Thread: Staunton Chess Set

One of our members at the wood turning club once said if anyone ask you to make a chess set for them tell them no. You have to make 64 pieces!

I will say this as each piece is made you are one piece closer to the end result.

Originally Posted by Lumber Bunker

Thanks Wayne, yep a little weight's gone from when we had the shop. Good days.
I'm enjoying the process, and I'm going to stop in at Trend on the way up to the coast tomorrow to see if they have anything suitable for the white pieces at the right price of course.

Is Peter Day still running specialty timbers at Toronto? Opening hours still the same...

Try some QLD silver ash Flindersia bourjotiana

Alright, so I wasn't happy with my first white pawn, I'm loving the finish and the look of the rock maple. But if you don't have good technique it'll make you pay!
What I mean is, the detail is so fine, that I don't feel comfortable dropping down the sandpaper grades to below 180 to get rid of tool marks, as I fear changing the shape...

also my strategy of turning most of the pawn and then reversing the piece in the chuck to do the ball isn't the best as it results is a slightly off center ball. see picture.

so I've changed when I reverse the piece in the chuck and I'm much happier. I drill the base out and undercut it. Then reverse it straight away, before any shaping. The result is a centered ball. )

Originally Posted by Christos

One of our members at the wood turning club once said if anyone ask you to make a chess set for them tell them no. You have to make 64 pieces.

I will say this as each piece is made you are one piece closer to the end result.

Hahahahaha, that's funny. Had to check my maths but, by the time I turn two of each piece, than I will most likely have turned 64!

Very Cool project I was thinking of making one of these as well and of course making the board as well.
Keep up the great work; I'll keep looking in to see how you manage the Knights, King & Queen.

Bruce

Well, sorry for the delay.
But i finally finished the pawns!
the 18th Pawn took only 40 minutes and was better then the others which averaged around the 55 minute mark.
Chess 1.jpgChess 3.jpgchess 5.jpgChess 6.jpg

Rooks next. )

Rook.

Oh boy, this rook whilst easy enough, required about an hour and bit to turn and about the same in preparation.
To give you an idea of what I did in preparation:

Quick tidy up of work area - Clean work space is an accurate work place
transferred the diagram to card
transferred the diameters to card
taped all my calipers with new dimensions and arranged such
cut some blanks for the rooks
mounted first and thought through process.
ground a fresh edge on all tools required.

All before a single chip flew.
The same was done for the pawns, but i don't mind putting an hour or so into prep when you have 18 hours of work ahead of you, but there are only 4 rooks so the prep time to work time is really skewed, but i'll be ready next time i need to turn the very same rook. (never)

I got through one tonight (picture below) and will try for the rest over the next week.

I will stop for pictures on the next one and perhaps film another if anyone is interested?

Steve

Chess rook 1.jpg

Photos where too hard.
Video to long.
Time lapse!
Perhaps to fast, I set it at 2 photos per minute, perhaps 10 or so will give a less jumpy version

This one is a little better.
one white rook to go.

The army is starting to fill out.
Rooks complete.

Rook Army.jpg

Looking good!

OK,
Here is the Bishop! getting a little bit of a roll on the last few nights.
trying to get the last Bishop out tonight... but its getting late so maybe tomorrow.

here is picture and another time lapse.
Bishop and others.jpg

QUEEN!

Queen1.jpg

Queen2.jpg

It's starting to get a little bit exciting
I'll shoot some photos of the white Queen for the record and I'll be doing 2 of each so it may take a while.

Dreading the knight, but I can do it! (maybe if I say it out loud enough i'll believe it...)

Quite enjoying this thread, Steve. Most informative and detailed - even your thought processes and preparations included. Getting pretty good with the videos, too. And leaving the best until last, right?

Wayne