I’m planning to make a chessboard for my grandson. I’ve done a search and read the discussions re wood expansion but still have a question some of you more experienced woodworker’s migh be able to answer. I am really impressed with the Becker and Hardy boards on www.legendproducts.com . It appears that on some of their boards the squares are 1/4 inch thick and then attached to a thicker panel. They say that the panel is of the same material as the squares ( or at least one of the two materials) so as to accomadate expansion. So if one material for the squares is walnut, for example and the panel is walnut and the squares are glued to the panel with the grain running in the same direction then the squares grid and the panel will expand and contract together. Does anyone know if this is how they do it or at least if this would work. I would assume then that the panel would have to float in a groove in the border with the grid being slightly smaller and with a gap getween the grid and the border. If this would work, then this is the way I would like to build mine. I would prefer not to thin veneer strips or squares glued to a plywood or mdf substrate. I like the look of Beckers and Hardys with the playing field or grid slightly above the plane of the border. any comments would be appreciated.
Frank.
Edited 11/11/2006 4:23 pm ET by fgnoel
Replies
Frank
Laying up veneers on a stable substrate such as a quality plywood or mdf would give you a great result with no worries about expansion.....and...you could use some truly beautiful timbers that would otherwise be hard to get.
May I suggest that you check out an really excellent DVD made by Silas Kopf http://www.silaskopf.com to see how he does it? (For anyone even slightly interested in marquetry or viewing some really beautiful work and workmanship I highly recommend this DVD). If you don't want to go to that trouble, I see he's also one of the experts at FWW so you could also ask him directly.
Good luck Frank.
Regards,
AussiePete :?)
Retirement is a lifelong opportunity
fgnoel,
I built mine a few years ago employing both techniques. I didn't have a bandsaw so a veneering thickness on the squares was not an option. I cut them 1/2" thick and splined them into the chess board sides. I also cut a grove in the board sides to accept a piece of plywood that acted as support for the chess squares but was not attached to the chess squares.
If I was doing it today I'd make a couple of changes. First, I'd cut 5/8" thickness on the squares and offset the spline so the top looked a full 1/4" thick. Second, I'd use a moisture meter and more accurately calculate the expansion/contraction issue and adjust my spline accordingly.
The attached table has the checker board made from 3/4" stock glued up of strips of maple and walnut then I cross cut the strips & reversed the pattern. I used biscuits to align and add holding power as I was gluing end grain to end grain. The outside edge of the board is splined into the frame and allowed to float. The entire table was finished with 6 coats of a wipe on polyurethane. The board could be above or below or flush with the frame depending upon the location of the splines. hope this gives you some ideas. I did not adhere the blocks to a subsurface.
Thanks to everyone for the help. The table in the most recent response is gorgeous! I think I am a few years and a lot of sawdust away from making something like that. But I am going to tackle the checkerboard sans the table. I assume, but can't see from the picture, that there is a slight gap between the outside squares and the border/frame. What size did you make the gap during construction? I am thinking about 1/8 inch on mine. I live in a dry climate where, I have been told, there is only about a 3-4 % difference in the wood moisture content between winter and summer. I did contact Silas as someone here suggested and he promptly replied and thought that the plan I described would be fine so long as the grain on the squares and the substrate panel ran in the same direction.
Frank
Edited 11/12/2006 8:36 pm ET by fgnoel
I left about 1/16 per inch and I pinned it with a wire brad from the underside on all four sides so the panel would not move. One brad in the center of each panel. That way I did not restrict expansion and contraction of the wood.
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