Chess board lines

[Affaltar]

Hi everyone, I wanna make a playing area from leather and I need lines to divide the squares. What would be the best way to do it? Just case it and pull a stylus with ruler over it or something involving cutting?

[Retswerb]

All depends what you’re looking for, I’d say. If you just want to block out the squares for dye, a ruler and awl will give you the bare minimum you need. A step up would be to use a groover or swivel knife, either would give you much more obvious markings in the leather itself. Or if you wanted to spend more time, you could prick them and run lines of stitching as your divisions.

Its a cool project, one I’ll tackle myself at some point. Whatever you decide to do, let’s see pics when you figure it out!

[kiwican]

I've made 2 checker boards. Used a chrome tan and just burned the lines in. I've watched a few videos where folks have burned. Scored and cut the lines in. All about choice really

[Leather20]

As it has been said, it depends on what you're looking for. It also depends on what you're using for leather. I've made two chess boards from veg-tan leather. I calculated the size of each square and then adjusted my wing divider to that size and ran that across. After that I used a background tool to create a checkered appearance (backgrounded every other square) and dyed with two different colors. I can show some pics if anyone is interested. Looking back at that project (one of my first) I would have used a swivel knife before tooling. If you are using chrome tan than this https://www.instructables.com/id/Portable-Leather-Chess-Set/ might be a good place to start.

[toxo]

On 9/1/2020 at 11:41 PM, Leather20 said:

As it has been said, it depends on what you're looking for. It also depends on what you're using for leather. I've made two chess boards from veg-tan leather. I calculated the size of each square and then adjusted my wing divider to that size and ran that across. After that I used a background tool to create a checkered appearance (backgrounded every other square) and dyed with two different colors. I can show some pics if anyone is interested. Looking back at that project (one of my first) I would have used a swivel knife before tooling. If you are using chrome tan than this https://www.instructables.com/id/Portable-Leather-Chess-Set/ might be a good place to start.

You'll no doubt be aware that the chessmen in that picture are the wrong way round. Bottom left hand square must be black.

[Affaltar]

I forgot about this topic. I tried multiple solutions, first just using stylus, then in the end I cut the lines and they did look good enough, but the leather is too thick for what I want, I wanted to be able to close it as a string bag and when it's open to lay flat. So I need much softer leather that can still be tooled, and for a month or two it won't be in my budget to buy any leather so that project will have to wait a bit

No pictures because I'm ashamed of the shape of the lines that turned out horrible, but when I make it properly I'll share for sure

[chuck123wapati]

i would use deer hide or some such light leather if you want it to bunch up like a bag and dye the squares on it. If you want to tool it try a tuck and roll pattern, cut the lines then bevel both sides, use a seed stamp for the buttons and cut some fold lines similar to the center pattern on my backgammon board.

[fredk]

I'd agree with deer hide.

One of the first gaming sets I made was on very thin deer hide. I cut a circle of it, marked out the playing squares which I carefully dyed. I threaded a length of round thong thru holes around the edge, about 1cm inwards from the edge. When play was finished the game pieces could be left on the centre of the playing area, the thong pulled up, using a wood bead I'd fitted and the whole lot drawn up into a draw-string bag type.

[Affaltar]

Could the deer be tooled? I'll try to get something like that, I'm in Croatia and shipping to here is expensive

I also like the roll version, but I wanted a small bag one first

[chuck123wapati]

1 hour ago, Affaltar said:

Could the deer be tooled? I'll try to get something like that, I'm in Croatia and shipping to here is expensive

I also like the roll version, but I wanted a small bag one first

deer cannot be tooled to my knowledge, the roll type is great for backgammon because the dice cups double as ends for the roll and everything fits inside.