| Project by DavidBethune | posted 914 days ago | 2531 views | 3 times favorited | 21 comments |  |
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Well I have finally completed the Chess Board for the Lewis Chess pieces that I am still carving. The board is made from Moose Antler, 1/4” thick pieces bonded together on 3/4” Baltic Birch, trimmed with walnut & then Laser Engraved. It is approx 20 1/2” x 20 1/2” in size.
It took 8 hours Laser time to engrave what you see on the board. Industry standard charges for Laser Engraving is $2.00 per minute.. Do the math…. hmmm
People who are selling Moose antler are asking $250.00 for 1 rack. For this set I need about 10 racks to complete it. So all in all if I had to pay for Lasering and buy the antler I would have about $3500.00 in material cost plus the time to make it. This has been an ongoing project for the last couple of years.
I would value this set at $10,000.00 when it’s complete and knowing that no one would pay that is, why I am giving it to family to be kept as an heirloom.
I am giving it to my brother and sister in law, so I put our family coat of arms as well as his wifes maiden name coat of arms on the back along with the story about the Lewis Chess set about where it was found. The originals pieces are in the British and Scotlands museums.
I am still working on the Chess pieces. They are all hand carved out of Moose, Deer and Caribou. The challenge for the larger pieces like the Kings and Bishops is that I have to have very large butt ends of Moose Antler to make them because the pieces are approx 2” across x 3” high. It’s difficult to get the antler because I will not pay for it so I rely on people finding it for me.
Anyhow I’m really glad I finished the board.
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21 comments so far
Andrew
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709 posts in 1370 days
#1 posted 914 days ago
Super cool. I have found that if you give pens made from anler, people will give you all the antler you can use.
This is a really neat project. The board came out great.
Thanks for sharing.
-- Even a broken clock is right twice a day, unless, it moves at half speed like ....-As the Saw Turns
DavidBethune
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505 posts in 1564 days
#2 posted 914 days ago
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for commenting. Deer Antler is very easy to come by and I have a lot of it.. but it’s the Moose Antler that people do not want to part with and that’s what I need for the big pieces.
db
Roger
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9192 posts in 975 days
#3 posted 914 days ago
Very unique. Awesome project
-- Roger from KY. Work/Play/Travel Safe. Kentuk55@bellsouth.net
snowdog
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1117 posts in 2154 days
#4 posted 914 days ago
Wow that is a labor of love for sure. If living for ever means being remembered then you will live a long time.
-- "so much to learn and so little time"..
Maveric777
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2593 posts in 1248 days
#5 posted 914 days ago
Beautiful heirloom David! You should be very proud of your hard work. I would kill for a set like this in my home…
Well done and thanks for sharing!
-- Dan ~ Texarkana, Tx.
DavidBethune
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505 posts in 1564 days
#6 posted 914 days ago
I just now recieved an email from the British Museum about my set. They really like it and are going to have their curator check it out..:) It’s awesome to get that type of recognition.
Dennis Zongker
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2177 posts in 1763 days
#7 posted 914 days ago
WOW! That is really nice! Wonderful Craftsmanship!
-- Dennis Zongker
Ken90712
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12676 posts in 1360 days
#8 posted 914 days ago
Very unique & Awesome project, priceless to say the least. The love and time you have put into this is incredible. The work it flawless. Great work !!!!!
-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"
DaddyZ
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2008 posts in 1212 days
#9 posted 914 days ago
Very Cool Set !!!!
-- Pat - Worker of Wood, Collector of Tools, Father of one
Manitario
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1862 posts in 1054 days
#10 posted 914 days ago
awesome project!
-- Rob, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
BarbS
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2181 posts in 2257 days
#11 posted 914 days ago
What a stunning achievement! Someday when you are long gone, someone is going to find this hand-crafted set in an attic somewhere and it, too, will end up in a famous museum. Craftsmanship. You’ve really outdone us all, I think. Beautiful!
Correction.. you didn’t even have to wait for posterity! Congratulations! Where did they see it? Here?
-- http://barbsid.blogspot.com/
Lochlainn1066
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138 posts in 949 days
#12 posted 914 days ago
Wow. Just wow. Truly, truly stunning.
To have the BM contact you about this is incredible. If it were me I would be on a week-long high right now.
-- Nate, thegaragestudio.etsy.com
Sodabowski
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1821 posts in 1004 days
#13 posted 913 days ago
I’m really impressed, as the guys above. Thumbs up on the BM finding your work!
-- Thomas - There is no such thing as a problem, there only are solutions.
PflugervilleSteve
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98 posts in 1214 days
#14 posted 913 days ago
Thanks for sharing. It’s REALLY cool.
Steve Esterby
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285 posts in 931 days
#15 posted 913 days ago
OUTSTANDING!your craftmanship is as good as it gets! I sympathize with trying to find the moose antler ends.The last ones I got,my friend found 250 miles from the nearest town in Alaska and shippped them to me in oregon. I call them “moose ivory”.
-- steve...e-mail-themantelshop@hotmail.com........remember,the best teacher is repetition.
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