The board I made. It was fun, and time consuming. Aggravating at times, but I wanted it to turn out nice. Table saw, jointer, biscuit cutter, clamps, planer, sander...and a lot of "elbow grease".
Anyone play chess?
- Thread starter Cowpokey
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Not in a long time! Nobody I know likes to play. That’s a nice looking board you got there and given the tools and such I’m betting that’s not all the wood working you’ve done. Brings back memories. My grandfather who also retired as a MSgt of the USAF and went on to do many other great things was an avid woodworker. I remember as a kid working in his shop and helping people at the local churches and such. Man I sure miss him. He is probably rolling over in his grave right now given all the shit going on in the country.
Every day! When my 10 year old gets tired of his screen it's Dad let's play chess.
That looks like a very nice board.
That looks like a very nice board.
I've done some. Hehe. That board looks simple, it was a lot more involved than I thought going into it.
I have an autistic nephew who loves to play. He's actually pretty good. So at family gatherings, I end up having to play a game or two because no one else likes the game enough.
BTW, I've made a few chess boards and I've never used biscuits. The secret is using a ton of clamps.
BTW, I've made a few chess boards and I've never used biscuits. The secret is using a ton of clamps.
I used biscuits because I figured it was easier to keep the surfaces aligned/level with each other. I know they don't do anything else, they probably make the joint weaker.
These are two sets I made with solid surface and kits from Woodcraft. I can't get them any more. I build good, I play horribly.
I like your set and good work on the build!
Buscuits actually make most joints stronger. Larger surface area for glue to hold joints together. Certainly helps keep the surface level.
My uncle explained to me the reason to use biscuits is because you have a biscuit joiner. But if you don't have a biscuit joiner just use glue and clamps.
I love the game but only have a cheesy old set. Play more on-line these days
These are amazing, great job.
I appreciate the game but don’t play, I don’t know anyone else that’s interested. I can vaguely remember playing with my grandfather when I was little but he was the only person in my family that really cared about it. My grandmother made me a set, pieces and board, out of ceramic when I was in middle school that I still have. My stepdaughter has asked a few times about playing but neither of us have made a conscious effort to set a game up.
We started cleaning our garage out the last few weekends, maybe I should mess it up again trying to make my own board…
Nice board!
I remember when I was a kid in the 80's, Dad and I would play often. I loved it. He even got me an electronic board. Battery powered or could plug into cigarette lighter (back when that little 12V thing in the cars were actually for lighting cigarettes. lol) You could play the "computer" at different levels. The board was magnetized, so it was nice for taking on trips to Grandma and Grandpa's house.
When my brother was stationed in Turkey in the middle '80's, he bought Dad a super nice chess set. All marble and hand carved/polished pieces. Unfortunately, 1 corner of the board was broken in shipping and 1 small piece was lost. Dad glued the remaining pieces together and held it in high regard, since my brother got it for him.
My above mentioned brother and I had a couple long distance games going while he was in the service. Keep in mind, this was back in the letter writing days. When he would write home to Mom and Dad, he would include his "move" and I would include my "move" in the return letter. I took a long long time for a game to end. lol
Since the inter-webs came along, I have played several games with friends across the country.
Good memories made over chess boards.
I remember when I was a kid in the 80's, Dad and I would play often. I loved it. He even got me an electronic board. Battery powered or could plug into cigarette lighter (back when that little 12V thing in the cars were actually for lighting cigarettes. lol) You could play the "computer" at different levels. The board was magnetized, so it was nice for taking on trips to Grandma and Grandpa's house.
When my brother was stationed in Turkey in the middle '80's, he bought Dad a super nice chess set. All marble and hand carved/polished pieces. Unfortunately, 1 corner of the board was broken in shipping and 1 small piece was lost. Dad glued the remaining pieces together and held it in high regard, since my brother got it for him.
My above mentioned brother and I had a couple long distance games going while he was in the service. Keep in mind, this was back in the letter writing days. When he would write home to Mom and Dad, he would include his "move" and I would include my "move" in the return letter. I took a long long time for a game to end. lol
Since the inter-webs came along, I have played several games with friends across the country.
Good memories made over chess boards.
Chess.com
I hate the game because Im lousy at it, too lazy to study, thus I lose a lot.
I hate the game because Im lousy at it, too lazy to study, thus I lose a lot.
- Nov 3, 2010
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I’m not very good but I can play. My kids both wanted to learn as well, so they know the basics. My chessboard is from Afghanistan, bought in 03. Best I can tell it is hand carved soapstone.
Thanks for the "likes" and complements everyone.
My dad finally retired this spring, he's 75, so now he has more time to work in his wood shop. He has almost everything when it comes to shop tools for wood, most of it is older heavy stuff he bought second hand, which are better than most of the stuff available new now. Dad does a lot of furniture projects now; tables, cabinets, wine racks...Lazy Susans are his new thing, he's made about 30 of them, he has a slick set up for cutting the circle tops with a router table, I should have taken pictures of that.
I made an oak table for my daughter, it turned out really nice...she used it for doing "art"...now it's covered with paint and sitting in the closet, it can be saved...just need to clean it off and refinish.
My dad finally retired this spring, he's 75, so now he has more time to work in his wood shop. He has almost everything when it comes to shop tools for wood, most of it is older heavy stuff he bought second hand, which are better than most of the stuff available new now. Dad does a lot of furniture projects now; tables, cabinets, wine racks...Lazy Susans are his new thing, he's made about 30 of them, he has a slick set up for cutting the circle tops with a router table, I should have taken pictures of that.
I made an oak table for my daughter, it turned out really nice...she used it for doing "art"...now it's covered with paint and sitting in the closet, it can be saved...just need to clean it off and refinish.
Side note; all of the wood came from my parents' farm in southern Missouri. Dad cut the trees down, put 'em through his saw mill, and planed the boards. He's brought me a pickup load the last two times they drove up here (Marylandistan). I have a lot of it stacked in the attic over the garage. He bought a ton of cedar from one of his friends down in Arkansas where they live now...got it "for a song". So he's making cedar chests now too...they are beautiful, and smell great...just as they should.
I fell into a bunch of really old Brazilian Rosewood that came from the old train stations along the river that were shut down. They went in with barges, tore them down and sent the wood north to east coast ports. Beautiful stuff, but its about as hared and heavy as iron. I was going to build some stuff but the equipment you need to work it is really expensive and I just dont have the skill. I do better with rocks. Sold or traded most all of it, some to a member here who promised to make me a pool cue. I did get a couple things made. Below are some bases for a pair of audio amps I use. Im jealous of ya'll who do have those skills.
Attachments
That jointer in the background, is way older than I am (almost 50), it was in pretty bad shape when I got it. Hours and hours of wet sanding the surfaces, and replacing the electrical cords/switch going to the motor brought it back to life. Not sure that will be possible in a few years with any of the "new" overseas stuff on the market now.
My dad is an avid woodworker to. Got it from my grandfather I mentioned earlier I guess. Sadly, the world seems to have got him down and he just don’t have the drive he used to. I really wish people could impart knowledge when they pass so lifetimes of skill and education isn’t lost with them.
sure beats our air hocky table which was plastic and broke many years ago , great work making your own chess board it's really nice looking pretty pieces as well .
I think its sad that more recent generations are taught to look down on skills and those doing jobs by hand. Woodworking and metal working skills are slowly being lost.
I too go interested because of my father. He still builds a few things but he's getting to an age where its getting more difficult.
I too go interested because of my father. He still builds a few things but he's getting to an age where its getting more difficult.
I can remember the first thing I did in school was a cheap little spice rack in wood shop and a bottle opener in metal shop.
I studded my parents basement, finished it with paneling, ran electric and my dad helped me hang drywall when I was 12. I haven't stopped building or remodeling since.
These things need to be taught in school, if for no more reason than to help kids with their confidence. When stress gets to me, I usually start some type of project. I find it very therapeutic.
Yep. Agreed. Sadly I’ll never be what my dad or Pappy was, not because I don’t possess some skill but I don’t have the drive those guys did. My dad would go to work, come home and head downstairs and woek some more. The man can do anything. But he also had a wife that did all the other bullshit that I seem to have to do a lot of. So he had that time. When I get home from work the last place I want to be is doing more work. So I usually spend time with the kids or am working long hours anyways abd if I do have to work it’s catching up on cleaning. Heck with the kids so busy at school and karate and dance and all these things there ain’t no time to be piddling in a workshop. I don’t even have time to shoot or do photography r even wash the damn cars. So in a lot of ways I may not have the drive they did but I sure do envy them. On the flip side, when I was young my dad never really spent a lot of time with me either. I want to try my best to be there for my kids. It wasn’t necessarily through any fault of his on tho, he was too busy trying to work his ass off to provide for me and I never griped about him having his likely needed time in the shop. And I don’t really gripe about it now but looking back I knew I wanted to spend more time with my kids, if at all possible.
YES!
I picked up four of those sets for ~$20 a pop. Various colors. Wish I had picked up more.
Good memories.
- Nov 3, 2010
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I picked up 3 but like you wish I had grabbed at least 10. I gave the others to people I knew played, and kept the best looking one. I hoped like hell they would make it back. Logistics were a lot different in the early days for sure. Most of my storage was old water boxes. Good memories indeed, and thanks to @Cowpokey for bringing it up.
I used to get nice ones made from onyx I believe, in Mexico, for about $10. I know they still have them but dont know how much....
www.ebay.com › b › Onyx-Chess-SetOnyx Chess Set for sale | eBay
20"x20" Onyx Marble Beautiful Chess Board Set With Pieces Anniversary Gifts H013. $1,087.65. Was: $1,235.97. Free shipping. or Best Offer.
Nice board. I’ve started trying to teach my daughter but just play at chess.com. I’ll take a game from someone with a high rating to see how quick they can wipe the floor with me.
This is the original laminate board I made in high school, it wasn't a direct shop class...I did everyone of those also...this was "industrial arts". It's an MDF (brown particle board) with laminate wood squares glued on. Sitting on top of the real wood board, before it was finished. I made the wood board a good bit larger, because the ceramic pieces I made in that class were really too big for the original board. I have a wood three tiered box, with an etched glass top for the board and wood checkers, then the bottom two tiers are for the ceramic pieces, with molded foam for each. Those were all part of the project, most "kids" didn't come close to finishing their sets...unfortunate for them.
We were out running around yesterday and one store had a chess set out on display. My oldest asked about it and I started explaining and playing right in the store. Once we had to leave the only thing he could think about is setting up a chess set at home. So this morning I dug my set out and showed him how to set it up and we started a game, and I’m down 6 points.
And this is the game currently
And this is the game currently
Join Chess.com just signing up is free but memberships aren’t too expensive. And they offer free trial memberships for taking surveys and a few other things. I bought their mid-level membership but I think I could be fine with the cheapest plan. The most important thing is getting rid of ads
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