering to mdf or 13 ply plywood or similar. Since you're not fond of this idea, you could build the perimeter squares "captured" in a recessed groove perimeter. Basically, a half-lap joint for the perimeter squares without glue. Give the female groove a 1/16" extra space for movement.
One way to avoid expansion issues is to make the chess board out of very thin wood -- that is, veneer. When you apply veneer to a non-expanding substrate like plywood, the substrate holds the veneer and refuses to let it expand.
You can assemble your own chessboard pattern from commercial sliced veneers, or from bandsawn veneers you saw yourself. Or you can buy assembled veneer chess board sheets and glue them to your project. Constantine's is one supplier (www.constantines.com).
JFink,
I have built several boards though not quite like what you plane. I don’t think it will matter much as you could do it the same way on either design. I basically built the board and floated in a frame much like a paneled door.
Here’s a couple I did.
http://www.woodintime.com/Projects/dadchess/dadchess1.jpg
http://www.woodintime.com/Projects/chess-1.jpg
Tony
Beautiful stuff. I have a few questions
How thick are the pieces, and what type of glue do you use?
Secondly how to you finish sand with a grain pattern like that?
Do you use a drum sander?
Thanks for kind words.
The squares are 2”x2” (if this is what your asking) and I used TBII
Usually On most projects I stop at about 220 but I went to 400 on the board for that reason.
God love the Drum Sander YES I DID after the initial glue up I ran it through the DS to make it flat.
Tony
Actually on the first question, I was reffering to the thickness of the pieces i.e. 3/16's ?
3/4"
Wow, 3/4 and no movement huh? When yo say you float it, do you make it like a raised panel door?
Exactly
Did you use any spacers like space balls? (between the board and frame)
Bones,
I used small pieces of Styrofoam and this seemed to work well.
JFink
I tried doing the boards with individual squares and it didn’t work out at all for me. The method that did work perfect was the same one BG is talking about.
Thanks for the suggestions everybody - I glued up strips of maple and cherry last night, then ripped it in the other direction and shifted it to make the checkerboard pattern. Then I reglued it. My only regret is that I tried to glue the checkerboard part all in one shot - if I did it again I would glue it up in sections because it's very hard to get the squares to line up without shifting under clamping pressure. Otherwise it looks great so far - I'll get some pictures up here once I get it looking like something more final.
Thanks again for all the help!
Justin Fink
FHB Editorial
JFink,
For the glue-up..I used my TS...fense and sliding jig. Put down wax paper and bring the fense flush with the sliding table...that gives you a nice 90 degree angle in the corner...then I put a straight board going both ways and clamp to the outside of the sliding table and fense all in one swoop...more wax paper and a few weights to keep all flat...
Edited 12/10/2004 3:30 pm ET by BG
I really like the veneer ideas..go with that.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
JFink,
I built my first chess board/case about 8 months ago using maple and black walnut. The board itself is like Tony's ..a panel that floats into the frame (not as nice as Tony's , however). I used 2x2x1/2" strips of Maple and Walnut glued, ripped and re-glued into the checkerboard pattern. I then put a grove around the perimeter about 1.2" deep and some 1/4" ply between the board and the frame. I kinda wished I had made the board 3/4" thick when I was done...I left a 1/2" of boarder for expansion...perhaps I could have tightened that up a bit too...
I top lifts up and the case underneath stores the chess pieces.
There are a couple of ways it can be done using solid wood.
1. Cut 64 squares, 32 of each color. Glue 8 squares together, end grain to end grain, using dowels. Dowels will work very well since it's a long grain glue up. Don't forget to alternate the colors. Make up 8 of these. On 4 of those you have to reverse the colors from the other 4. Then glue the 8 strips to each other. This is a long grain to long grain glue up. Now you have what amounts to a small table top. Attach to your frame using any number of different methods available for attaching a top to a frame. The method has to allow for wood movement.
2. Cut 64 squares and glue them to a nice piece of hardwood-veneered plywood. Leave a small space between each square. Of course, you have to like the idea of spaces between the squares. James Krenov, in one of his books, makes a chess board using this feature.
Justin, I have made game boards two different ways. First time I glued up 3/4" stock ,big mistake. Now I rip veneers about 3/32" and veneer to mdf with hot hide glue.When done the veneer is about 1/16" thick and stays stable.The 3/4" stock cupped after several weeks, I screwed 3/4" plywood to the board from underneath to straighten it, then gave it away.
Use hot hide glue for several reasons. First, easier to apply veneers.Spread glue on mdf and let cool.Place veneer on mdf, tape edges so it doesn't move. I heat the substrate with a heat gun and roll laminate roller from the middle out.You could use an iron, I like a heat gun better.Glue doesn't creep,cleans up easily, if you make a mistake you can reheat and reposition.Small crockpot will serve as electric glue pot,usually less than $10.00 new.Buy a candy thermometer, you don't want to over heat glue for extended periods.The last game board I did is in a mahogany table.The veneer and chess pieces are bubinga and maple.
mike
Edited 12/10/2004 11:24 am ET by MIKEK4244
Another picture, forgot to upload on previous post.
mike
I watched David Marks build one once, and he had what I considered to be a highly innovative approach.
He planed and cut walnut and maple in to strips of equal width and thickness. Then he edge jointed them, and glued them up. Now, we have a panel made up of 8 strips of maple/walnut/maple. Then he ripped them perpendicular to the strips; then he rotated every other one 90 degrees and glued 'em up again.
Charlie
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