Every month I have setup to do the First Friday craft show in Florence, I get someone to stop and look at my cutting boards and ask what they are. They usually say they thought they were game boards. So that leads to the next statement, Do you make chess boards?

Well I decided since someone actually called to order one and another person has stopped by to inquire about one, I might as well give it a whirl.
So here is the picture after the first glue up.
 

I re-sawed the walnut and maple and glued it to 1/2" birch ply then glued the strips together. Ran them through the drum sander to get it smooth and flat. (Side Note - I am really liking the drum sander!!)

Then cut them across and re-glued the strips together to make the checker board.
 

Squares are 1 1/2" and this picture was prior to adding the glue.

It will get run back through the drum sander when it comes out of the clamps.
Now I have got to decide before the weekend how I am going to wrap the edges. I have several ideas, just haven't settled on anything yet.
Built this the way David Marks did one on Woodworks.

I don't even want to think about turning all of those pieces. I not sure I could.

I've made some end grain cutting boards but never a chess board. I know you have been woodworking a long time (your work shows it) but I have to ask, it looks like your maple and walnut square are fairly thick. Is this not a wood movement problem?

You know that is a great question and to tell you the truth, I have no idea. This is the first one I have made and it is the first time I have laminated anything like this on to plywood. I cut them originally to 3/8" and then planed them to 1/4" from there I sanded them with the drum sander to 3/16". They are on 1/2" birch ply. All of the grain is running in the same direction even when it is cut into the squares.

I used the same technique that David Marks used to build one on Woodworks but he did cut them a little thinner than I did. For sure this one is a little bit of a test to see how it works. I will make several adjustments with the size on the next ones. It will get one more sanding through the drum sander when I take it out of the clamps so we will see how it does after that.

Richard McComas said:

I've made some end grain cutting boards but never a chess board. I know you have been woodworking a long time (your work shows it) but I have to ask, it looks like your maple and walnut square are fairly thick. Is this not a wood movement problem?

Right on John, lookin good. My next question as well, was, what about chess pieces! I bet once you get a couple of the pawns made, the rest would go really fast.

Thanks John,

There are a lot of those pawns though. I don't know I may look into it but they are so small.

The American Woodworker said:

Right on John, lookin good. My next question as well, was, what about chess pieces! I bet once you get a couple of the pawns made, the rest would go really fast.

They were hanging on the wall.....

Already had these out gluing up cutting boards.

Larry Jenkins said:

Where's the Besseys?

Larry

I did some wood projects for my girls and grandkids last Christmas. The checker board someone at school had already started on and then left it a couple years ago, so I decided to finish it. I built it some and put a drawer in it. I haven't heard any complaints on warping or cracking yet. I made the bowls using the router, I really like doing them, can't wait to be set up where I can get back on them. The bandsaw boxes are fun to do too, but lots of sanding. I need to find a more efficient way of doing that.

That's a priceless photo Roy. A happy family with dads and grandads woodworking. Thanks for taking the time to share this wonderful photo with us. And, great work again!

That would be interesting. I would like to see those.

Gene Howe said:

I've seen quite nice chess pieces made with a band saw.

Thanks Gene that is a nice link to bookmark.

Looks like they are making them out of solid material instead of laminating them.

I will also have to look into the chess pieces.

Thanks so much.

I finished the chess board and got the edging on it. It has a coat of blo on it right now and I will put the finish on tonight.

I guess now I will have to join the Geometry class.

I set my table saw to cut a 5 degree bevel on the boards on the outside. I ran them through the saw on their edge so it is beveled from the board surface out. It also has a small bead detail around the bottom.

All I know is I set the saw at 5 degrees. I have been worried as to what I will tell people if it is 5 degrees or 85 degrees.

Looks great John. Did you do anything to cover the back (bottom) or can you still see the plywood substrate?

Rick

Rick, I laminated both sides of the plywood so the bottom looks just like the top. Other than the slight bevel on the frame the top and bottom are just alike. You could easily turn it over and used the bottom. I finished both sides.

Thanks

John

Rick Mathison said:

Looks great John. Did you do anything to cover the back (bottom) or can you still see the plywood substrate?

Rick