Giant Chess Set

[Argurion]

Hi All,

I am working on a giant chess set, with the king about 60cm tall. I have started the project in Pine boards, laminated and then turned by chisel. This is taking a lot longer than I anticipated (and physically a lot harder, particularly turning the blank to cylinder). To quicken the job of cutting the blank down to a reasonable shape (and then finishing with the chisels and sandpaper) I thought of using a carving tool.

Being new to this sort of thing I was hoping on getting some advice. Firstly, am I being stupid using a carving tool (I was thinking of the power carvers that attach to angle grinders) with a lathe?

If the answer is no to the first question, what type of tool would you recommend?

Thanks for your help.

[tea lady]

Power carver and moving lathe could be a little on the stupid side. Maybe you could use it to take the corners off the blank to make it closer to round. But do it with the lathe off, and maybe locked in position so you can get at the corners one at a time.

How long IS it taking you? All good things take time, and just doing it will make the process faster with each one. You will be pretty good at it by the end. (I have turned a big thing. But not a whole chess set. )

And where are the pics?

[wheelinround]

A fellow I know makes large chess sets for schools
I'll check with him I know he turns what he can on his lathes and then power carves
I thought I had a pic but cant find it

[RETIRED]

This is a king that I did for a park but I have done sets as well. This one is 2.7metres high.

Took about 4 hours to turn. Take the corners off with an electric plane and that should speed things up a bit.

[underfoot]

This is a king that I did for a park This one is 2.7metres high.
.

CHECKMATE

[SPIRIT]

wow

[echnidna]

This is a king that I did for a park but I have done sets as well. This one is 2.7metres high.

Took about 4 hours to turn. Take the corners off with an electric plane and that should speed things up a bit.

Hey why'd'ya make such a little one, after all yer woodlathe is 40 feet long

[Groggy]

, I read the inscription on that one, what did you mean by

"Once a King,
Always a King, but
Once a knight -
is enough"

[fxst]

It means is getting old
Runnin weaving and ducking for cover
Pete

[tea lady]

This is a king that I did for a park but I have done sets as well. This one is 2.7metres high.

Took about 4 hours to turn. Take the corners off with an electric plane and that should speed things up a bit.

Jeez . That's a bit mean. The guy'll get all despondent now.

[RETIRED]

Hi All,

I am working on a giant chess set, with the king about 60cm tall. I have started the project in Pine boards, laminated and then turned by chisel. This is taking a lot longer than I anticipated (and physically a lot harder, particularly turning the blank to cylinder). To quicken the job of cutting the blank down to a reasonable shape (and then finishing with the chisels and sandpaper) I thought of using a carving tool.

Being new to this sort of thing I was hoping on getting some advice. Firstly, am I being stupid using a carving tool (I was thinking of the power carvers that attach to angle grinders) with a lathe?

If the answer is no to the first question, what type of tool would you recommend?

Thanks for your help.

Not knowing your experience or equipment it is hard to answer the question.
Because I have the gear my answer is use a gouge to rough down. It should take less than an hour to rough and shape that size piece.

[Structural]

A friend of mine has a large chess set that we regularly use for playing several-hour long games of moneychess. I absolutely love to slam down the heavy duty pieces when I make a good move. I always wanted to buy the set from him, but he will not sell. The pieces are not nearly as large as your pic, but if anyone would be interested in creating a custom set for me, I would probably pay at least 200 dollars for ~10inch pieces and base. Correct me if that is too low a price.

[tea lady]

A friend of mine has a large chess set that we regularly use for playing several-hour long games of moneychess. I absolutely love to slam down the heavy duty pieces when I make a good move. I always wanted to buy the set from him, but he will not sell. The pieces are not nearly as large as your pic, but if anyone would be interested in creating a custom set for me, I would probably pay at least 200 dollars for ~10inch pieces and base. Correct me if that is too low a price.

We are in Aus anyway, but $200 all up is prolly WAY to low If you were REALLY QUICK it would take couple of days at least to turn all the pieces,....... and you want the board too?

[dai sensei]

I think you're dreamin'

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

How's the Serenity up there?

If I was asked to turn just one piece at 10" by, say 2", I'd feel no guilt whatsoever at charging AUD$20 just for design & labour. (FWIW, working to someone else's design I'd actually charge more! )

And you want 32 of 'em? Well, let's call it 24, if you want to count pawns as "half."

Then there's material costings, etc... no wonder no-one has ever asked me.