Chess Board: Project Info

Posted 8 July 2016

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Description

Have you ever wanted to make a chess board for your own use, or as a gift? Making a chess board trains you in various aspects of accurately dimensioning stock, geometric arrangement and exacting joinery. This includes many interesting extra details and a high level of finish.

The tools you will need are:

  • Knife
  • Square
  • Combination gauge or marking gauge
  • *Cutting gauge
  • Tape/Ruler (or both)
  • *Micrometer (optional but very useful)
  • Sliding bevel
  • Chisel hammer
  • Chisels (1″ & 1/4” for spline)
  • Smoothing plane (No 4)
  • Plough Plane
  • Handsaw
  • Tenon saw
  • No 80 Cabinet Scraper
  • Card scraper
  • Hand drill/drill driver
  • Small steel hammer
    * = optional

Joints List:

  • Mitre (with optional hand-cut dovetailed spline)

15 Comments

  1. Oh I am so looking forward to this project. My Grandson loves playing chess and I have all way’s wanted to learn. Looks like a fun project and can’t wait for next Wednesday to come.

    Steve

  3. I used to pay chess with my dad growing up in Zacatecas and would love to make one for him. Looking forward to this project and making a dovetail spline.

    Blessings!

    Caleb Pendleton

  8. Great project! I love all the little details that will make this a really special piece like the dovetail spline. Look forward to seeing how this will all be done. I plan to make one as I know it is designed so that the skills learned with translate into other projects. Starting to gather my wood now. Thanks!

  9. One of my most treasured possessions is a chess board that my father built for me over 40 years ago. Dad built the board and Mom made the chess pieces. It was/is a stunning piece of work by my parents who are gone now. I encourage anyone who has a desire to leave something to treasure …. build this board with Paul for someone you love.

    Dan

  10. I was never a very good Chess Player but the project looks like a good one and I do know someone who would love to have on of these… But that’s why I make most of my projects, to give them away. This looks like a fun one. I’ll be patiently waiting till Wednesday

  12. I love this project. I already have the stock but was wondering about movement. Everything looks like a real tight fit. Are there any chances the squares will crack with no room to move?
    Just a beginners silly question.

    As always, thanks!

  13. Hi T eam Sellers,

    I’m one of the people who requested the chess board project, a long time ago. After watching how Paul made the board, I very quickly realized it was beyond my ability at the time. Might still be. But I’m at the point that I want to give it a try now.

    I saw on another website, yes they do exist, a guy who built a board and showed it a year later with one corner blown out from the pieces expanding.

    So, I have a question for you. Has your board had any problems? I’ve had two minor projects that did have bad results. Both took over 4 years to show up, but none the less, I had contraction on two projects, keepsake boxs, where the top pulled back some. I had moved from the beach inland 30 miles and a few months later, boom.

    So, should I be aware of anything here for the chess board? I’m finding out wood has the strength of superman when it wants to move.

    Gary

    1. Hi Gary,

      Thank you for getting in touch, I passed on your question to Paul and his answer is below:

      This is a good question. This would be a common problem when people cut solid wood to make up a chess board. Chess boards don’t lend themselves to solid wood construction because the wood expands and contracts at a different rate. In my case, I made veneers to form a panel which are constrained and don’t expand and contract because the substrate prevents it.

      Kind Regards,
      Izzy

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