Thanks for your offer, DarkLightning. I was going to PM you, but I don't know if the img formatting will work in PM, so I decided to reply in the thread, instead.
Since I live around the upper Orange County area (and commute to city of Orange), the 1 hour difference in our location might pose a moderate issue. Of course, maybe all that's required is 1 meet: to video-document the signing of the contract together in front of a Notary and to hand you the pieces of lumber needed; and, I'll do the driving to Simi. Everything else could be done by USPS and paypal. (PayPal
requires a tracking number, as I recently learned, which is what I like about it.)
I'm very much aware that most colored woods do eventually lose its fresh-cut coloration over time and realized the fate of Bloodwood's pretty crimson. That's why, when my cousin receives this set on his birthday (June 28th), I plan on advising him heavily to keep the pieces stored away in the darkness of the chessbox (which will be the next project), if he wants the red to last longer, because it will eventually blacken to a dark mahogany. (When I first brainstormed this project, I was in a quandary as to whether I wanted to use Bloodwood or Orange Sandalwood, since I don't know which one's worst!)
Of course, if my employee knows of a way to keep the color even longer or perhaps permanently (e. g. Using natural red Santalin dye from Red Sandalwood?), the wage might just increase from him/her!
As far as the pieces go -
The knight
does have to be carved, but I chose this simpler design in hopes to lower the cost of its production at least somewhat from the original somewhat complex "Man Ray" Knight design.
The rook is indeed basically a block with sections stripped off its lower side. The width/length of the towerhead is exactly 1.5 inches, which is the same as the (Ebony) lumber. I was actually hoping this would be the cheapest to produce, but I guess you're saying that it's not. Can you explain that a little more?
The King's head, as with the rest of its body, is quadrilateral, not round like the Queen's. It's shape is supposed to resemble an obelisk figure.
(The rest of the pieces are also included in the instructions written in the contract; unless you want them now, which I don't mind posting.)
It might work out. Let me know by next weekend or the following whether or not you are official interested in taking on this project, and we can set up an in person or skype interview. Thanks.
edit - AlaskaGuy, thanks for the website. What I found, unfortunately, is that, due to it being a charity organization, I'm not allowed to commission them for projects, nor am I allowed to request for names to. It was worth the thought, however.
And thanks for your follow-up response, JoeinGA. I might do that for the chessbox project. Unless I rehire DarkLightning for that job; assuming that he might be officially for this one. haha