chess board

[neilyweely]

OK. so I am making up a few chess boards for xmas presents.
So far I have managed to cut all the pieces of wood (elm and walnut) to pretty much the same size squares, and am going to mount them on a piece of ply or mdf, then run them once thru the thicknesser before finishing. All the pieces are running grainwise the same direction, so I do not envisage this being a problem.

My question is ' Will it be?" and does anyone have any useful suggestions for me?

I guess I kinda tried to make this as easy as possible, and hoped that using the thicknesser would take all the pita out of matching up exactly all the bits!! The RAS managed to get them all the same size width and length ways (48mm x 48mm) but the elm was a tad thicker than the walnut.

I thought of using some oak to put a nice little trim round the edges, maybe with some design routed on, maybe nice and simple ( I do sometimes think I am guilty of over-doing it slightly!)

I will take some pics if and when I feel it is acceptable to show amongst such esteemed woodworking!!!

Any help appreciated folks (finishes, tricks etc....)

Ta

Neil

 

[Ironballs]

I'd experiment beforehand if I were you, I'd be amazed if it made it through the thicknesser with no tearout. My suggestion would be a very sharp block or smoothing plane, followed by the random orbital sander. That is how I finished my ash end grain choppping board recently

 

[fossil]

you could look arond local cabinet makers to see if they have a wide belt feed through sander ( like wot we got at work )

ours goes from 40 grit to 220

on the 40 i can take oak down by .8mm

 

[John McM]

See here

http://thewoodwhisperer.tv/7-a-cut-above-pt-1/

 

[motownmartin]

Hi Neil, I made one not too long ago and done it similar but I didn't cut squares, I cut the two woods into strips then put them through the thicknesser then glued the strips together forming a striped board, then crosscut so I had strips of squares, if that makes any sense, I then glued the strips to the plywood, which looked like this

Next I made the border out of oak and to finish I used an orbital sander

 

[Pip]

Hi!Neil, I too am trying to make a chess board, my way, so far, is to cut 4 strips of each of the woods (Mahogany & something white-ish) for about 10 of the squares you need, in your case 48mm x 480mm.

Shove the strips through the thicknesser, face up, then place them next to each other on edge, tape them together at the ends, then run them through the thicknesser together, (the tape keeps them upright), the strips should now be the same width and thickness.

Lay the strips out alternating the colours and glue them together to make a square board of alternating strips, when set, cut the board into 48mm strips across the alternating colours, now arrange the strips with the squares alternating and glue up, cut to finished size when set, it's easier to do than to explain!!

My board went o'k until cutting the board into strips, then I found out I hadn't used enough glue, and ended up with bits all over the place, some of which disappeared.

Just got second lot through thicknesser, ready for sticking together,
might get round to posting some piccies when I've learned how!

Good luck
pip

 

[Pip]

Dammit!!! Martin's beaten me to it, took ages to type that lot
pip

 

[motownmartin]

Sorry Pip

You're instructions are better though

 

[neilyweely]

Yeah guys, both your methods are sounder than mine, agreed, but I had a load of little bits to get shot of, which was half the point of the exercise.
What I may try is the big old hitachi belt sander I have, followed by the lil ol ROS to finish.

I think I may try to border it with some oak. I am hoping that when sanding it will cover any of the little discrepancies that are likely to show up when the glue drys.

I am thinking to make it hinged so it can be tucked away. I suppose you folk are going for the solid option? I would've liked to, but my mum wanted it small! Shame, I had some lovely elegant legs to put on it. Ne'er mind, they can go elsewhere I'm sure!

Will post some pics when done.

Neil

PS And how will you/did you do the edges?

 

[Benchwayze]

Dammit!!! Martin's beaten me to it, took ages to type that lot
pip

Pip,

Use a paper-glue joint with plenty of water soluable glue, glue your strips to a substrate. Let it dry well, before you pass them through the thicknesser. Then you can pull the glue joints apart after ripping them and lay out your chequers.

 

[Pip]

Martin, I'll just have to type faster, wasn't my original idea, nicked it from somewhere, nice finish on yours by the way.

Neil, you must have lots of patience (and skill) to do it that way, can't wait for the piccies.

John, Thanks mate, have some thin hardboard, will try your way, might even get out to do it today

 

[motownmartin]

PS And how will you/did you do the edges?

I made the plywood base about 10mm bigger then routed a channel in the Oak, just like a mortice and tenon.

 

[neilyweely]

Patience yes, ,skill no. It's better to be lucky than good!!

We'll see!

Neil

 

[Jay James]

motownmartin that chess board is superb.

 

[motownmartin]

motownmartin that chess board is superb.

Thankyou Jay

 

[gatesmr2]

Hiya

Very nice chess board Martin.

Can i ask is there any reason why you can't have the grain running in opposite directions or is this just another one of my totaly daft ideas as i think the difference would look good.

Martin

 

[motownmartin]

Hiya

Very nice chess board Martin.

Can i ask is there any reason why you can't have the grain running in opposite directions or is this just another one of my totaly daft ideas as i think the difference would look good.

Martin

Hi Martin, I don't see any reason why you cannot do it that way, you would crosscut one wood and ripcut the other unless you were to do it in individual squares like Neil, yes I think you are right, it would look good done like that.