Checker board table

[smidsy]

Hei Guys,
I'm going to make a checker board table using 50mm squares alternating pine and jarrah 10 peices by ten with a boatload of biscuit joins.
Has anyone ever built a table like this, just wondering about the best way to glue and clamp - could I do the lot in one hit or should I work in strips.

Also, can anyone recommend a timber that would contrast the pine and jarrah for a border round the outside.

Cheers
Paul

[echnidna]

Forget about gluing a lot of little blocks together, you'll go bananas trying to get them all precisely squared and lined up.
For the same reason I'd forget the bikkies, they dont add any strength.

The easy way.
Glue lengths of the pine & Jarrah together full width of the board.
Plane the panel level. (or thickness it)
Cut it across grain into into 50mm strips
Assemble the strips so you have the alternating pattern

Spotted Gum or Blackwood would be a reasonable contrast between pine & Jarrah.

[Bino]

I wouldn't use a soft wood and a hard wood together
Try using Tas oak with the Jarrah.

Bino

[Howard Toronto]

Why not cut and alternate strips of VENEER??

Glue to a suitable substrate - MDF etc - movement between the two strains will never be an issue.

My 2C.

Howard

[Krazee]

Smidsey,

Don't try glueing the blocks together it's too difficult. The last board I made was based on one David Marks built on Woodworks (Foxtel) which uses the "veneer" on substrate approach. If I get this link right should take you to the notes from the program. If not google David Marks and diy and look up his old programs. Project was Game Board. Good luck.

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/shows_..._26948,00.html

Geoff

[Vaughn]

Hope I have done this correctly . . . . . first post.

I managed the attached board recently (first thing ever made) by gluing all the individual pieces together - they are simply stuck to a piece of MDF. This is also Jarrah & pine.

Agree that it would probably be simpler to attach say 50mm alternating lengths together and then cut into strips. I would still lay on MDF or similiar as it will be easier to glue to a flat surface rather than risking any bowing type action when clamping lengthways.

Goodluck.

[smidsy]

Hei Vaughn,
That's some really nice work.
What I may do for a base is get some old jarrah floor boards from a demo yard, plane them thin and use them.
I really hate using melamine in real woodwork.
Cheers
Paul

[colbaby]

hi smidsy

i have just finished my first board on my triton workcentre big learning curve, i found a good website for basic construction and i have just started to design my next board with drawers for the pieces. i used tas oak and recycled jarrah decking and will post pics as i go along
cheers
col
ps heres a pic of my first try and the address for chess board construction
http://shawnwaite.com/chessbrd/

[joe greiner]

Probably an obvious answer to this, but why 10x10 instead of 8x8? New version of game? Border tiles not used? Just a checkerboard-like pattern without game function?

Joe

[savage]

Made mine from pine and maple, same as the pieces and used thin timber inbetween the blocks to give a grouted appearance, same timber was used as a surround with small brass nails. The blocks and timber was glued to a 10mm ply sub-board and planed then sanded smooth, then waxed.