Hi
I am embarking on a project and have a few questions
I am planning on making a chessboard by cutting 2 inch squares of 1/8″ thick Walnut and Hard Maple. These will be glued to birch plywood with a 1/16th gap around all squares.
The gaps will be filled with either melted gold or silver, or thin strips of a dark wood like ebony.
The whole thing will be surrounded by a 1 – 2 inch wide frame of either Bubinga or Honduran Rosewood.
Questions:
- Will I have to be concerned with wood movement in the squares?
- Will the melted gold/silver hurt the wood when poured in the gaps?
- Any other suggestions on this would be helpful as I am a relative novice
Thank You
Replies
I don't know about doing the gold and silver and the ebony around each square you must really like checkers sounds like $$$$$$$$$$$$.
You may want to think about using veneer .
Ronnie
Who Ever Has The Biggest Pile Of Tools When You Die Wins
Gold and silver each melt at about 1600* F. Wood catches fire at about 450* F. If you try this, make a video, it will be worth enough mony to buy a nice chessboard.
LOL, OK, I didn't know that part, thanks for the info, I guess it is back to using a thin wood strip between them.
You can buy pre-formed gold and silver wire either as a round or square section. This can then be inlayed as you would a wood filler strip. Epoxy or even super-glue ought to hold it in. I'd not worry about wood movement with such small pieces.
Do a search for jewelry supply places. There are several who can supply these materials. There was an article in FWW maybe a year or so ago where the author inlaid some silver into his project. Sorry I can't recall the exact date or other details. Perhaps someone else can, or you could search the index.
Hello,
I have been taking a crafts class casting jewelry. I found out that pure (.999) silver really won't tarnish but is too soft for most items. Sterling is 92.5%. Ask a jeweler about silver wire. It is reasonable in price compared to gold. I could only afford to make stuff out of silver.
Chuck
Dave,
One of the standard apprentice training projects is what you're describing.
I'd use veneer on a MDF or particle board substrate - movement won't become an issue then.
As to gold/silver - if you must use it, try inlays as described.
If you must use the 1/8" squares and are looking for a filler, try epoxy, tinted to a colour you want.
Cheers,
eddie
Dave
following on from Eddie's comments. lining up 2" squares would be a real pain in the rectum. I'd suggest that if you are sold on solid timber squares that you make up a brick from which you then cut strips for the top. The article on Banding and Stringing in the Nov/Dec 2003 issue of FWW illustrates the basic process. I'd then use a veining bit or a scratch stock to make grooves into which gold or silver wire could be glued and/or hammered.
Let us know what you decide
Ian
Last year I built a combination chessboard an chess piece box from a Woodsmith plan. It used solid wood squares but no gap/trim between the squares. I was really happy with the results. A link to the back issue with the plans is below
http://store.yahoo.com/backissuesstore/wsback132.html
Edited 11/20/2003 3:07:41 PM ET by JOHNULMER2
I would cut 2" long strips of the walnut and maple and edge glue them together to the width of the board wanted. Then, using a sled on a table saw and a very sharp blade start cutting off 2" wide strips across the grain of the glue up. Use masking tape to minimize tearout. I'd make these last strips just a tad over 2".
You them might want to make a jig that can hold the 2" wide strips where you can clean up the saw edges with a very sharp plane. It's very critical to get the 2nd sawn strips the same width as the 1st sawn strips.
Then, glue up the lastly swan strips, alternating the woods. After the glue up is dry then flip it over and clean up the bottom. Glue to the substrate using contact cement. Place 1" thick foam over the top and cover with a thick piece of plywood. To that, evenly disperse 100 lbs or so of weights till the contact cement is dry.
If you still want to do the gold or silver, then use wire. It should be readily available at hobby stores or woodcrafts stores. Using a metal straight edge carefully cut a groove slightly under the width of the wire along each of the seams. You will then press the wire into the groove to the bottom of the groove. After finished with the wire, then sand the top down to the level of the wire. The finish will hold the wire in place.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
PlaneWood
Thanks for the ideas. I may try out the strip method on the next one since I already have the squares cut out for this one. The only TS I have is the Proxxon whicsh ha a 2" blade and has a 12"X10" top.
it is very accurate and only took a little touch up on some of the edges with a sanding block for a near invisible joint.
That is a good idea with the gold wire so I will give that a try.
A friend of mine used to make high dollar pistol cases and he inlaid gold and silver wire by cutting a groove into the wood. His mostly were not straight lines, though.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
Dave, I recently bought 24" of 18K gold wire, .055" diameter, somewhat less than 1/16". It cost $110.00. You are planning a $1000.00 chessboard. Silver wire (get "fine silver") should only set you back $25.00 or so, since silver is not only a lot cheaper but has a lower density. Glue it with epoxy. Rob
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