chess set

[caretaker]

I have set my self a project with your help.
I would like to have a go at a chess set.
One thing I would like is to use several different woods, say oak for a king, and yew for the pawns.
I think my first problem would be to make a list off light and dark woods.
Then what size, the board will have to be no more than 15inches by 15, as this will fit on a side board I have at the top of the stairs.
Now the maths buffs will have to work out the size from that.
I was going to start with the pawns to get them out the way and give me some practice as well.
This will be a long project that will fit round the odd bowl or two.
If anyone has some idea's or have already done this let me know.
Oh by the way, I'm a rotten chess player.

 

[jaymar]

If you want to make one set black, use oak and the rub the piece with wire wool dipped in vinegar. The oak will turn jet black and you can put a finish on top.

 

[Bodrighy]

Hi, you don't believe in starting simple do you? :lol:

The dimensions that you are talking about will need 1 1/2" square (8X8) leaving a 1 1/2" border all round. If you need a chess set pattern this is quite a good one. I am sure there are others on the net plus experts on here who have made them. This one is for a 2" set but you can easily change the dimensions. (divide all sizes by 4 and multiply by 3) to fit your board.

Hope this helps

Pete

 

[caretaker]

Now I have some dimensions lets make a start.
A bit of practice first, turned a queen and a pawn out of pine (B&Q), turned out rubbish.
Got some tulip wood and turned two pawns, well there not just right yet, having a bit of a problem with rounding the ends off.
This will be the most strangest chess set going.

I still need some tips on wood to use.

 

[TEP]

Hi.

If when you say having trouble rounding the ends off, I presume it is the top. If so you can use a piece of pipe to make the ball on the top. Find a piece of pipe slightly smaller than the planned finished diameter of the ball. File the end of the pipe flat across and also to create a burr on the inside, this is what does the cutting.

Rough turn the ball slightly oversize, then press the pipe against the ball and move it about gently. The burr will cut a perfectly round ball for you. Don't make the ball smaller than the inside of the pipe.

Happy chess making!

 

[caretaker]

All comments welcome good or bad, I can take it.

 

[caretaker]

And a bishop.

 

[greybeard]

Hi Reg

I think you probably know what most folk are going to say - something along the lines of....practice, practice, practice.

As Pete said above you've leapt right into a very demanding challenge, and have immediately confirmed to any doubters out there just how difficult multiple copies are to achieve. And you've got another 14 still to go!!

A few thoughts for you to consider.........
1 - simple is best, the simpler it is the easier it is to copy. The only chess set pawn I can lay my hands on here has a simple base, with a column on that, tapering (bit like a lighthouse?) to a ring, wth a single ball on top.
2 - design - make it common!! (ducks quickly in anticipation of shrieks of horror from the purists!). Let me explain! I mean find a design theme that you like ("practice, practice, practice." - see above), for the base and column, and draw up/out some non-pawn piece versions. Try them out in that BnQ pine - e.g. do castles have two balls stacked with the top of the second one flat/cut off?, or an extra short column?
What I'm trying to say is that you need to know how to create all the pieces before you start, to have the design clear in your mind. Many many w/workers will scribble plans - on scraps of paper, the dust on their bench, cuffs, shed walls, kitchen tables, whatever - cos they've learnt the hard way that it's the best way.
Ad hoc or 'off the wall' design as you turn can often be v v successsful with single pieces, but it doesn't work well with sets. Of course the final detail may vary, but the planning/design will pay off.
3 - practice - the BnQ pine end results may not win prizes, but you can see the bits that work quickly, and build on the understanding you can get from them

Just to underline the size of the challenge you've set yourself, you could think of it as a summer series of 32 pieces - themed and definitely similar, but equally definitely not all identical, although 16 are and of the others there's 3 sets of four that should be similarly similar!

Good luck!

 

[Paul.J]

Reg.
I had the same idea some time back,take a look
here
I knew from making the 2 table lamps that it was going to be difficult to get so many shapes near the same never mind identical,so as it is i am still thinking about an easier way to try and get a shape or shapes that would be easy for me to do yet still look good,if you see what i mean.
I was given some interesting ideas at the time which got me thinking even more.
I am going to allow myself plenty of time to do this project and will want to try and do it all at once,over a period of time without nothing else interupting me.
Now i have finished my comp entry i am now able to get back on the lathe,haven't done any serious turing for weeks now,so will start turning my thoughts once again to the chess set myself.Once i've got about half a dozen fruit bowls out the way
Paul.J.

 

[caretaker]

Thanks for all the tips on chess making and I like the pipe for rounding off.
Mike Darlow wrote a book on turning chess sets. Seeing the the examples in his book on design, it should give a couple of interesting variations on knights. isbn: 9781565232594
I will order this book.
Thanks Paul J for past forum notes this will help as well.
I will stick at it for the time, as we say practice makes perfection.

 

[NickWelford]

It's no mistake that many of the sets you can buy are (or used to be) made in boxwood. Mainly because the grain is very close so detail on small turnings tends to remain in place - these will be handled a lot and probably come together at times (even if you don't store them in a pile in a box). For a really nice set, ebony and boxwood is nice. Otherwise all in box and stain half.