Puzzled About Chess Board Glue-Up
I’m starting to make chess boards, and I have looked over some plans that others have used for this project.
I am puzzzled by something.
As we all know, when you glue end-grain to end-grain, it does not form a very good bond. But the typical technique for making chess boards is to create a block of striped wood, cut that block into strips, then reverse those strips and glue them up end-to-end. Wouldn’t this technique create a weak bond throughout the board, since the entire structure conists of end-grain glue-ups??
Is there something I’m missing here?
Replies
Matthew,
I thought the same as you so when I recently made a chessboard I backed mine up with plywood and a touch of glue in the middle to bring the two together. My plans had the chessboard splined into the cove shaped sides and then slice off the top and hinge it to the bottom box portion (hopefully that is clear). The one mistake was I should have finished the chessboard top portion both sides before assembly and glue up.....had no access to the underside of the board afterwards.
BG,
I have considered using plywood for the bottom, but one of the people I'm building it for would think it was not solid wood or something.
I saw a plan recently in one of the magazines that simply said to glue up all those strips, end-to-end.
Could you explain what you said in your last post? I'm a little confused about what you're describing. Do you have pictures?
Matthew,
Two posts: the first to see if this thing is working yet, the second to respond to your question....
Matthew,
I posted twice last night and the system ate my message...
Anyhow, I don't have pictures yet, hopefully the #1 son will take some soon.
My plans were from the Dec. issue of Popular Woodworking...there is a small picture on the website. Basically, it's a box 4x19x19(about) with cove sides, chessboard top that lifts up with storage inside, on a small base, made with black walnut and maple. The top is glued up strips, recut and flipped and glued again...1/2x2" squares...two sides are butt glued, two sides are long grain glued....except for perimenter squares. The plans called for splines between the chessboard top and coved sides. Also, the plans call for a grove in the bottom of the sides to accept a plywood floor. The chessboard top and bottom ply are fitted and then glued as a single unit....afterwards the top is cut off and hinged to the bottom box.
I thought the chessboard top was flimsy....especially when you cut a 1/2"deep grove around the perimeter to accept the spline and accomodate wood movement. I changed the plans and added a piece of ply under the chessboard top and tongued into the coved sides(just a touch of glue in the center to join the top to the ply).
There is wood movement (3/16" in two days)...which causes the squares to look a bit off....only a veneer top could avoid that...
If I were to make it again without a plywood backer, I'd probably make the squares 1"x2".....and maybe spline the rows of squares with the butt joints on the underside if needed.
Edited 4/28/2004 6:45 am ET by BG
BG,
The December Popular Woodworking plan is the one I am referring to. I don't see how that design is stable enough.
If you glue up all the strips of the chess board end-grain to end-grain, but you add a frame, does that solve the problem? I suppose gluing the entire thing to a plywood base would work. I wonder if adding biscuits to the end-grains would help in this case?
If possible, I want to avoid having a plywood base. Although, if it's nice maple veneer set into a rabbeted frame, it might be nice and add strength at the same time.
Matthew,
"If you glue up all the strips of the chess board end-grain to end-grain, but you add a frame, does that solve the problem? I suppose gluing the entire thing to a plywood base would work. I wonder if adding biscuits to the end-grains would help in this case? "
If you look at thread ' Expansion Question' in Joinery folder around March 20 you'll see several people helped me work through the expansion issue. We calculated a half inch wood movement potential. I just don't see how a frame around the chessboard solves anything.
As I mentioned, doing it over I would consider a much thicker chess square (1"x2") and then perhaps a spline on the underside of the chessboard going across the butt joints...maybe 1/4 wide and 1/2 deep on edge.
Remember, if you do put in a plywood base under the chessboard....seal up the chessboard both sides before glue-up....
Edited 4/29/2004 11:58 am ET by BG
I assume these strips all get glued to down to a substrate and that's what holds the chessboard together. Gluing the end grain has nothing to do with it.
FWIW, a chessboard made in the manner you describe, with the strips glued end-grain to end-grain, was one of my first wood working projects ever way back in junior high shop class. Woods were walnut and maple, and the finish was Danish oil. No substrate. Twenty-four years later, the thing is still looking great, and it's seen a bit of abuse. Also, my chess board, and most that I've seen, has a miter-frame border. If I were to do it again, I'd reinforce the border frame miters with keys or the like, which should help reinforce the checker-board assembly.
Hillen,
Maybe end-grain glue-ups are stronger than we've been told! Proof is in the pudding?
I think you're correct Mat. I made one several years ago, and some of the glue bonds have failed, making some of the squares start to rise up within the boardered chess board. I imagine if you were to use some super duper glue, and make sure you do it just right, this problem may not occure.
RubiconCabs
Each of the square pieces has two end grain sides and two long grain sides. If the work is good, the joins are sound, and the wood is the right thickness, that'll make a pretty solid object.
Don't glue it to a ply backboard, or it will pop apart.
A common approach is to glue on solid ends, with the grain running the same way as the pieces, and a rail down each side. What you've then created is a solid piece of wood that moves in unison.
Edited 4/28/2004 6:21 am ET by kiwimac
Kiwimac,
I see what you're saying, but the thing that sticks in my mind is that you start with strong strips, but then you cut them into pieces and glue them back up end-to-end. I'm not worrying about the long-grain areas, I'm worried about all the end-to-end glue areas.
Does the frame solve the problem?
I haven't read all 13 posts yet, so I may dup what someone else has already said.
Matthew, my approach would probably be to spline the end grain joints for both strength and alignment, but I'd also like to call your attention to James Krenov's approach in his book, "The Impractical Cabinetmaker". He cuts all the squares first, sorting them for color and grain. Then he edge drills each square, using a jig to ensure accuracy, to dowel each square to its 4 partners, except for the outer squares, of course.
He glues up rows first, then joins the rows into the whole board. It seems to me that 8 dowels along each butted joint, all in endgrain where dowels maximize their effectiveness (the dowels are long grain to the blocks' long grain), would give quite adquate strength.
I think it would be worth your while to find this book in your local library and read, at least, the chessboard chapter.
Another approach would be to make all your blocks end grain, like a true butcher block. Your gluing then becomes all edge grain and the board surface, is a tougher surface by far than it needs to be in a chessboard, but also, perhaps, more interesting.
--
Lee in Cave Junction, Oregon;
Gateway to the Oregon Caves
Edited 4/29/2004 2:36 pm ET by Lee Eschen
Matthew,
I wouldn’t worry to much about end grain to end grain as another person pointed out if the pieces are thick and have good flat edges then I think it will be fine if you put a frame around it.
Here is one of the boards I made and I’ve made several and no problems to date.
Tony
http://www.woodintime.com/Projects/chess-1.jpg
http://www.woodintime.com/Projects/chess-2.jpg
http://www.woodintime.com/Projects/chess-3.jpg
http://www.woodintime.com/Projects/chess-4.jpg
http://www.woodintime.com/Projects/chess-5.jpg
Tony,
That's a gorgeous design! I'm shooting for that same level of detail and beauty.
The person I'm building a board for is a real chess lover, plays at a high level. He loves everything about the game, and I want to make a board that makes him proud when he has a game against someone. A nice chess board just creates a special, classic sensation.
Thank you very much for the pictures and the advice.
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