For my upscale project I will be creating a rustic chess board. I have played chess on and off for most of my life, and thought this would be a great opportunity to create something of my own. My plan for making this board is going to involve a few things, but the main component will be different types of wood that are either used, or natural. I plan on using a combination of both offcuts from the wood shop, as well as parts of sticks and maybe smaller logs that I find on the ground.
(1) ThatFamilyShop. Style of board I am hoping to emulate
I would love create a boarder that has lots of rough natural angles, but am unsure of my ability to both create something of that caliber, as well as source wood that would work in such a way. I will continue to do research into the feasibility of this type of board, but if that isn’t possible, I have another approach in mind. This would involve making the boarder out of scrap say 2x4s, ideally ones that have lots of imperfections, in order to have a boarder that will be easier to put together, but also still look imperfect.
(2) Wild Child Workshop. Example of tree cookies (Much bigger than I would use)
For half of the squares, I think it would be interesting to use “tree cookies” as seen above, but much smaller. I would create these by taking small sticks that are roughly the same diameter as the width of the squares, and use them for the light squares. For the dark squares, I am weighing using more tree cookies but just staining them, as well as simply using a darker shade of wood than the pine the cookies will likely be made of. In order to give the board a smooth finish, I am looking into using clear epoxy resin, to both seal the wood, and allow it to feel finished while still feeling old and rustic.
(3) JB Weld epoxy I am considering using
Another way I am considering building the frame involves using thin boards to hold the squares of the board, then fastening a cut piece of real branch to the outside. I like this approach as it will allow me to fairly easily get a square for the board itself, while also making the outside look much more natural than a processed piece of wood looks. Overall, I think this approach, while also including the branch slices for the squares, will offer me the most feasible combination of capturing the aesthetic that I’m looking for while also being something I am actually capable of making.
References:
(1) https://thatfamilyshop.com/cdn/shop/products/rustic_chess_with_drawers005_1024x1024.jpg?v=1589296140
(2) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55915538e4b05b489b7cd591/1440618336440-38QAQ6DL0B26JWOQG27A/image-asset.jpeg?format=1500w
(3) https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcRHB7iOYrzfhF8Rh7gpSEGM6Ixu95T5hTTWuR-dHoLkWUtaUpdtuf8ti5LVS2grztQTKDTCSeL-NkR15-dVvBvAVl2LSVFh6RZSy9H-OoYmsFqhU5jSVewyOQ
2 Comments. Leave new
This is quite a cool project, I only recently fully learned how to play chess and its quite a fun time, I wish I picked it up earlier in my life. I do really think you would be able to make a ‘live edge’ style chessboard, I think sourcing the lumber would probably be the hardest facet of the design stage. I know Josh in the Idea Forge Makerspace would be more than happy to show you techniques that you could use to get the desired outcome you want. I suggest going and chatting with him with some preliminary sketches to get any input from him.
I love that this project is personal to you! I like how you discussed the possible different approaches you may take to build the frame. If you decide to use tree cookies, are you planning on filling the board with epoxy or a resin to fill in the gaps since they won’t have straight edges? I can’t wait to see your final product!