chess board for this year's state fair

Dan Noren

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with the cradle nearly done, it's time to start on the projects for this year's stated fair. the first of which is the biggest of the bunch, a floating top chess board. the board itself is supported by 2 braces that are on the inside of the base, lifting the top so that for all intents and purposes, the top looks like it is floating free of the base. the base itself will be made of birch, and the frame of the top will be brazilian cherry, with walnut and figured maple for the squares. the braces will be walnut, so that they will be even darker while in the shadow of the board.
 

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after returning from running around with my brother, and going to see my nephew's new house with our dad, i did manage to get a little bit more done with the chess board. i cut and sanded to the lines the template i had made from leftover mdf (stuff is still useful), then transferred the lines to the walnut for the braces. once that was done, i cut the tenons for the mortises that will be done in two of the aprons. then i cut the curved parts, and sanded to the lines. that spindle sander is sure getting a workout on this project. then i cut the four posts to size, and called it a day, as it was getting to be around 9:30. ending the day on a high note.
 

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  • braces cut and sanded to lines.jpg
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  • lines transferred and ready to cut.jpg
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  • pattern for braces cut and sanded to lines.jpg
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  • posts cut to size and length.jpg
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  • walnut for braces.jpg
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nope ken, your eyesight is ok, there is a 3 degree taper to the non-mortised sides of the legs. here is an exploded pic of the board.
 

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I predict ribbons. I really like the floating idea. Nice lines and structural interest on the base and a fresh choice on the materials.
 
sorry, picked up the mdf for the board base, but due to storms no actual work done on the chess board today. but, i will be working on it after i drop the wife :blah: off at school tomorrow.
 
hotter than all get out today, heard that it got to 91, with all the humidity from the storms last night. the first thing i got out of the way today was to cut the aprons to size, then cut all the tenons. then it was on to setting up the legs for mortises, then cutting them. then i checked the aprons with the braces, seemed ok. then it was on to cutting the walnut and maple for the squares. the ripping and cross cutting will be done tomorrow. then i did the test fit of the aprons and legs, there's a bit more fine tuning to do, but this worked out as i expected. i then double checked the braces and aprons, still a good fit. the last thing done today, was to cut the mortises in the aprons for the braces. it seemed to go together well, but when i set it down on all fours, there is a bit of a twist, so there will be definitely some tenon tweaking tomorrow.
 

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  • base checked with braces.jpg
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  • legs and aprons assembled.jpg
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  • checking braces against aprons.jpg
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  • legs marked for mortising.jpg
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  • legs mortised.jpg
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  • maple for squares.jpg
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  • tenons ready.jpg
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  • walnut for squares.jpg
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still trying to figure out why it twists like this, but i think that after adjusting the tenons on the braces, it will straighten out. today i resawed the stock for the squares, and planed them to 3/16" thick. then ripped them to finished width, and with the incra jig, cross cut them to square. then i assembled the squares to see how big a board i'm working with, and it's decent sized, that is a one foot steel rule next to the squares. i also got a pic of my helper, bo schmibbly as well.
 

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  • squares cut.jpg
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  • squares laid out with 12 inch ruler.jpg
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  • walnut and birch square stock ready to be planed.jpg
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since i had to get the laundry that the wife :blah: forgot to tell me about, i went out to the car and brought in the bit of half inch mdf that is the base for the board squares, i just could not resist, and had to check out the float factor. all i can say is wow....
 

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