I need contrast with walnut for a chess board.
Was going to do mahogany for a nice brown/orange kind of thing, but thought
better of it because I don't need (ie can't afford) a lot of mahogany right
now, and they only had huge boards. Was going to do maple, but they only
have soft, and it's very soft. Could do poplar or oak, but poplar's too
soft, and oak wouldn't look right. Cherry just seems completely
unsuitable, and it's the most expensive to boot.
So...
I wound up buying a reasonably interesting looking chunk of birch. Cheaper
than most, seems relatively hard. It's a bit boring to look at, but it
seemed like the hardest, lighest wood I could come by with hard maple out
of consideration (not stocked locally at all).
Think this will look good for a chess board? What about eventually making a
chess set out of walnut and birch, once I get the hang of turning and feel
adventuresome enough to undertake such a project?
I haven't cut anything yet, and I can always do something else. I want it
to look snazzy, so if anyone sees long term problems with birch, then
holler.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
Contrast is going to depend a bit on the finish you use, because birch pulls
in more finish than hard maple, and can be darkened by oil-based. You will,
of course experiment on your scrap rather than your project.
You need so little, why not spring for some hard maple? That way, if your
plane/scrape job needs a bit of sanding you won't blur the lines by stuffing
walnut dust into porous birch.
"Silvan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I need contrast with walnut for a chess board.
>
> Was going to do mahogany for a nice brown/orange kind of thing, but
thought
> better of it because I don't need (ie can't afford) a lot of mahogany
right
> now, and they only had huge boards. Was going to do maple, but they only
> have soft, and it's very soft. Could do poplar or oak, but poplar's too
> soft, and oak wouldn't look right. Cherry just seems completely
> unsuitable, and it's the most expensive to boot.
>
> So...
>
> I wound up buying a reasonably interesting looking chunk of birch.
Cheaper
> than most, seems relatively hard. It's a bit boring to look at, but it
> seemed like the hardest, lighest wood I could come by with hard maple out
> of consideration (not stocked locally at all).
>
> Think this will look good for a chess board? What about eventually making
a
> chess set out of walnut and birch, once I get the hang of turning and feel
> adventuresome enough to undertake such a project?
>
> I haven't cut anything yet, and I can always do something else. I want it
> to look snazzy, so if anyone sees long term problems with birch, then
> holler.
Yeah, I've seen just a few boards made up at the school....
Not talking a lot of BF, if your experiment doesn't satisfy you. Probably
five bucks would ship two or three boards of proper length. I shipped
another CARE package priority to the kid in Iraq this a.m. for 16, and it
was pretty heavy.
"Silvan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> > You need so little, why not spring for some hard maple? That way, if
your
> > plane/scrape job needs a bit of sanding you won't blur the lines by
> > stuffing walnut dust into porous birch.
>
> Not available, and one of the parameters of the game is that I try to
avoid
> buying anything mail order. That's the main reason why not, though I
could
> really use some hard maple for a few other things that need doing, and
it's
> not off the table entirely.
>
> The sanding issue is a good point.
I made one using western red cedar. If you look hard you find both
dark and lite wood, plus it smells good.
Brooks
Silvan wrote:
> I need contrast with walnut for a chess board.
>
> Was going to do mahogany for a nice brown/orange kind of thing, but thought
> better of it because I don't need (ie can't afford) a lot of mahogany right
> now, and they only had huge boards. Was going to do maple, but they only
> have soft, and it's very soft. Could do poplar or oak, but poplar's too
> soft, and oak wouldn't look right. Cherry just seems completely
> unsuitable, and it's the most expensive to boot.
>
> So...
>
> I wound up buying a reasonably interesting looking chunk of birch. Cheaper
> than most, seems relatively hard. It's a bit boring to look at, but it
> seemed like the hardest, lighest wood I could come by with hard maple out
> of consideration (not stocked locally at all).
>
> Think this will look good for a chess board? What about eventually making a
> chess set out of walnut and birch, once I get the hang of turning and feel
> adventuresome enough to undertake such a project?
>
> I haven't cut anything yet, and I can always do something else. I want it
> to look snazzy, so if anyone sees long term problems with birch, then
> holler.
>
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Thu, Nov 6, 2003, 12:31am [email protected] (Silvan)
claims:
I need contrast with walnut for a chess board. <snip> Was going to do
maple, but they only have soft, and it's very soft. Could do poplar or
oak, but poplar's too soft <snip>
I obviously don't understand the problem as stated.
If you took a chunk of either and whacked yourself in the head, you
wouldn't consider either very soft. But, I digress.
Just how hard does the wood in a chess board need to be? I've seen
antique boards made from pine, that've held up very well, especially
considering theiy're 2, maybe 3, hunred years old, some of them. Unless
you're planning on solid steel chess pieces, and slamming them down on
the board when you move them, I'm thinking the maple or poplar would
work well enough. I suppose you could always get some bar-top epoxy for
it.
I'll admit, that if I wanted to make a really fancy chess board,
I'd pass on the poplar. But, I'd have no qualms about using the mape.
If you want some conntrasting wood, that's really, really, hard,
find a decent looking pallet. I've got a piece of pallet wood in my
shop I've been working on for quite awhile. I can saw it, but that's
about it. Even the largest rasp I have barely touches it. It's a
fairly light colored wood, and I have no idea what type of wood it is.
But, it was free. LOL
JOAT
My aim is to get through life peacefully, with as little interferrnce
from human beings as possible.
Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 3 Nov 2003.
Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofalltrades/SOMETUNESILIKE/
I have used walnut and birch together several times. I prefer that
combination to using hard maple as the maple is so much harder than
the walnut they don't sand evenly. The walnut/birch pairs nicely in
workability, gives good contrast, and I like the smell of birch when
cutting it.
Woodchip
Silvan <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I need contrast with walnut for a chess board.
>
> Was going to do mahogany for a nice brown/orange kind of thing, but thought
> better of it because I don't need (ie can't afford) a lot of mahogany right
> now, and they only had huge boards. Was going to do maple, but they only
> have soft, and it's very soft. Could do poplar or oak, but poplar's too
> soft, and oak wouldn't look right. Cherry just seems completely
> unsuitable, and it's the most expensive to boot.
>
> So...
>
> I wound up buying a reasonably interesting looking chunk of birch. Cheaper
> than most, seems relatively hard. It's a bit boring to look at, but it
> seemed like the hardest, lighest wood I could come by with hard maple out
> of consideration (not stocked locally at all).
>
> Think this will look good for a chess board? What about eventually making a
> chess set out of walnut and birch, once I get the hang of turning and feel
> adventuresome enough to undertake such a project?
>
> I haven't cut anything yet, and I can always do something else. I want it
> to look snazzy, so if anyone sees long term problems with birch, then
> holler.
On Thu, 06 Nov 2003 00:31:05 -0500, Silvan
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I haven't cut anything yet, and I can always do something else. I want it
>to look snazzy, so if anyone sees long term problems with birch, then
>holler.
Birch is nice, but I think maple would look better.
Barry
Silvan wrote:
> That's definitely a thought, and one I never considered. Thanks for that
> one... I'll have to see what kind of low grade stuff I can come up with,
> and at what price.
Try looking for air-dryed walnut. From my limited experience (purchasing
2 lots of walnut) The air-dried sapwood stayed much 'creamier' white and
the kiln-dried sapwood is rather grayish and bland.
as always, YMMV
--
************************************
Chris Merrill
[email protected]
(remove the ZZZ to contact me)
************************************
Agree. MAple is prettier. But how many people will EVER know? I built
some bookcases (7'8 X 4') and almost no one noticed the maple/alder.
Oh well---. Everyone does comment on "how pretty" they are so maybe
looks ARE more important than we realize. I guess only another SERIOUS
woodworker would notice and appreciate.
On Thu, 06 Nov 2003 11:36:09 GMT, B a r r y B u r k e J r .
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Thu, 06 Nov 2003 00:31:05 -0500, Silvan
><[email protected]> wrote:
>>I haven't cut anything yet, and I can always do something else. I want it
>>to look snazzy, so if anyone sees long term problems with birch, then
>>holler.
>
>
>Birch is nice, but I think maple would look better.
>
>Barry
T. wrote:
> Just how hard does the wood in a chess board need to be? I've seen
Well, there is that. My current love-of-my-life chess box is pine, with a
pine board.
What I'm thinking of in the long term is making a box out of woods that will
ultimately be suitable for making a matching set of pieces, once I get a
feel for my new lathe. That's why I have "hard wood" in my head. That
make more sense now?
OTOH, where does Norway maple fit into the hard/soft spectrum? I will
likely make the maple pieces out of Norway maple prunings, because I have a
Norway maple next door that needs constant reminders not to touch the power
lines. They hauled off an entire *dump truck* full of stuff that I could
have used on my lathe, if only I had known last year that I would be buying
a lathe. :( I do have one stick that might be enough, if I don't screw up
too many times.
> I'll admit, that if I wanted to make a really fancy chess board,
> I'd pass on the poplar. But, I'd have no qualms about using the mape.
OK, maybe I'll rethink that. It's cheaper than birch, and I've mangled this
poor board pretty badly. I've got thicknessing _small_ things by hand down
pretty good, but the surface of this board is pretty hideous to behold, and
I can't plane it flat to save my life. Might just have to chalk it up to
plane practice 101.
> If you want some conntrasting wood, that's really, really, hard,
> find a decent looking pallet. I've got a piece of pallet wood in my
90% of our pallets are made out of pine these days. I _do_ keep an eye out
for the good ones, but they're harder to come by than they used to be.
> fairly light colored wood, and I have no idea what type of wood it is.
> But, it was free. LOL
Nothin' wrong with free wood. I grab all the free wood I can get. My new
workbench top made out of a neighbor's discarded table, for example. That
really worked out nice. It's pretty too. Looks like walnut if you ignore
the visible poplar in the dog holes. I waxed it today, and it looks
spiffy. Not bad getting a semi-proper joiner's bench conversion for the
price of a few lag screws and some electricity.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
George wrote:
> Contrast is going to depend a bit on the finish you use, because birch
> pulls
> in more finish than hard maple, and can be darkened by oil-based. You
> will, of course experiment on your scrap rather than your project.
Gonna use clear shellac. I'll experiment first, but it came out very clear
on my last project. Gave pretty nearly the same look as simply dipping a
piece in mineral spirits.
> You need so little, why not spring for some hard maple? That way, if your
> plane/scrape job needs a bit of sanding you won't blur the lines by
> stuffing walnut dust into porous birch.
Not available, and one of the parameters of the game is that I try to avoid
buying anything mail order. That's the main reason why not, though I could
really use some hard maple for a few other things that need doing, and it's
not off the table entirely.
The sanding issue is a good point.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
"brooks1" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I made one using western red cedar. If you look hard you find both
> dark and lite wood, plus it smells good.
You can also use walnut and walnut. Heart and sap, you often find a good
deal of contrast in cheaper graded walnut.
rog
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Bob Bowles wrote:
> www.advantagelumber.com
Good grief. Red oak prices for black walnut, poplar prices for red oak...
It _is_ hard to keep supporting the local guy sometimes in this day and age.
Incidentally, the wood is already purchased, and I decided to use soft maple
after all. Got a piece with some flame, and if I cut it right, it should
look really nice. If I don't plane the figure away, that is... :)
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
On Thu, 06 Nov 2003 14:00:43 +0100, Juergen Hannappel
<[email protected]> wrote:
> do not build for "most people" but fo
>you own delight.
Amen, brother, amen!
Barry
Roger Jensen wrote:
> You can also use walnut and walnut. Heart and sap, you often find a good
> deal of contrast in cheaper graded walnut.
That's definitely a thought, and one I never considered. Thanks for that
one... I'll have to see what kind of low grade stuff I can come up with,
and at what price.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
I ordered some hardwoods from Advantage Lumber in NY to be shipped to
So. CALIF coast and paid about half of what local hardwood store would
have been. Rob says a board or truckload. www.advantagelumber.com I
think.
On Thu, 06 Nov 2003 08:54:19 -0500, Silvan
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Not available, and one of the parameters of the game is that I try to avoid
>buying anything mail order. That's the main reason why not, though I could
>really use some hard maple for a few other things that need doing, and it's
>not off the table entirely.
Lawrence A. Ramsey <[email protected]> writes:
> Agree. MAple is prettier. But how many people will EVER know? I built
> some bookcases (7'8 X 4') and almost no one noticed the maple/alder.
Almost no one is able to distinguish wood from platic foil with wood
pattern printed on, or otherwise the crap furniture megastores would
not sell anything. Most peaople cannot even see the difference
between straight and crooked, so do not build for "most people" but fo
you own delight.
--
Dr. Juergen Hannappel http://lisa2.physik.uni-bonn.de/~hannappe
mailto:[email protected] Phone: +49 228 73 2447 FAX ... 7869
Physikalisches Institut der Uni Bonn Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
CERN: Phone: +412276 76461 Fax: ..77930 Bat. 892-R-A13 CH-1211 Geneve 23