I built a $2000 chess board for $20

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

GRAB THE PLANS: www.spencleydesignco.com/products/sbeeb-chess-board-plans T-SHIRTS + MERCH: Patreon.com/SpencleyDesignCo

[@misterg1157]

“I built a $2000 chess board for $20”. Plus $2000 on clamps” (3:27) That’s an inspiring build. Thank you.

[@RonBhattacharya]

Seriously man... US$ 2,000 for 'this'?! Only in the US of A... 😅🤣 You can get a DGT Smart Board with similar materials and (better) finish for half the cost - with WCC Standard pieces! 😅🤨

[@coolhandlukes1]

@@RonBhattacharya You don't have to be a peckerwood......................

[@RonBhattacharya]

@@coolhandlukes1: And there you are "proving" yourself to be such a 'nincompoop' 'and' 'illiterate' concurrently... Cuz I'm neither 'white', nor 'poor'. 😅🤣 You must be from the US of A... Blue or Red MAGA - which breed are you BTW? 😅😅😅

[@GabeSchultz1]

That router profile actually looks really good and fits that elegant chess board design. I’m all for modern profiles, too but it still does look good! Nice build!

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thanks gabe! I agree, it’s a classic look for a chess board but I really wanted to jazz it up and give it a unique look. Maybe next time 😀

[@boydmerriman]

I don't dislike that router bit, I find uses for it more often than you think.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

It seems a lot of folks enjoy it

[@SLAMBANGO]

@@SpencleyDesignCo Chess is literally over 1,000 years old, and filled with history. Also the famous Drueke chess boards came with this profile, as well as a 1/8" groove routed into the border of the board. The only thing I would change is 2.25" squares for USCF regulations, so us Tournament players will want to play on it, and we can bring it to tournaments and play rated games on it. You got the colors dead on, very consistent and perfectly done!! Most wood workers building chess boards are NOT chess players and fail to appreciate the importance of simplicity, so as to not add distraction. For example, curly maple light squares would wreck a board... even a single square would be a distraction.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thanks for checking out the video, Bert!

[@LanceNYC]

The Roman Ogee looks fantastic. It makes a lot of sense on a board for as classic a game as Chess.

[@robertdillon9989]

Agree !

[@Boudicca-the-musical]

I agree too. The board as a whole has a classical look.

[@LanceNYC]

@@m.dewylde5287 Fixed! TY!

[@klosjaarrr5016]

Completely agree, I really liked the finish and especially with chess, you want that sense of tradition, nostalgia, and heritage reflected in the board

[@Warkive]

Let me start with the positives and say that as a new woodworker myself I appreciate the lesson's learned on some of the processes and approaches you took with limited equipment. I also like that you embraced the imperfections in recording/narrating. It's definitely harder than it looks and seeing someone own those mistakes was refreshing. That said, I was pretty put off by how strongly you trashed the client's edge profile choice, and even doubled down in the comments here as well. I get that you want to make sure the audience knows that wasn't your choice, but you could have pretty simply just said you would have gone with a different profile and left it at that. Also, that price is kind of mind-boggling to me considering it has a plywood base. Hats off that you got a client to bite on that but wow, I'm not sure I can comprehend it for what ultimately went into the project.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thanks for watching JD

[@davidsaviano9012]

Easiest way to kill repeat business is to trash a client’s taste in a KZbin video. The client COULD have shown this video to friends, showing how their awesome custom-made chessboard was made, but now they probably won’t do that. Not sure advertising the huge price was wise. Also, using a broken saw blade is not a flex. Hope your business continues to grow. I will say I enjoy your videos and your brutal honesty.

[@TerenceHancock]

Ya it seems he has a little bit of a narcissistic personality

[@wombly_1068]

@@TerenceHancock lol you can even tell that in his 4 word reply to the comment, he completely ignored the criticism

[@purplepigfarms5888]

@@TerenceHancock Based on his comments, he doesn’t seem too bad. There is one woodworker KZbinr, whose name I forgot, who was condescending and overall just very rude to people in his comment sections. It sucked because I wanted to subscribe, but couldn’t after I realized what a butt he was.

[@brucemeyer7907]

The chessboard is absolutely gorgeous, including the ogee profile. Great job.

[@michaelross9546]

Your client was completely right about the router bit! Still, I'm curious to see what the other one would've looked like!

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Oh I agree, the bit was a terrible choice 🤣

[@RoadRacingAustin]

@@SpencleyDesignCo All of the positive comments about the router bit being correct for an old game like chess are EXACTLY correct. And so are old school classic film makers who state that a proper film or video should not typically have clashing scenes that don't flow well or disrupt the viewer. All of your over the top repeated edits, fast popups, bleeps and whatnot added to your video is a complete waste of time. Once or twice trying to make a funny clip is okay, but you beat the dead horse repeatedly trying to make your video appealing. Instead, it makes it a PITA to watch. I couldn't watch your entire flick because of all the wasted moments watching repeated attempts at the same humor that are unrelated to the video. It was not funny after the 2nd or 3rd stab. I skipped around to find what I needed to see with the thumbnails and looked at the final product at the end of a lengthy 18 minute flick that could be half that length. You are the classic case of a young guy in the modern generation that thinks everything old is bad and you just gotta reinvent the wheel because the old stuff is so "old fashion". Your elders are wiser than you sir. You will figure this out in about 15-20 years. You can take my comments personal, or clean up the video edits and probably have more shares and views. ;-) Great looking chessboard, but I will not return to your channel.

[@michaelandriopoulos6515]

@@RoadRacingAustin couldn't agree more

[@rubybossrider6112]

@@RoadRacingAustin bro y u mad at him are u autistic tf

[@mrcat5508]

@@RoadRacingAustindamn kids need to get off my lawn

[@mikep3813]

For $2,000, I sure hope this cutting board came complete with matching chess pieces.

[@mikeb3811]

nope it didnt

[@maclennan.realestate]

You’d be surprised the cost of chess boards - or chess boards with pieces. Classic wood tournament boards can reach upwards of $5,000!

[@aranha6462]

@@maclennan.realestate Official World Chess Championship Chess Sets cost from $500-$1000! Don’t spread misinformation

[@AlrTaken]

@@aranha6462 its a crypto account, what do you expect

[@Leo-rh6rq]

​@@maclennan.realestate wrong

[@MGScarlet]

I find it easier to glue the maple strip to the Walnut first, then glue the combined trim piece onto the project. That way both pieces of trim have the exact same miter in the corner. But either way works of course.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

That’s a great technique too!

[@1dash133]

Good idea. Also, forgoes using the broken hand saw.

[@NerdStuff3141]

3:53 You are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. No clamp can go unused, and you definitely could have added one more tiny clamp at the bottom left corner. Without it, you are risking the whole chess board just falling apart. Im speaking from experience.

[@lolman6215]

Lmao

[@MeMe-xv4ls]

Totally agree. Without that clamp, the quality of the chessboard goes down so much, I don’t see how anyone would buy it.

[@aja4996]

Bruh

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

🤣 you all are funny

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

🤣

[@DIYDaveOK]

That router profile looks fantastic and totally elegant. It gives tremendous edge detail and frames the board beautifully with a sense of delicacy surrounding the crisp, square board pieces. 😊

[@cristibaluta]

No, it looks like a communist era furniture edge

[@frowin001]

More like „2000$ in time and Material to make a 20$ Chess Board“

[@michaelbauers8800]

Labor is most often the most expensive part of making stuff.

[@mickistevens4886]

It's called clickbait.

[@ChildrenOfDesire]

Imagine how much his tools cost too

[@witherblade7558]

@@michaelbauers8800mate a 2000 dollar chess board would probably be made of marble not wood

[@danielpoindexter9913]

Could’ve been a $2000 board if he had used more clamps. Good vid otherwise!

[@metzessible1271]

This came out great! Love the thin strip between the border and the squares. And while that ogee is old-timey, it definitely looks classic. Nice work!

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thanks for checking it out! The client wanted that classic look, so I guess it worked for them 😀

[@steveh8724]

Totally agree! A small detail, that has a major impact on the finished piece!

[@BobStCyr]

Yes there is a "healthy" amount of glue. Optimum glue strength with most PVA glue is attained at .002 to .007 of an inch. More or less glue will be a weaker joint. I'd say just by eyeballing your glue up there you had too much glue. Many "old school" woodworkers did what was referred to a "rubbed" joint - if the edges are well jointed you can put a thin layer of glue on each surface, put them together, rub them back and forth a little to ensure that the glue is totally spread. If you pull lightly on one board the whole thing should move rather than pulling the joint apart. As an apprentice way back in the early 70's I made hundreds of solid panels this way for a very prestigious and high priced furniture company. The notion that you can stop wood from moving is wrong. One of the main properties of wood is it's hydroscopic - it reacts to water, humidity up and it absorbs moisture and swells, humidity down and it loses moisture and shrinks. Plywood glues very thin pieces in uneven numbers and each layer with the grain turned 90 degrees, even then not all plywood will remain flat. The reason large panels for doors are built with the frame and panel construction is to allow the panel to move while the frame remains mostly stable. The panel is left smaller than the opening that holds it in the frame to allow it to freely shrink and expand without distorting the overall frame. Test have shown that a solid panel - or a glued up solid panels such as your chess board will continue to shrink and expand with changes in humidity which will stress the glue joint that is holding it to the plywood. The stress that can be generated is thousands of pounds. The better solution would be to make the chess board float in or on a frame. Depending what aesthetic you want you could have the frame thicker than the board with the board inside a groove in the frame - like a typical frame and panel door. You could alternatively run the groove in the panel and have a tongue in the frame. Either way you get a structure that would allow for the inevitable wood movement. I would lay money that you will have some joints opening up on that board within 5 years. Yes it may not show for one year or two but sooner or later that wood movement will be greater than the glue or will split some wood and you'll have a crack.

[@fododude]

$2000. You wish. Every other kid in middle school shop class made the exact same board.

[@MD-en3zm]

It actually does matter how big the squares are if you are selling them and want them to be regulation - 2-2.5 inches for USCF, 5-6 cm for FIDE.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thank you for that

[@bestofluckusa]

$2000? - Is it super-expensive because of the irritating repaired holes in the board? Anyway, an interesting watch and a nice finish.

[@woodfinchcrafts7267]

His mother said it was worth $2000. His dog chewed it and now it is worth firewood

[@ckirkwalsh]

Dang, not used to people openly insulting their client’s taste.

[@adamhansen8805]

fr this guy seems super unprofessional

[@VeritasNous]

20 years ago my dad made me a chessboard (and an identical one for my aunt) in pretty much exactly this way, minus the nice border strip, questionable edge choice (he just rounded it off), and with a little less attention to lining up the squares perfectly (lol). I still have it today and it's one thing I'll hold onto my whole life. It's a prized possession. Great work on the board! It gave me a bit of a nostalgia trip.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

That’s awesome! Thanks for watching!

[@jasono2l]

I think that router bit profile looks nice on the chess board. Gives it a classical look.

[@mattbrady2697]

I'm going to be honest I love the video for the most part but when you're blessed enough to find a client that will overpay you by $1,500 for a chessboard that looks no better than my $500 cutting boards, you probably shouldn't spend 2 minutes publicly dunking on their taste in trim...

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@Eric-469]

I’m appalled someone pays you $500 for a cutting board.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

No, this is a cutting board. But you could use it for a cutting board though

[@matthewl.459]

@Spencley Design Co. I think he was speaking to Matt's reference to folks paying him $500 for cutting boards not your chess board that can be used as a cutting board :)

[@handsome_man69]

I would pay a billion dollaars

[@TheSketchy95]

hey bro, never diss the clients decisions, especially on a public platform like this. just say "it's not what you would have picked"

[@RonBhattacharya]

Especially when you get such "golden-egg-laying-nincompoop-clients" that'd pay 'that much' money for 'this'! 😅🤣

[@SeanofAllTrades]

Yeah, that really turned me off from this channel.

[@ישומציל]

Great video! You seem to be very experienced in your craft. Unfortunately for me though $2,000 is way too much for that piece, I have seen equal or maybe even more detailed hand crafted boards for a quarter of the cost you label. But I understand that if you someone is silly enough to buy at that price then I respect the hustle.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

It’s okay, you don’t have to buy it

[@johnvogler5335]

$1000 is robbery. $300 in materials ( at worst), and 4 hrs of work, not counting dry time. Final product looks really nice but for $2000 I’d expect unique hand-carved game pieces of ebony and boxwood.

[@alanhorne5911]

@@johnvogler5335 its a nice well made board, but $2000 - no way. each to their own.

[@darkmagna9004]

@@johnvogler5335 4 hours! haahhhahahaa

[@ShawnFaherty]

@@darkmagna9004 4hrs for sure. Let's do the math: ($300 for material + $125/hr labor)*1.20% markup = $960. They buyer should of gotten x2 boards for $2k.

[@Zefas2]

2000? What a joke

[@hangten1904]

Marketing cost adds to the price

[@Zefas2]

@@hangten1904 Its nothing close to 2000. i wouldnt even pay 1000.

[@aarmstrong1500]

@@Zefas2Just because you wouldn’t, doesn’t mean someone else wouldn’t.

[@damianrzeznik6234]

@@aarmstrong1500there’s always idiots out there

[@jasonross5796]

Sanding. The bane of any woodworker! I LOVE the Roman Ogie bit! I think it looks absolutely amazing!

[@MadMonk67]

I loved the chessboard. Walnut and maple is a classic for chessboards and I think the Roman ogee profile gives it a bit of old-school class. My father-in-law once had a chessboard that had a similar thin accent border between the board and the larger wood border, but it was made of brass. I always thought that was super-cool looking.

[@RayoBeatz]

the ugly bevel was the best part

[@eineannanas5104]

dont wanna hate but 2k HUH??? where did you get that from???

[@ginjiseiji]

OK, the angle cut on the trim to gain more height was brilliant!!!

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Since the board was made entirely out of scrap wood, I had to try to get creative! Glad you thought it was a good idea and thanks for watching, Giovanni! 😀

[@gazfpl7438]

Nice work but I was curious where the two grand comes from? You can get an official DGT board, as used in all WOrld Championship and most pro matches, with pieces, for 1k. These boards connect to a computer and clock to automagically track your games for you.

[@Oblentehands]

Great job! How did you come up with the price of 2000 USD? Does anybody ever pay that much for such a simple piece of work? I mean, if the wood was extremely rare and the board had gold or platin inlay - but this? How can you compare it to a board worth 2000? Just curious.

[@robinleebraun7739]

It’s only worth $2,000 if someone actually pays that much in an arms length transaction. Good for you if they did.

[@ThePedroski007]

Everybody should note that the actual squares, if tournament quality, have to be within certain dimensions (from memory around 2” - 2.5”.) But check first. If not championship then the king chess piece base should be around 0.8 x the square. Again, check it out. Also, if you mark the board for any reason, remember that in use the right hand corner square is white. (From research making mine).

[@ernststravoblofeld]

I was going to say that! Chess boards come in all sizes, but if you're going to be near tournament specs, you might as well hit it.

[@michaelbauers8800]

55mm is the square size for DGT boards, used in FIDE tournaments ( FIDE is the world chess federation.) Translated to "united states" units, that's 2.165 inches :)

[@bandonumber9786]

Chess players know why he wants that finish… we don’t do modern in chess, we do class.

[@RonBhattacharya]

It's also about the perfect blend of "ergonomics and aesthetics".

[@isaacanthes]

Very nice! This looks really great!! My only concern would be the expansion / contraction of the hardwood vs the plywood. I own a cabinetry shop and we have a lot of issues if we try and glue hardwood directly to plywood due to it being an unbalanced lamination. I’m curious how this piece will look in a few years - I’d love to see a follow up on this if you have the opportunity to take a peak at it. Definitely not saying you did anything wrong here, just curious to hear how this strategy of construction plays out in the long run to help build my own understanding.

[@BeaulieuTodd]

I’d be super wary of bonding edge grain to plywood like that. Also, no miter joinery. Also, plywood bottom!😢

[@RonBhattacharya]

It's "great" that he uploaded this. People must know how he robs his clients - and now they will. Perfect!

[@jasonb4350]

Turned out nice. Just curious how you or the client thought 2000$ was a fair price? As a wood worker I understand the time involved and I can slap together in 4 hours or less and the material cost 100$ or less , I personally would not feel good about taking that much money from someone.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

They asked how much I’d charge for a chess board. I didn’t want to make it, so I gave them the “go away” price. They were cool with the price, so I made it

[@jasonb4350]

@@SpencleyDesignCo 👍

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

I’ve got an in depth pricing guide coming out soon

[@Kavik79]

​@@SpencleyDesignCo😂 I know this is an old post, on an old video....but man, this comment actually made me laugh out loud, and was the ONLY thing that made this price make sense to me.

[@dwpalme2670]

He didn't because he didn't sell it for that dude. He's a liar.

[@travisradke3317]

That 45 degree trick for cutting thin and wide strips for edge banding was brilliant! Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@melissagraham6180]

I agree! That was genius. Thanks for sharing that tip because it's super useful and I'm not sure it would have ever crossed my mind to do.

[@ceeg93]

As soon as you glue solid wood to an inert substrate its going to fight. Next time stay around 1mm or less to stop that. If you want solid wood, give it space to move.

[@allanhansen5754]

I dont think sanding sucks. Its the time where you really see the project start taking the final shape

[@MrTrashcan1]

It's tedious and time consuming and can be difficult depending on the shape--sometimes seems never ending. Yes, it's wonderful to see the project taking shape--as long as someone else does the sanding.

[@blakeandstacy]

Won’t the hardwood swell with humidity and eventually pop open the joint on the outer walnut band where the grain is perpendicular to the squares’ grain?

[@willfranklyn2]

I love how there is just a discarded chessboard on the floor in the corner.

[@onnoquinten2944]

What's wrong with the router bit. It's nice the way it came out

[@matthysloedolff]

I've been wanting to make a chess board for a while now and I picked up so many handy tips. I also think you could have used more clamps as I could still see the piece slightly 😂 The finished product looked nice and I think that lighter trim around the edge was definitely a good call. 👌👍

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

I knew someone would comment about the clamps 🤣

[@thenext9537]

Sanding. No one likes it. If someone says they do, it's best to keep calm and walk away slowly. @10:33 that little piece freaked me out. You should consider a zero clearance insert which will prevent little slices from become death darts and shooting back into your body. They are pretty easy to make, just take out the old, trace around, get the same thickness then place on saw. Then turn on saw and raise blade while on to make the new blade cut out.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thank you for watching

[@DJFRITTZ]

$2000 for that is horrendous. Your title should be "Client was stupid and payed WAYYYY too much for this chess board"

[@sirgeohd]

hope that in the year that has passed you have learned the market price for an authentic chess board, its not overpriced

[@ColorWarsArtStudio]

@@sirgeohd facts

[@RubiixCat]

​@@sirgeohd Premium handmade wooden chess boards complete with FIDE approved chess pieces are like $1 - 1.5k at most. This doesn't even have pieces. It is overpriced.

[@sirgeohd]

@@RubiixCat "at most" is a stretch, there are boards cheaper and more expensive than $2000, so if someone has the money and wants that specific, one-of-a-kind board it is not overpriced

[@cristibaluta]

The framing that looks like a cheap furniture destroyed it all

[@bryanpayne9295]

What about wood movement? What happens when the knee checker board expands?

[@deeeeeeps]

I bought all the machines to make really nice chessboard. I was going to start a business doing so in 2014. What I found out is no matter what you do the boards crack if they are solid wood. I tried jointing them every way possible. The problem is two species of wood grow and shrink and different rates with humidity changes. So in the winter it gets super dry and the board shrinks. I ended up spending close to 15k just to throw 10 super nice boards in the firepit.... Feel bad for whoever paid $2,000.00

[@MrTrashcan1]

Fortunately I suck at chess, so I wouldn't buy one in the first place.

[@SevenTheJester]

This is the exact reason I use one species of wood and two colors of stain. I'm glad someone else pointed it out. It's critical to understand the properties of the woods you're using. As the woodworker, we're supposed to be the experts, it's not something the client should have to worry about.

[@livens100]

Wouldn't it make sense to use a hardwood veneer over a stable base wood or even just directly to the plywood? Why even bother with the thicker Walnut/Maple if you're just going to glue it down to plywood anyway. Cheaper still and you wouldn't have to worry about the cracking issue.

[@SevenTheJester]

@@livens100 I can't speak for the person who posted the video, but I can give you my opinion if you want it. The board I made for myself and play on regularly is 3" TNG pine scraps, sanded smooth and painted. I love it, and it didn't cost me anything to make because I used scraps. If I were making it to sell, though, I want to be able to say things like "solid maple and walnut," because that lets me charge a whole lot more for it. That's just me, though. He might have a different reason.

[@indymustang1969]

I have wanted to do a project like this. However, I do not have nearly the tools. I would love to know how a “regular guy” can make something like this. Like for my table saw, what kind of blade do I need? What are the right clamps for this? What tools do I need that aren’t a full workshop set? Awesome video and super fine work, great job!!

[@sambas13]

Hopefully the client doesn’t watch the video! Haha! Great build. Keep it up.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thanks so much for checking it out! The client knows they made a bad choice 😜

[@jimtheedcguy4313]

I love that your shop setup is super minimal and your presentation style is simple for us noobs to understand! You definitely earned a sub!

[@Casenundra]

I think that the ogee edging gives the chessboard character. I either use an 1/8" contrasting banding for each square or chamfer each square. (I know how to easily do that) . Question ... What is your source for 8/4 walnut wood ?

[@jonengle4065]

you should also mention making the strips long enough to account for kerf loss, ie 17" min length for 2" squares

[@BRTHRGT]

Your take on the customers request for that router bit is just soooooo bad, it looks amazing and it makes your customer happy. Why are YOU the one complaining? You accept the order and then talk smack on your video? A true professional. What an inspiration.

[@mattjancovic5878]

I thought this as well. The finished product is fantastic. The video is fantastic. I only wish the customer's desire was not abused. Without customers, we have no businesses. This board is custom, handmade, not Temu.

[@joelcole161]

Why not a $2M chess board, hell $2T, since we're just making up numbers here anyway?

[@PaganWizard]

16:40 I learned a very valuable lesson from another KZbin woodworker named Mark Lindsay, who mostly focuses on CNC work. He did a video titled "Five Things CNC Beginners Should Stop Doing - CNC for Beginners" kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaCrZGV6bKtrn7s While this was directed towards CNC use, A LOT of it also applies to really, ANY woodworker, especially his #1 tip. Beyond that, one of THE WORST things you can do, is let your customers know that you dislike or hate an element in the project you're making for them. As with Mark's #1 tip, what you are doing is probably going to be taken by your customer as offensive and insulting, it could also cause you to lose a customer.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

it's all good

[@rperry70]

Considering the nature of this video, I am going to guess the customer is his daughter or girlfriend or something like that. I doubt this comment on the profile should be taken so seriously.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thankfully I do not have children 🤣

[@PaganWizard]

@@SpencleyDesignCo Yeah, same here. I sure wouldn't want to have children growing up in the cesspool this Nation has become over the last 2 years. And also, the things children are being force fed as an "education" is beyond sickening, along with the things that they are NOT being taught.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thanks for watching!

[@woodstoney]

That router bit gave the board a very nice looking contemporary look and I think almost any chess player would love to own it. Just my thoughts... Nice work!

[@MartinAaberge]

I don’t know if it was my love for chess or woodworking that got me here, but I’m glad I found your channel. In my opinion, your client was right about the profile. It looks classy and fits the board. It looks fantastic. I would probably stay a bit more neutral when it comes to trashing the client’s choice as well. There are many ways to disagree on looks. In the long run it would probably benefit you :)

[@limboski969]

Definitely tongue and cheek speech and a ploy to engage his KZbin audience....look at the top comments.

[@roysperry5021]

Customer is always right! You got paid and they got the beautifully crafted board. Being an engineer I build bandsaws. If the customer wants a cup of coffee when the saw comes on I build it...but I charge them for my ingenuity. Everybody's happy including me.

[@24Creek]

I am making a board as well...did you really get $2,000 for that? Kudos if you did...I have seen them ranging from $150-$600. I'd love to sell mine for $2,000!

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Yup, I sold mine for $2,000. Good luck out there!

[@dwpalme2670]

No he did not. He's a fucking liar.

[@dwpalme2670]

@@SpencleyDesignCo you are a liar.

[@poison113245]

Im very curious to see the piece now. I picture framed a cutting board and it blew up. Long grain to end grain was not a good match. Would love to see an update on different projects.

[@simonr6793]

Eric what can I say other than I'm in shock!!! When you first started to mill the wood I noticed the title read $2,000 chessboard and honestly I just thought you was hoping to sell it for this amount of money. That was until you said it was a commission for a client, that just blows my mind $2,000 for a chessboard and the base is birch plywood and someone's willing to pay this amount of money...Holysh..you know what!!!. All I can say is Eric you fell on your feet with this one buddy. Just a suggestion now that you have the ability to just magic money how about getting yourself that there invaluable drumsander you know you could do with, especially if you get another magical commission for a chessboard in the future can you just imagine how much time you will be saving not only on your hands doing all that there very enjoyable sanding but the money you will also be saving and keeping for yourself by not using the electricity for hours and hours to be truthful it's a win win all round, more money in your pocket and less vibration whitefinger from all that enjoyable sanding everyone loves sooo much!!! As always buddy 💯% 👍 🇬🇧.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thank you for the support!

[@dwpalme2670]

He's a liar, nobody paid him 2k.

[@escanor9920]

16:51 I like your honesty and free speech ! But you're perfectly right, the client has the final word since he's the one paying for it. Me for example, I like modern chess boards but coupled with "classical staunton" shaped pieces. When it comes to pieces only, I hate modern ones for practical reasons because sometimes you can't even identify them clearly...

[@MrWizards1974]

Nothing like bashing your clients in front of half a million people. Not smart.

[@vulpinemachine]

Unless the client is in on the joke and has a good sense of humor.

[@MrWizards1974]

@@vulpinemachine Sure. That's how it sounded.

[@sethplate7176]

No disrespect, but that is NOT a 2000$ chess board! For example, leaving knurls on the squares is simply unacceptable for this price level. There is a plenty of luxury chess board manufacturers out there that have excellent boards for MUCH less. For example, the Regency Chess Company in UK (I have no affiliation with them, but I like the a lot!), can sell you Italian made boards by Italfama for a few hundred quid (335 GPB for 23.6 Inch Briarwood and Elmwood Luxury Chess Board) and they will be just outstanding. Of course if you are interested in making your own board and the result is not that important, that is a different story. By all means - go and do it, just do not fool yourself with unrealistic claims.

[@boninm252]

You did a great job. The router profile looks very nice. It’s not quite as bad as you made it out to me. Lol

[@kamenvelitchkov6533]

$ 2,000 for this chest board is a dream. You must be happy if you get $ 200. From another side the price of the wood today is so high so only materials for the chest board cost $200.

[@speedralph]

You didn't sell this for $2000, obviously.

[@dustinyoung7720]

I like the routered edge, gives it ageless class which is pretty much what chess is. Good build and use of tools to accomplish what you needed to accomplish!

[@DMaker_builds]

I liked the idea of cutting the strip of maple at an angle to reach the desired height! 👍 Great job with the chess board.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thanks for watching!

[@brianm6749]

I was most interested in the finishing segment. Some people like having a hard "bullet proof" finish that resists scratches and dents from chess pieces (ie: lacquer) and some prefer to allow the wood to "breathe". Did you end up using Danish Oil?

[@davidalan6701]

I really hope your client doesn’t watch this, or that they’ve got a great sense of humor.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Hahaha I know the client very well. They knew this was coming 😀

[@davidalan6701]

@@SpencleyDesignCo Oh good! I’ve had that “They’re right behind me, aren’t they” moment, and I was worried I was watching it happen in real time.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

My personality is very honest and transparent, so the client knew I was going to give them a hard time on the video haha

[@michaelgrant5697]

A Roman Ogie: a classic edge profile for a classic-game board. Keep the "modern" profile for the picnic table.

[@RobSandstromDesigns]

Good build video but for my personal taste I prefer to watch positive content. Making comments about how terrible the ogee bit looks and you’re only doing it because the client insists doesn’t come across positive to me. I actually thought the edge profile was quite attractive on the final chess board . Each person has their own style - so just thought I’d share how it came across to me. My recommendation, stay positive, appreciate showing mistakes, and wishing you much success.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thanks for checking out the video 👍

[@markjust86]

You should have used an extra clamp or two on that second glue up!!

[@simonharris4873]

Sounds like you built a $20 chess board to me.

[@DjVortex-w]

I love how in this kind of woodworking project the actual woodworking is like 3-4 hours, waiting for the glue to dry is like 100 hours.

[@dirtybaywoodshop-joeporter5650]

Beautiful work, Eric! I love the small detail that the thin maple strip added. I think it really set the piece off. Also, I agree with the edge profile. #TeamChamfer

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

That thin strip totally set it off! I love how it turned out, but the chamfer would’ve been better 😀

[@matthewwyjad]

I cheap and effecting alternative to a palm sander is a flap disk on an angle grinder. It works well for a fast first pass, and it great for flattening any ridges or uneven bits. Then palm sand after.

[@ShardCollector]

Nice board! But the value might be closer to 100-200 than 1000-2000 dollars. But I like it.

[@dwpalme2670]

He is a liar, nobody is paying 2k for that. A championship board goes for 500.00. He isn't that good.

[@cieplyj]

I noted your advice on leaving extra width on the outer boards and then forgot. Now I’ll lose needed width unless I line them up perfectly. You were the only one I saw who gave this advice. Wish I had listened!

[@crestonsimpson1370]

Depending on if you want to make the board regulation the size of the squares is important. Regulation advises 2 inches to 2.5 inches. Nice build.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thanks, Creston! The client asked for 2” squares

[@lewisdye1002]

YES there is the possibility of starving a joint, leading to disaster!

[@j.joseph5353]

Was about to sub but then you started talking smack about a clients request. There is a right and a wrong way to express your dislike for something a customer asked for. IMO, you choose poorly. Best of luck to you.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

🤣 don’t worry, the client is a good friend

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Are you looking for a custom chess board?

[@Darkice77]

I did a Cocobolo/maple chess board once. Turned out Beautiful. I have a lathe and made all the matching pieces too. I wasn't scrap though. I had to buy the wood specifically for it. I left mine a lot thicker though. With some cocobolo/maple trim i made around the outside.

[@shawnmcauliffe5072]

I love your included blooper, it really humanizes the build, very nice!

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thanks Shawn! Any projects you’d like to see me try in the future?

[@TheValkyrieDev]

9:31 “i need to fu-“ we all do Spence, we all do

[@thesilentjay86]

Maybe don't rip on your clients in the video?

[@marijanikolic4873]

That's what I wanted to comment 😂

[@JEFFREYHVAC12]

How did you get all the lumber and the plywood for $20

[@RonBhattacharya]

"Scraps" that were lying around - found a gullible client and robbed her/him of her/his money - instantly.

[@notatthetablecarloss]

Your extreme disapproval of the client choice of router bit was very off putting and made me stop watching the video. You said it one time and that was enough have some respect.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

That’s the beauty of individuality, everyone has different opinions

[@beaguitartles]

Nothing like dissin your clients on camera. That’ll get you going 😂 plus the profile looks awesome

[@mikeandlucky]

Great instructional video and very fine channel. Thanks. I love "build with what you got" projects. I am old but I think the router trim looks really nice on the walnut :).

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Thanks for the support and checking out the video, Mike! I really appreciate it! The edge profile is classic for a chess board, but I had a really modern look I wanted…but the client had a different vision. Either way, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out

[@himeeto69]

Question. Do you use that Kreg Featherboard the same way everytime? Just checking to see why you flipped it around. As a flat edge?

[@enzprintco.8625]

Did you seriously sell that board for $2k? Looks amazing…except for the profiled edge of course. The edge didn’t look as bad as I thought it would, but I’m a chamfer guy myself and that’s what I would have went with too.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

That’s exactly what I pitched to the client! Unfortunately the client really loves antique looking stuff…so that’s what I had to give him

[@enzprintco.8625]

@@SpencleyDesignCo I get that…I did watch the whole video lol. But seriously…$2k?

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

Yup, that’s what I sold it for

[@enzprintco.8625]

@@SpencleyDesignCo kudos! Was that the price you gave him or did he offer that when he commissioned you to make it? Sorry to seem nosey, just trying to understand how to price my work and I want to make chess boards :)

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

I always ask for a budget before I begin any project. I factored in my time, labor, and material cost to come up with that price

[@mikerinehart]

That board looks great. One thing to consider when doing square size is the size of the king. For instance a 4" tall King proportionally looks best on squares that are 2.25"-2.375".

[@silvermediastudio]

More like, built a $25 chess board for $20 and days of work.

[@wm3593]

$10 chess board

[@silvermediastudio]

@@wm3593 Would you believe $11.95

[@dabj9546]

That little woodpeckers square is nice, but any cheap square that is just a little bigger will still be more accurate.

[@stevensparks8202]

I made a board that is 90% of this out of maple and mahogany in 9th grade, years back. Cost $15, skill level beginner.

[@hjhchnjj3352]

When making a cross cut on the table saw is the gripper a necessary tool to use

[@SpinCreationDesign]

In your early days, or even now, do you use a shop vac for dust collection. Even when I do, dust goes everywhere. Especially on the palm sander but even on the DeWalt table saw - although it does catch a good bit of it.

[@danielesposito9705]

it's awesome you had someone willing to pay 2k for this.. my community doesn't feel as generous lol

[@robertojames7904]

Immediately buy a Stanley 12960 low angle block plane or one of the slightly more expensive versions. Prices start at just over 40 bucks. Be sure it's a low angle plane. And figure out some way to keep it razor sharp. A reversible stone and some sort of guided sharpening system is important. I prefer a chisel/plane honing angle guide which rolls on a flat bench rather than the stone so you can use more of the stone. All this can be had for well under a hundred bucks and it will transform your wood working. It will change the way you look at sanding for sure. The key is to keep the plane iron razor sharp.