Seeing I have more free time this summer, I have been working on a few hobbies to pass the time between triathlons and searching for a new job. One hobby in particular is woodworking and I decided to try to make something that could be a family heirloom someday. My father loves chess and purchased a chess set while in the Philippines during the Vietnam War. The pieces are about three inches tall and were hand carved from different hardwoods. He never purchased the table that went with the set because it was to big to carry back to the ship.
My woodworking experience is from making a few bookshelves, our entertainment center, a toybox for Luke and a couple other inexpensive projects. I decided that this was to be the one I would take the most pride in and so I decided to use only the best materials and joinery that I could think of.
I started making the table base with red oak. I purchased pre shaped legs and cut mortise joints into each leg as well as matching tenons on the aprons. I used a router and a chisel for the mortise joints and a table saw for the tenons. The tenons slide into the mortise with a lot of glue and create a very sturdy corner. I also used the table saw to cut a slot in the apron boards to hold the bottom of the table (like a basket).
For the chess board, I used a beautiful curling maple for the lights squares and walnut for the dark squares. I cut 3 inch squares in both materials and then glued them into the checker board pattern. I sanded the top flat and then used the router to cut a small rabbet around the perimeter.
The outer border for the board was again red oak. I mitered the corners and then cut a slot in each corner. I inserted a 1/8" thick piece of walnut into the slots to increase the strength of the joint. I then shaped the otside edge with a roman ogee bit on the router.
Finally I coated the oak partions of the table and board with a single coat of satin polyeurathane and the walnut and maple portions with three coats of high gloss polyeurathane to give it a glass like apearance. I also lined the inside of the box with red velvet to protect the chess pieces.
3 comments:
It look like a great job done.your dad tell everone about the chess table his son ken made for him. he love it very much. and yes if i am still here on earth and your dad is not here you will get the chess table and chess pices too.love mom and dad.xoxoxoxo too all there.
Very impressive Ken! I remember that summer you started making that first project for your wife out in my driveway. Hope all is well. And let me know next time you get up here to Alaska! We finally have a good catch of Copper River Reds this summer. Freezer is now full!
Can we get a story about the Triathalon training and events? We at Wildflower Manor(haha)really are curious of the mind set it takes to train for that. You & Donny have inspired our family to try it in 2010 but we want the REAL scoop on what it takes pretty please.
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