Making a Chess Set Part 2

On this week's show, I demonstrate how to make a chess set on your scroll saw. I hope you enjoy the show.
If you haven't already, please consider liking and subscribing to the show and while you are at it, don't forget to click the bell so that you get notifications of future episodes of the program.
As always, I want to thank you for stopping by the channel and taking the time to tune in to the show. It is very much appreciated.
If you are interested in the book Making Wooden Chess Sets by Jim Kape, you can find it here. www.amazon.ca/Making-Wooden-C...

[@TigerCarpenter]

I truly admire your patience. not many people would commit to so many hours of scroll sawing. the result is superb and it is very rewarding.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Thank you for the kind words. This is a set that I am hoping will outlive me and one day, become an heirloom handed down through the generations. I'm sure that whoever gets it when I'm long gone will love it.

[@MrDmorgan52]

Very good series! Thank you for your indepth instruction. I'm off to add a scroll saw to my shop.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad that you liked the series. Thanks for tuning in and for taking the time to leave your kind words.

[@markduggan3451]

They look amazing.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad that you like them Mark. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@PawPawsClan]

Wow, is all I can say- Impressive

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Thanks for the kind words on the project and for tuning in to the show Charles. It's very much appreciated.

[@woodfather]

What an awesome project, beautiful work Kenny! Looking forward to a video next week of you making a chess board now! ;) Make sure you share some shots of the finished playing pieces, can't wait to see how they came out.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad that you liked it Mario. I hope that you will also enjoy the series on making the board. Thanks fo tuning in to the show and for taking the time to leave the kind words. It's very much appreciated.

[@jimmylovesbikes]

The pieces look beautiful! I'm inspired buy a scroll saw and try some simple projects!

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Scrolling is the most relaxing form of woodworking in my opinion Jimmy. It's great for the younger people in our lives as well as there isn't a chance that they are going to lose a finger while working on the saw. I hope that you get yourself a scroll saw one day and start practicing and learning this part of our craft. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@The1PatSmith]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Thank you, hugely enjoyed and appreciated.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad to hear that you enjoyed it Patrick. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@rafaelrestrepo2436]

Great Job. I think It requires a lot a patience, experience and skill. Congratulations.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

It is definitely an exercise in patience Rafael but it is definitely worth the time and effort to make. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@michaelmarchione3408]

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!!! Taking your time with any scrolling always gives a good turned out project. I made 5 small biplane whirligigs out of baltic birch plywood. Twenty three blades later I finished, blades are cheap, even the best ones that I buy. Never did figure up the hours. Lots of finicky sanding too. Gave them away as gifts to my wife's family. Loved the chess set! Like to see it with the finish down the road. Take care!

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I'd love to see those whirligigs Michael. They sound pretty awesome. Thanks for tuning in to the show and for taking the time to chime in with your story and your kind words. It's very much appreciated.

[@paulsmessyworkshop]

Kenny, amazing project my friend. You are absolutely right, slow down and take your time. My concern,at least tongue in check was....hmmm, I wonder if he will save all those little scraps for a future project? Excellent work, you should be proud of the outcome.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

The thought did cross my mind as to what I could do with those scraps Paul. After all, have you seen the price of lumber these days?!!?!? It would be cheaper to make the chess set out of gold and titanium. LOL. Thanks for tuning in to the show and for taking the time to leave the kind words. It's very much appreciated.

[@jackseiler5207]

Really well done. I love the jig . . . I've just been using tape!

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad that you liked it Jack. Thanks for the kind words and for tuning in to the show.

[@randysmith3828]

Ok, that is absolutely incredible and that statement is in fact an understatement. The patience you have is equally impressive. It’s really cool to hear too that support you give for those who don’t have a lot of experience. I would love to try this, but this will have to wait a few years. My two year old would be a little unhappy to have his dad disappear for 20 hours lol plus as much as I am learning patience by doing wood working, I have a long way to go before this project lol

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Thanks for the kind words on the project Randy. I would suggest that if you want to make this project, then do it. Don't let a lack of experience or time restrictions stop you from doing what you want to do. I am one of those people that can sit at a scroll saw for hours on end but for those who can't (or for those whose two year old wouldn't be happy about it) cut one piece a day. Cut one piece every couple of days. Heck, cut one piece a week!!! You're not in a rush. If you were to cut one piece a week, in 32 weeks (8 months) you'd have a gorgeous chess set that you could teach your child to play with. Quality time for you making it and quality time with your child learning to play the game of chess (I know that 2 years old is a little early but I think you get my point). I'm lucky enough that I don't need patience when it comes to these projects. I just love what I do. For those who don't have that luxury, I say make it in stages and break the process up. I honestly hope that you do try this Randy. You wont regret it. Thanks for tuning in to the show and for taking the time to leave your comment. It's very much appreciated.

[@ministerelzey]

AWESOME!

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad that you liked it. Thank you for tuning in to the show.

[@frankorona1]

Wow!! You did a great job

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Thank you for the kind words Francisco. I appreciate you tuning in to the show.

[@dwightl5863]

That's the result of meticulous concentration to get the details. Your experience with model building fits into this method of scrolling perfectly. Very true it would make a fabulous gift for someone. Issue would be someone would see it and offer to buy a completed set. If you consider your time is worth anything at all, they couldn't afford it. I also like the "block" style. Usually chess pieces are round-ish in nature. May not try a chess set but your techniques will do me well on another project.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Thanks for the kind words on the project Dwight. I've already had several offers to purchase the set. My answer to all of them has been the same...."I don't think you could afford the price that I would be asking". It's not the material cost, it's not the time it took to make. It's the value the project has for me and the sense of pride that it brings that make it out of reach for a potential buyer. Thanks for tuning in to the show this week and taking the time to leave your comment. I appreciate it.

[@keithgloyns9814]

very impressed

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Glad that you like it Keith. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@meawayfromhome]

Hi Kenny, amazing work. You are a true professional, you’re selling yourself short in saying anyone can do it! Yes they can but I can tell you the beginners won’t turn out like yours, especially me, seeing that I don’t have a scroll saw. Now for the board........... I’m waiting. Great video mate.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I have many years experience in scrolling Philip and I would expect a beginner to have perfect results on this project. Too many people are hung up on perfect results and it's highly overrated and one of the reasons that people don't try woodworking more often. With that being said, this project is very doable by a beginner and as long as they take their time and let the saw do the cutting, while their results may not be perfect, they will still have a chess set that they can be proud of. I hope that every beginner gives this a try. It's a great skill builder and a great way to learn that not every project is made in 5 minutes. As for the board........be sure to tune in next Friday. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@brand0n0o7]

Love it, inspired me to buy a new scroll saw and his book. What wood files do you use?

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

That's pretty ambitious there Brandon. I wish you luck on your project. Just take your time and cut slowly and you should have no problems. As for the wood files, there is no specific brand that I use. Heck, for something like this, even the cheapest of cheap wood files will do the job. I also find that a piece of sandpaper, glued to a think (1/4" thick) piece of MDF can be cut into custom files that are both cheap and disposable. I hope this helps. Good luck on your project and if you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate. I'd love to see you set when you are done. Thanks for tuning in.

[@andyfarmer759]

Your pieces look great, I would love to see them when you have chosen the finish.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

The finish is done on these ones Andy. I was torn on what finish I wanted and the more I looked at them, the more I decided that I wanted a simple, matt finish. So I went with several coats of Danish oil to bring out the colours of the woods and that was all. They look great. Thanks for tuning in sir. I truly appreciate it

[@andyfarmer759]

@@acutabove_woodworkings Sounds like a fine choice. Because I am lazy when it comes to finishing Danish oil has been my go to, for sometime now. I know it isn't the right choice for every project, I just reach for it. I think for your chess set though it was the right choice. For some of my more demanding finishes I am just about to experiment with Osmo hard wax oil. Thanks for sharing the chess set build it is good watching a master at work.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

@@andyfarmer759 I'm still debating on flocking the bottoms of each piece but I'm in no hurry.

[@jackseiler5207]

Have you ever tried spiral blades? I've been using them for a while now and it's saved me a lot of drilling, not to mention making turns and angle far easier.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I have used spiral blades on many projects Jack but I find that they don't give as quality a cut as a normal reverse tooth blade; not to mention that it is impossible to get a crisp, inside corner due to the nature of the blade. Don't get me wrong, they definitely have a place in the scrolling world but they would definitely create a whole lot of extra sanding for a project like a chess set. Sometimes, it's better to have to drill the extra holes and make the extra turns.

[@jackseiler5207]

@@acutabove_woodworkings I'm making a chess set at the moment. Using a fine spiral blade. Definitely agree about the inside corners, which is one reason I use fine guage. I'm cutting walnut and curly maple for the pieces... So far the cuts have been pretty smooth... Minimal sanding. Wish I could send you some pics.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

@@jackseiler5207 I'd love to see some pictures Jack. You can always email me at [e-mail].

[@alanwasserman8176]

Hi Ken, I have had people look at my different compound cut projects and ask how long does it take to just cut 1, when I tell them 30 minutes to 45 minutes they can't wrap their head around the concept of sitting there at a scroll saw that long. I get questions like wouldn't it be faster to speed up the saw, I always have to say I want great looking projects not OK looking projects, Now we need is a great looking Chess Board to go with the pieces

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Compound cutting is one of those things that you just can't rush. But it's well worth the wait. Thanks for chiming in Alan and confirming that fact. There is no substitute or quick way to do it. It's just slow and steady. Heck, do one piece a day and in no time, you will have a beautiful chess set. As for the board.....you might want to tune in next Friday. ;) Thanks for tuning in to the show this week.

[@hydmonger2816]

Kenny : Burning is inevitable. Thanos : I am inevitable. Me : Drooling is inevitable. Also Me : By Grapthars hammer I will inevitably make this.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I hope you do make one of these. They are a ton of work but a ton of tun and the final results are incredible. Thanks for tuning in and good luck on your project.

[@hydmonger2816]

@@acutabove_woodworkings Thank you :)

[@billinfarmington5189]

Hi Kenny! I want to see the finished pieces and if you are going to spray them, how you are going to get to the insides of the pieces. Really enjoyed the slow scrolling and would like to see what you end up with where the scroll saw some times went in a little too deep creating a line that shouldn't have been there. It is these issues that make me think I am not good at scrolling and to see you have some of them as well is rather eye opening. Regards, Bill

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

The pieces were eventually finished with a coating of Danish oil Bill. The rougher areas of the cuts were smoothed out with hours of filing and sanding. Most of the issues when cutting a set like this, are caused by pushing too hard and trying to make the blade cut too quickly. We are all guilty of it at some point in time and for pieces that take this long to cut, it's not hard to get impatient and try to get them to cut a little faster. This causes the blade to bow from side to side as well as from front to back. All of this flexing of the blade makes the cuts uneven and curved. So the thing to remember is this.......slow is the way to go. thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@roberthall9818]

I'd like to see how you made the king and the queen.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

While I never showed the actual scrolling of the King of Queen, I did explain a bit of the process a little further along in the video. I hope this helps a little Robert. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@oldman719]

I really enjoyed the video. I made a chess set but am currently working on another one with a different pattern. I have a question that never gets answered to my satisfaction from other videos I've watched. After all the interior cuts are made on each piece some scrollers say to tape the pieces all together before cutting the outside. I have seen others not do this. When I do tape them, I inevitably get sawdust under the tape and the line is obscured. What is your opinion on this? Is taping them back together needed or does it depend on the difficulty of the pattern? Again, this was an excellent video and very informative. Thank you....

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Taping the sections back together after completing the first set of cuts is done to stabilize the blank while cutting. I have tried to cut pieces without taping them together and there is enough room, with the kerf of the scroll saw blade, to allow things to shift and mess up the cuts. Nothing aligns properly. Taping things together definitely allows for a better quality compound cut. You don't necessarily have to tape around the entire piece though. You could always tape around the edges, just enough to secure the piece and keep it from moving. This might alleviate your sawdust issue. I hope this helps a little. If not, feel free to carry on the discussion here and we can chat about it some more. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@oldman719]

@@acutabove_woodworkings Thank you. Yes it helps.

[@davidmckissick9971]

Which brand blade do you recommend both brand and size

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

For these chess pieces David, I used a #7 PGT blades (precision ground tooth). I pretty much only use Olson blades in my shop and that's pretty much all I've used since day one. The PGT blades are a little more expensive than the normally ground blades, but for something like this, they are well worth the added expense. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@secobaairways4585]

Epic. Why not make a board to go with these pieces?

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I did make a board for these pieces. If you are looking for something, you can always search my channel to see if there is a video produced on it. The board for this one was a little different but I think you might like it. It is a two part series. Here is a link to part one. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXPJXneKqs6Bgck Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@tony4360]

What size is your stock for cutting the chess set

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

The dimensions are all listed in the show. I'm going by memory here but I think they were 1-5/8" square. Thanks for tuning in

[@goodboyringo9716]

What saw are you using? Can you list the name

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Of course I can. For my scrolling, I use an Excalibur EX-30. It's a great saw but unfortunately it is no longer in production. Honestly though, you can make this set on any half decent quality scroll saw. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@goodboyringo9716]

@@acutabove_woodworkings ... Thank you for showing the video , you did a great job on the pieces.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

@@goodboyringo9716 Thank you for the kind words.

[@cembozkurt714]

Can you share the dimensions of these chess pieces with me? Thank you.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I'm not sure exactly what dimensions you are looking for CEM. Could you be more specific?

[@cembozkurt714]

@@acutabove_woodworkings hello, the width and length of the stones you made, Finally, could you send me the drawings by e-mail?

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

@@cembozkurt714 I am not able to measure every piece for you unfortunately. As for emailing the patterns, copyright infringement is copyright infringement whether it is over KZbin, Facebook or email. I have absolutely zero distribution rights for these patterns and can not (legally) share them. If you want the patterns, you will have to purchase the book which you can find here. www.amazon.ca/Making-Wooden-Chess-Sets-Kind/dp/156523457X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=31XLX4BFW2N7M&keywords=making+chess+sets&qid=1681000459&sprefix=making+chess+sets%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-2 If you are unable to purchase it, I would suggest checking your local library and see if they have a copy or can order in a copy.

[@younghavoc92]

I did it! I cut the knight! I cut the Horse!

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

That's awesome news. I hope you will continue and make the rest of the pieces. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@cembozkurt714]

Hello, I like your work. Would you please share these chess drawings with me? Thank you.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

I do not have distribution rights to share these patterns. They are available in the book that I link in the description. Sorry about that. Thanks for tuning in.

[@alexsud8509]

Un set di scacchi creato senza attenersi scrupolosamente alla riconoscibilità dei pezzi é una perdita di tempo un esercizio di pazienza inutile.

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion; right or wrong. Thanks for tuning in to the show.

[@alexsud8509]

@@acutabove_woodworkings altro appunto, il cavallo! Non é un come gli altri pezzi, un minimo di progettazione perché non sembri un cane....

[@acutabove_woodworkings]

@@alexsud8509 Again, you are entitled to your opinion. I didn't design the set. Thanks for chiming in with your opinion.

[@alexsud8509]

@@acutabove_woodworkings it is not an opinion! I could create a plug-or-phallus bishop and say it's a chess set of your invention, just because I understand it's a pornographically ridiculous chess set.

[@alexsud8509]

@@acutabove_woodworkings it is not an opinion! I could create a plug-or-phallus bishop and say it's a chess set of your invention, just because I understand it's a pornographically ridiculous chess set.