Build a Chess Board. Pt.1 - The Top

[randysngh]

Steve, I followed your instructions, and I made a real classic Chess Board. I do not know how to upload pictures on this site. But Thanks for your instructions and ideas. I made my Chess Board of Rock Maple and Purpleheart. My worst Critic said it's the best thing she has seen me made. I am thinking of using a Tung Oil Finish. would you recommend this?

[BFran89]

Steve...I have not only viewed all seven parts of your chess board series but I have viewed all more than seven times..they are really good..I'm a little thick... Although a 16x16 board should be the result I have ended up with odd sizes ( for various reason , like thickness of blade). My frustration is making a frame for an odd size board that has a 1/4" rabit. It would seem that subtracting a 1/4" from the inside measurement should do the trick. Not necessarily so...What am I missing?

[Kasuh3]

I tried making a balsa wood chess board but it was too flimsy and it broke

[Bad55Taco]

Be careful with mini sp if you choose to use an oil base clear coat or finish it's possible that the wood will refuse to absorb the finish but use laquer it's always nice

[NixonAre]

Hahaha. this is the first video i watched from your shop. and now allmost inn 2012. i still whatch you..... am i a stalker?

[FragBenitez]

what do you use to check the real grain and color of the wood at 1:09 ?? Thanks

[stevinmarin]

@FragBenitez I use naphtha, but minerals spirits will work too.

[FragBenitez]

@stevinmarin Thanks Stevin, that was fast!

[95kanester]

Have you heard of SawStop table saws?



[caseychaos3601]

bandsaw -120$

table saw-130$

planar-500$ [or use one that is 89$ or even better use a hand plannar 4$] going the cheapest route, is not much harder, and all you really need is JUST the band saw. sand paper, and a planar for tools everything else is optional. so quit being so retarded. [and ofc the materials. for you who would like to say something that stupid.]

[Za7a7aZ]

Don't be modest...you got all the tools you need to make practically anything with wood.

[tibothenr]

plainer , jointer , band saw , miter saw O°_o i dont have all that shit

[stevinmarin]

@tibothenr Check Craigslist.

[tibothenr]

@stevinmarin europe >.< you have great video's btw

[3sLabsProd]

7x8 checkerboard lol

[zetmundo]

KIND OF WOOD IS USED TO MAKE THE BOARD

[dragon91027]

Too Funny!!!! This guy have thousands of dollars of tools. We would have to buy or rent these tools. Not practical for most of us.



[stevinmarin]

@dragon91027 Granted, not hand tools, but realistic hobbyist tools. My videos are geared toward woodworkers who HAVE power tools, just not the high-end ones most woodworking videos show. I picked up most of mine on Craigslist and other second-hand sources for very little cost.

[dragon91027]

@stevinmarin . I like your video. My brother is a builder and I know the tools you use to build this chess board are expensive. Hand tools will not accomplished the precision needed to make this chessboard. Nevertheless, good video.

[Za7a7aZ]

You got some nice tools to hobby any wood-project with succes.....Ever tried to make an acoustic guitar? It will take some research of how to do it but it is fun to do and the end result will be some thing to make you want to play the thing ♫♪♫

[RedSirenX]

I'm going to steal your idea for my woodwork project for leaving cert I hope that's okay? xD lol

[RedSirenX]

I'm going to steal your idea for my woodwork project for leaving cert I hope that's okay? xD lol

[1223manny]

What are the dimensions of the top

[pyungte]

How long was the amount of wood you used???

[mh95pufc]

how wide dos the rabbet cut for the frames need to be?

[mh95pufc]

What are the sizes for the four pieces of the top frame @6:12?

[danielcarmi305]

You look a bit like Dr. House

[haveagoodweek]

Nice planer

[ZachJPercy]

wouldn't the bricks scratch the wood a little ?

[buzz200066]

Nice touch with the masking tape.

[billlaughlin]

Shuck in the missing 8th strip so much for planing

[patagonien11]

I really like your chessboard, but overthink your safety. As a professional woodworker, i know what i am talking about..

But, you did still a great job, nice Chessboard. :-)

[TheManFromAlaska]

Awesome work. I would really like to make a chess board like that. I would just need to re-saw and plane the boards if I ever get out to my father house. Thanks for the videos.

[marchingpackofCeHS]

i like that a the beginning your hair is short and when you start working your hair is way longer

[calebshryane]

@marchingpackofCeHS ahahah it grew

[TheArtboy47]

Steve you need to learn some safety tips. a push stick and paddles.

Please look into this. Your project was very good , but your cutting methods are dangerous. You actually passed your fingers across the jointer's guard.

When cutting small strips -NEVER use your fingers that close to the blade, make yourself a push stick and get use to it.

I have done this for 40 years and I Teach and I don't want to see you or anyone get injured.

Best Regards,

Mark

Bridgewater, Ma.

[JosephZ258]

I already have like 2 chess borads and 1 of them is 21inches so i dont think i neeed a chess board

[TheWoodenFuzzy]

how u cut the 16th inch strips?

[stevinmarin]

@TheWoodenFuzzy Take thin, planed-down board, then cut a series of strips on a table saw.

[sadgreen]

Wow that chess board looks beautiful!

[OrigamiEvan78]

I watched all the vidios and i want to tell you that i need the messurments of the following width of the frame the hight of the wall imbetween the top and bottom fames and all messurments of the drawers along with the spacing of the two strips of plywoodthat are behind the stop blocks for the drawers

please reply im trying to make a relly nice chess boad to go with my peices my chess set

[warrudoz]

looks young in this video. 2008. I see from this year, be shaved should be, uff the finger near saw :) .

[lordjack567]

It's freaking awesome that did all of that with just 2 boards!

[manateeTV]

Hi there... i've watched all of these chess board making episodes and i am truly inspired by the quality of your work.. i am 15 and am studying GCSE Product Design over in England. For my final assesment i have 17 hours making time to build something of my choice ... i was just wondering how long (making time only) it took you o make this board...and do you think it would be possible for me to make a similar more simple board in about 17 hours??? thanks

[stevinmarin]

@manateeTV I'm pretty sure you can do this in 17 hours. I didn't really have a plan when I made this one, so it took me longer. You could certainly save time by making simpler drawers and apply an easier finish.

[ricendres]

...continued

I would like to take some questions.

What tools did you use to make the chessboard? I mean, the technical names, so I can search them to buy. (saws, grinders corners, that machine to leave the side at 90 degrees to paste, etc.). You could list them, please?

Thank you very much.

Ricardo

[ricendres]

Hello Stevin

Excuse me if I'm annoying. My English is not good, so I use a translator.

I just found your fantastic work on this project from the board, and my dream was to make one, at least similar.

Since always enjoy working with wood. But the unique tools that I have are: A hammer, two saws and pliers. Unfortunately where I live here do not have this wonderful manufactures who calls himself "craftsman. " But I intend to gradually go riding my workshop.

continue other post...

[Spoif]

Thanks for the video Steve. That's a lovely build. There were moments where I was holding my breath because of how close you had your fingers to the machine blades.

[RWW124]

Hi Steve, how much walnut and maple do you think you used for the top section only?

[GamedFreak]

Love It. I think I wanna start one. But I don't have any experience. I just know the theory.

[v8metal]

Very nice work sir !!! be carefull pleaseee !!!

[arkansassteve]

Dam fine job. Keep up the great work!

[therisk100]

mate 6.36 you should have used a piece of timber applied with pressure to the end of the piece you where working with..never have your hand that close to the blade...

[ilovemushi]

Lets make pieces now LOL

[Water987459]

you could've made it so much easier on yourself by planing it smooth AFTER you glue it -______-

[dogzrgood]

at 2:43 you almost cut ur hand into two :(

[thepigofhappiness]

@dogzrgood I was shouting at the screen, bloody close run thing!

[dgmunch]

Steve, I watched your video with Marc today & I just finished watching his video about his past mistakes which included a checker/chess board that "blew" up. Since you did your board with 1/4" on plywood, how's it holding up now that it's about 2 years old? I see you framed your board which presented Marc with problems but Marc's board used thicker wood. I'm looking to do one similar to yours and would like to know what to avoid to ensure my board holds up over time.

Thanks!

Dustin

[stevinmarin]

@dgmunch I know, I was wondering that too. Mine is still holding up fine. Maybe gluing the thin pieces to the plywood gave it stability...almost like a veneer.

[GlitterFuze]

so... many... tools!

beautiful board though

[unstman12]

hey is that chevy a 6.2 diesel?

[BlackbirdSpecOps]

You better get into the habit of keeping your fingers away from the blades on all your saws. You run your fingers right over the top of the blades and if something should happen you're going to be missing some fingers. Get a fence guard put on your table saw. You're taking some serious chances. I'd hate hear about someone losing their fingers because they didn't do something so simple. Nice work that you're doing.

[Huevon1b]

At 6:00 you use bricks to clamp the strips to the plywood. Don't you need to clamp the strips together, too? I would be worried about gaps.

[neetones]

This is really helpful and well constructed. Thanks.

[tabitgibs]

so nice me want

[Tremelle1]

Would you consider making that chess set for me?

[Tremelle1]

Would you consider making that chess board for me?

[fastgs1]

I've found using a spatula to spread glue is a great alternative to brushes. They spread smoothly like brushes, but they're reusable. Just let them dry and bend the glue off.

[imhotep9]

One more question for you - at 5:45 when you are painting the wood glue onto the plywood, are you using a slow-drying wood glue of some kind?  In my experience it starts drying a little by the time it would take me to paint that entire surface. Maybe I am just too slow!

[stevinmarin]

@imhotep9 I just use Titebond wood glue. It has a pretty slow set time. But you certainly have to work as quick as possible.

[MarioTutorials]

How thick is the final wood?

[fastgs1]

Stevin, did you ever make those chess pieces?

[blendmake]

you really know ur stuff

[fastgs1]

Could you have achieved the rabbit groove with the router as well, or is that too big of a chunk of wood for a router to bite into?

[GeneralMillss]

@fastgs1 For walnut, because it is such a hard wood, cutting a rabbet that large on the table saw would probably be the best idea. You could do it on the router, but you would need quite a large bit.

[fastgs1]

@GeneralMillss

Good point. A smaller bit could probably work with some incremental passes.

I just have a hard time achieving the correct height with the table saw blade. It's difficult to find the absolute height of it's circular blade. Router seems more accurate with this, however it's more prone to singe the wood.

[Ic3Z3r0]

did you have any problems with the board being not exactly square once you glued it up the second time?

[dlang55]

why didnt the width of the blade on your table saw affect the width of your squares?or did it?

[Ditre]

if you measure the width of the cut from your blade all you have to do is off-set the wood by half and you should be okay

[MegaChilangodf]

YOU WORK WHITOUT SECURITY MAN!!!

[naulty3500]

HOLY MAN! you should have seen my face when he was using the table saw! wheres your push sticks buddy!?

[bijoucaroontube]

This is amazing. I am trying to do this using African Padauk- (I already have the thin wood boards) do you have any suggestions on how to seal the wood to avoid bleeding of darker wood into lighter wood? Thanks so much!

[maxpolaris99]

Stone Knives and Bear Skins! Wish I had a planer and jointer and dove tail jig. I will after I drop 10 Grand on a 24x24 garage for my workshop and wire it up and put a wood stove in it. Maine Winters Get Cold! Then I can clean out my cellar and have a real workshop.

[MrMaplebob]

no tools compared to Norm A brahms

[CorpusChristi83]

yeah man, you do amazing work, but you have waaay more tools than a "amateur hobbyist," I don't have half of those fancy expensive tools, so I could never recreate this.

[maxpolaris99]

@CorpusChristi83

Hand tools have been used for centuries to create the finest examples of woodworking craftsmanship in the world. However you can argue back that an extensive set of high quality hand tools are actually much more expensive than power tools.

[benjie251]

Thanks, this really helped me build my own chess table for my major woodwork project this year!

[tecnodude989]

i bet you a million dollars that you cant create one of these out of stone and bear skins.

[adamwadkison]

Excellent series. I was fascinated, rare to see another woodworker in the shop working, going through the steps. You can read about the procedures in the magazines, but to see it in action, especially the dovetail jig and the pumice/rottenstone in use.

Thanks again, this series gives me the confidence to attempt some of the more 'higher end' woodworking techniques I'd been hesitant to try.

Cheers.

[shaloopydoo]

Steve,

Very nice job. I found this series while planning an almost identical project. Exact same concept just a few minor detail differences. One question though, when you glue up the top and bottom frames and glue the top and bottom to the sides do you use any mechanical fasteners, frame joints, dowels, or biscuits, or do you just glue end grain to end grain, and if so are you concerned about those joints failing?

thanks

Again, great job. I can't wait to see the pieces.

[avsiii]

Oh my god!!!

Ten dollars for that whole walnut borad...!!!???

Wow, it cost me like 35 to more then 100 dollars for that much of wood....

Where are you from?

[stevinmarin]

Uh...10 bucks per foot.

[057doyler]

@stevinmarin is it not sold in cubic foot is tht what you mean?

[stevinmarin]

@057doyler It's about $10 a linear foot. (8" wide)

[057doyler]

@stevinmarin hey thanks stevin for the reply,i am going to start my own little workshop this summer cant wait!!!

[magnusXbane]

those do not seam like armature tools...

[Xxdiego92xX]

3:29 - 3:41 I think your work is perfect but you need more securtiy.

Or you have extra fingers? :)

[bohun28]

Hi, nice job.

You're nowhere near as light-weight regarding tools as you claim though. My Dad is an amateur and his workshop isn't half as impressive I must say :)

I have a couple of questions:

First of all how did you make the small maple strips that you fit around the edge of the board?

Secondly, when you're weighing the board down with the bricks, isn't there a bit of danger that that'll leave marks in the board surface?

[grancucharon]

those tools look expensive

[Greekmuseum]

nice work , do you know were i can get the chess peaces to play on it ?

[theinventer]

where did u get the wood?

[stevinmarin]

I picked it up at a local lumber yard (Rafael Lumber in San Rafael) that carries hardwood boards. Check your phonebook...there's bound to be someone nearby that has hard wood.

[theslayer8994]

okokokokokokokokokokokokokokok­okokokokokokokokokokokokokokok­okokokokok

[stevinmarin]

Okay.

[NokneesLooney]

OKAY!

[CMathewJ]

Great video! im currently making a chess board project in my wood shop, but the board opens up into a case to store the pieces. Again great videos, im looking forward to seeing more projects

[LOLindustries]

simply excellent

[letitROCK5four]

this is awesome. as a design student, i am planning on making my own chess set (pieces and board) but was not planning on using the traditional style (wood and all) but this is very inspiring. im about to watch part 2! this is coming along great!

[SuperJRTR]

Excellent video. Do you have some blueprints or any reference with numbers about how could I make one too.. Thanks.. (sorry about my english it´s not my first language)

[stevinmarin]

Thank you for watching. I've had a number of people asking me for chess board plans. Unfortunately, I just made a simple sketch with basic dimensions before construction. Most was just improvised as I made it.

Before making it, I did look up "official" chess boards and discovered that the squares are 1.5" and went from there.

Since it's essentially just a box, you should be able to scale it to any size you wish. Also, check out Google SketchUp. It's a free 3D program I've been trying out.

[SuperJRTR]

Thank you very much. I will try out =)

[dogmandaz]

SUperb!!!

[Jsm000007]

blue round ala turk. great song at the end. I'm not big with wood, but i'm trying to make a plastic 3 dimentional chess set. any tips for plexyglass work?

[ramzpaul]

You are starting to get a lot of views!

[ramzpaul]

Nice Video!