| Project by Chris Wright | posted 1245 days ago | 1909 views | 20 times favorited | 10 comments |  |
 |
This is my first attempt at a chess set that wasn’t a kit. I based the design off of the duplicator templates that are available through PSI, though I didn’t use a duplicator for these pieces. They are made from Walnut and Hard Maple. They are a little less than an inch and quarter in diameter and range from about an inch and a half tall for the pawns to three and a half inches tall for the king.
To assist in the repetition, which is always the most difficult part of making a chess set, I used a technique that I read about in the September/October 1990 issue of American Woodworker. In the article, wood turner Rude Osolnik describes how he makes custom scrapers to cut the bases and tops of the different pieces and uses a gouge or skew to finish off the shape. His pieces have a very modern style to them where I chose to go with a more traditional style on mine. Making the cutters is pretty ease, just very time consuming if you’re using high speed steal like I did. The last photo is of the cutters I made. I used an old planer knife and cut it into about 10 inch lengths. So I didn’t have to make 6 different tools, I decided to grind a different cutter on both ends of each piece and made a handle with a slot in it to hold them snuggly while I turned.
For the knights I left the top square and did a compound cut on the bandsaw using the knight pattern from PSI.
It takes some work to get the results you like, but once I figured out the optimum position for the cutter to reduce chatter, I went from about 50 minutes apiece from start to finish to about 30 minutes per piece.
This was fun, and now that I’ve got the hang of it, I’ll try making a different set of cutters for a more modern style set like Rude’s.
Here’s a link to the article if you’d like to read it yourself:
http://books.google.com/books?id=jfsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA18&lpg=PA18&dq=chess+set+turning+american+woodworker&source=bl&ots=tVqZJthTVL&sig=eI62Ed9WT32IcpFFLNp9JZNyMHU&hl=en&ei=11tXS8-LK4-Z8Aa7rMG7Aw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CBkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=&f=false
-- "At its best, life is completely unpredictable." - Christopher Walken
| Pin It |
10 comments so far
WistysWoodWorkingWonders
home | projects | blog
11516 posts in 1354 days
#1 posted 1245 days ago
very nice looking chess set… well done…
-- New Project = New Tool... it's just the way it is, don't fight it... :)
MShort
home | projects | blog
1397 posts in 1616 days
#2 posted 1245 days ago
Great looking chess set. I have always wanted to try and make on but have not. Thanks for sharing how you did this. I might give it a try.
-- Mike, Missouri --- “A positive life can not happen with a negative mind.” ---
a1Jim
home | projects | blog
89117 posts in 1774 days
#3 posted 1245 days ago
Very nice work Chris
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
ohwoodeye
home | projects | blog
769 posts in 1351 days
#4 posted 1245 days ago
These look really, really nice. I feel compelled to try this now. For some reason your pictures and designs make this look like a really fun project…..turn a few pieces at you liesure…....no pressure, no time constraints…....turn one a day or one a month…..just have fun turning wood and when you are done, you have a useful handmade chess set. How cool.
Thanks for posting.
-- Directions are just the Manufacturer's opinion on how something should be assembled. ----Mike, Waukesha, WI
Loucarb
home | projects | blog
2388 posts in 1642 days
#5 posted 1245 days ago
Fantastic craftsmanship. Well done & thank you for the link.
dustbunny
home | projects | blog
1149 posts in 1492 days
#6 posted 1245 days ago
Chris,
This is fantastic and innovative.
I’ll bet the pieces will take you even less time the more you do.
Looks like it was well worth your effort !!
AWESOME job : )
Lisa
-- Imagination rules the world. ~ Napoleon Bonaparte ~ http://quiltedwood.com
kweenbee
home | projects | blog
40 posts in 1409 days
#7 posted 1245 days ago
Chris,
Outstanding, simply outstanding.
To craft your own tools then use those tools to turn out a beautiful set,
truly inspiring.
Thanks for the “tutorial” and the great link.
I have been thinking of making a set in the 8 to 12 inch range.
The tools you have crafted certainly could be scaled up.
Thanks for sharing.
-- "The Artful Bodger"
Andrew
home | projects | blog
709 posts in 1396 days
#8 posted 1245 days ago
Stunning, great job, thanks for all the information and details.
-- Even a broken clock is right twice a day, unless, it moves at half speed like ....-As the Saw Turns
ShannonRogers
home | projects | blog
534 posts in 1985 days
#9 posted 1243 days ago
Nice job. I really like the subtle differences between pieces that lets the discerning eye know if wasn’t done on a duplicator. Great idea of making custom tools too.
-- The Hand Tool School is Open for Business! Check out my blog and podcast "The Renaissance Woodworker" at www.renaissancewoodworker.com
souichiro
home | projects | blog
369 posts in 1543 days
#10 posted 1192 days ago
Wow! Amazing work, i really like the knight! I’ve tried chess sets every year since I got my lathe, truly a task :) Hope to have something turn out 1/2 as well as this set one of these years. The cutting head idea is interesting.
-- Dale, Oregon
Have your say...