It's the tiny little differences in each piece that make them unique and that makes for a great story to tell people when you show them off, great job!
You do some great work. I just started on my prototypes. I think they will be a little smaller, though. You've given me some great ideas and pointers. Thanks!!
I'm REALLY enjoying your chess turning videos! I just got myself a small lathe because I waned to make myself a chess set and so far, your videos are the best. You are doing exactly what I want to do, but I just hope that I will be as successful as you are, because it will be my very first project on the lathe. I'm really looking forward for the rest of you set too, especially the knight of course! Keep up the good work! I'll get back to working on my first pawn prototype!
James Wegner I will try to make some videos down the road. So far, my pawn prototype turned out to be a lot better that I was expecting! This is gonna be a lot of fun. What are the dimentions of your pieces? Are you using the same diameter for all the pieces or are your pawns a little less?
Mathieu Girard Would love to see your videos. My pawns are 1.75 inches at the base and 2.5 tall. I wanted a big set. The other pieces will be 1.9 at the base. Rooks are 3 inches tall, and bishops are 3 5/8ths. I expect the knight to be about 3.25, queen almost 4, and king about 4.25. And YES - This is a lot of fun! Cheers!
Stephen David Hi I like the way you do your videos, step by step and HD so I able to enlarge it w/out any blurry and grainy pictures, watch it as I fallow it step by step. thank you, Great job.
Thanks James. I have nearly finished my 2nd set. I have watched you make each piece more than once, I would never have tried if you had not made it look so easy. Wish I could identify the file you use for the castle/rook . I am ok with the round one - I use my old chain saw files. (now have an electric sharpener). Bill.
Posted more than a year ago and still gong strong, I have always been interested in lathe work in general. Keep them coming! M Austin, Cincinnati, OH USA
I have been wanting to make a chess set. your video has helped me make up my mind. So thanks. I am a beginner in turning and need all the help I can get.
¡Guao!... ¡Impresionante video!, hay que ser un artistazo para crear piezas de ajedrez tan bien hechas como éstas que tú haces. ¡Me fascina el ajedrez!, pero no para jugar sino para coleccionar o para decoración. Te quería preguntar algo: ¿Podrías tú hacer otro video como éste en donde tú torneas piezas de ajedrez del tipo Stauton?. Saludos desde la ciudad de Barquisimeto, Venezuela. P.D: La palabra 'artistazo' en inglés sería como muy grande grande artista.
I saw your son Wade writing about this on Twitter. Very nice work and I am very interested in how this turns out. I wish you good luck with the rest of the pieces.
Again, just beautiful work. And I am no woodworker, but I do play guitar and love watching luthiers on UA-cam do their stuff, so I'm familiar with CA glue. Seems to be a dangerous idea to use as a shine coat! Unless you're not doing it on the lathe.
Thanks for the kind words. I did not believe a ca glue finish was possible either, until I watched Cap't Eddie do a fabulous finish on the lathe on a bowl. Watch! ua-cam.com/video/VRXSkmTJ4Pw/v-deo.html
"Look at it! It's so beautiful it's smilin back atcha!" That CA trick definitely works and his technique makes a lot more sense than what I thought at first. I thought he was just going to drip it on. See? I'm no wood worker! Still, his method has some danger, so be careful. But if done right...wow! Keep on truckin, James!
Janice Kneule Thanks for watching Janice. Experimenting with several different approaches to the knights now. This was done with alder and walnut, and the finish is OB Shine juice from Cap'n Eddie - ua-cam.com/video/taJbBmcaAZQ/v-deo.html
James, methinks you do lovely work and have a brilliant way of describing what and how you do it. I'm gonna attempt to make a chess set and was wondering about the dimensions of the pieces.....did you decide the dimensions yourself or did you borrow them from somewhere?
It's O.B. Shine Juice made famous by Cap'n Eddie Castelin. Watch this video for information. ua-cam.com/video/taJbBmcaAZQ/v-deo.html Thanks for watching!
Hey this is same pity story like American recipes in kitchen blogs.... when ever you think "wow looks great" the ingredience list contains ready-made things like dr. Bates' magic cookie helper...... the shellac ist just the pure product? Or again magic shine.... ;)
Great job. Good luck on the knights! Depending on how detailed you get they are a doozy. Each of mine was over an hour and a half work and i had to throw away two full prototypes.
A minor triumph ....you say , about not having a disaster with the saw.. Agree absolutely. Would really pay to rig up a way to lock the spindle when doing some things. A jury rig with wood cramps would work for the few times you need it. Then you can get 2 hands on the job. Keep it up, you are getting great results very quickly. Geoff
Geoff Gwyther Geoff - thanks for watching. Interesting and coincidental suggestion - I DID have to rig up a spindle lok to do the filing on the knights. A large Irwin clamp did the trick. Thanks for your kind words!
I know a lot of nooks and crannies are very small on turnings like this, but, one thing I use a lot is pieces of a noodle or I have even used that pipe wrap stuff that is foam. The noodle I'm talking about is what kids use in a swimming pool. I cut them up, in half, length and width wise, etc. However you want them. Pieces work great because they contour to woods and acrylics very nicely. One noodle gets a ga-zillion sanding pads... LOL
James, I like your videos and find them very helpful. I am also a 'newbie' to wood turning, and would like to try making a chess set at some point. Since there are so many repetitive figures to make, have you considered making a template to ease the work of constant measuring with your calipers to get the correct dimensions? I have one suggestion for future videos... Turn off the music while you're talking because it's unnecessary and distracting. Happy turning!
Rick Hilton Hi Rick. Yes - If I make another, I'll definitely have a template. And this was the only one with music while talking - I was "experimenting" - LOL. Thanks so much for watching!
You should consider getting yourself a Japanese woodworking saw, it cuts really fine and on the pull unlike most American saws and they are not really expensive. Here is an example of one, I'm sure you could probably find one cheaper if you look. www.amazon.com/Crosscut-Dovetail-Razor-Japan-Woodworker/dp/B00BWM2ZP8
Loved your video's But the Music does my head in. Very distracting and nearly drowns your voice, Maybe you can turn the volume down or preferably off, But thanks for the very fine job on the rest of it, hope you don't mind the minor critique.
I would but consider: each piece takes between 4 and 5 hours. So even if I charged only slightly more than minimum wage, the set would start at $1,800.00. Thanks for watching!
your chess pieces are all gorgeous. but can you make a complete chess pieces in only one day? here is the designed I wanted you to finish sir. I forgot I can't send you an image here on youtube comment. can I have your email so, I can send it to you?
It's the tiny little differences in each piece that make them unique and that makes for a great story to tell people when you show them off, great job!
+Brian Jennings Agreed! Thank you for watching!
You ARE a REAL turner. I loved your wooden chuck. I can use this for many things other than chess pieces also. Thanks
You do some great work. I just started on my prototypes. I think they will be a little smaller, though. You've given me some great ideas and pointers. Thanks!!
The rich finish on the pieces is especially attractive. I think they really came out well. Great job!
Hello Mr. Wegner, I have been watching your videos and the job you are doing is awesome.
Very kind of you! Thanks for watching!
I'm REALLY enjoying your chess turning videos! I just got myself a small lathe because I waned to make myself a chess set and so far, your videos are the best. You are doing exactly what I want to do, but I just hope that I will be as successful as you are, because it will be my very first project on the lathe.
I'm really looking forward for the rest of you set too, especially the knight of course!
Keep up the good work! I'll get back to working on my first pawn prototype!
Mathieu Girard Thank you Mathieu! The knights will be tough - but fun I think. Be sure to post yours, okay?
James Wegner I will try to make some videos down the road. So far, my pawn prototype turned out to be a lot better that I was expecting! This is gonna be a lot of fun. What are the dimentions of your pieces? Are you using the same diameter for all the pieces or are your pawns a little less?
Mathieu Girard Would love to see your videos. My pawns are 1.75 inches at the base and 2.5 tall. I wanted a big set. The other pieces will be 1.9 at the base. Rooks are 3 inches tall, and bishops are 3 5/8ths. I expect the knight to be about 3.25, queen almost 4, and king about 4.25. And YES - This is a lot of fun! Cheers!
James Wegner Hi, for some reason I cannot post a link here, but check out my videos to see my pawn video.
would have never guessed you're a rookie. You have done a beautiful job so far on this chess project. great work, James!
Appreciate that! Thanks for watching!
Hey James, it is really fun to watch your videos. Great work.Keep it coming.
Ahmet Kurt Thanks for watching Ahmet. Having fun and learning at the same time - what could be better?
Stephen David Hi I like the way you do your videos, step by step and HD so I able to enlarge it w/out any blurry and grainy pictures, watch it as I fallow it step by step. thank you, Great job.
+Stephen David Thanks David - appreciate your comment! Thanks for watching!
Amazing and great work. Watching you do the Knights will be suspensful. Good luck!
Chad Aubuchon Thanks Chad. Knight are going to be daunting to say the least!
Your videos are excellent! And the music is a good pick too :)
Thanks for watching!
Thanks James. I have nearly finished my 2nd set. I have watched you make each piece more than once, I would never have tried if you had not made it look so easy. Wish I could identify the file you use for the castle/rook . I am ok with the round one - I use my old chain saw files. (now have an electric sharpener).
Bill.
Wow - thanks for the kind words. Post photos of your set - would love to see it! Thanks for watching!
For a beginner, you surely know your stuff. Nice pieces so far.
Thanks for watching!
Posted more than a year ago and still gong strong, I have always been interested in lathe work in general. Keep them coming! M Austin, Cincinnati, OH USA
+m AUSTIN Thanks for watching!
I have been wanting to make a chess set. your video has helped me make up my mind. So thanks. I am a beginner in turning and need all the help I can get.
Go for it! Thanks for watching!
i love how humble you are
Thanks for watching!
¡Guao!... ¡Impresionante video!, hay que ser un artistazo para crear piezas de ajedrez tan bien hechas como éstas que tú haces. ¡Me fascina el ajedrez!, pero no para jugar sino para coleccionar o para decoración. Te quería preguntar algo: ¿Podrías tú hacer otro video como éste en donde tú torneas piezas de ajedrez del tipo Stauton?. Saludos desde la ciudad de Barquisimeto, Venezuela. P.D: La palabra 'artistazo' en inglés sería como muy grande grande artista.
Chane Garcia Thank you Chane! I really appreciate your comments!
Love your videos. I'm just starting also. Your are a big help.
Thanks for watching!
I saw your son Wade writing about this on Twitter. Very nice work and I am very interested in how this turns out. I wish you good luck with the rest of the pieces.
***** Thanks for watching - I appreciate it!
Hey mate, I love your videos. I'm looking forward to seeing how you do your knights.
Wow man! that piece turned out great! well done sir
ChessReviews Thank you so much! Learning a lot - experimenting with the knights....
I've followed your chess pieces series and consider yourself no longer a beginner. you do nice work😁
Outstanding
Thanks for watching!
Good job. I also got the shine juice recipe from the Cap'n.
Keep it up sir. Your doing good work! :)
Thanks for watching!
Again, just beautiful work. And I am no woodworker, but I do play guitar and love watching luthiers on UA-cam do their stuff, so I'm familiar with CA glue. Seems to be a dangerous idea to use as a shine coat! Unless you're not doing it on the lathe.
Thanks for the kind words. I did not believe a ca glue finish was possible either, until I watched Cap't Eddie do a fabulous finish on the lathe on a bowl.
Watch! ua-cam.com/video/VRXSkmTJ4Pw/v-deo.html
"Look at it! It's so beautiful it's smilin back atcha!"
That CA trick definitely works and his technique makes a lot more sense than what I thought at first. I thought he was just going to drip it on. See? I'm no wood worker! Still, his method has some danger, so be careful. But if done right...wow! Keep on truckin, James!
BRILLIANT MASTER. HOW DO YOU PAINT THE DARK AND LIGHT PARTS...I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW...IS IT SHELLLACA? THANK YOU
Great job James. Gives me ideas to run with. Can't wait to see the one you do on the knights. What was the wood you used and what was the finish.
Janice Kneule Thanks for watching Janice. Experimenting with several different approaches to the knights now. This was done with alder and walnut, and the finish is OB Shine juice from Cap'n Eddie - ua-cam.com/video/taJbBmcaAZQ/v-deo.html
beautiful .....Excellent :)
Could you post the finished dimension of the pieces as well as the square size on chess board? Appreciate any response.
James, methinks you do lovely work and have a brilliant way of describing what and how you do it. I'm gonna attempt to make a chess set and was wondering about the dimensions of the pieces.....did you decide the dimensions yourself or did you borrow them from somewhere?
Btw, I'm in Ireland
Hi from Venezuela, James.
Your videos are amazing. I have a question:
It looks to me that your "file" is a welding stick electrode. Isn't it?
Hello! It's a chain saw file. Very small diameter. Thanks for watching!
I am very interested in how you are going to do the knights.
David Sowell Me too! (I have sort of an idea that I think no one has tried...). Thanks for watching!
you are most welcome sir
Great job!1
Bravo! good job :)
+Roby Bluteau Appreciate that! Thank you for watching!
Awesome!
+Keith Mitchell Thank you for watching!
Gut gemacht!!!
Tiroler Drechsler Vielen Dank! Ich genieße wirklich Ihre Arbeit!
I’m getting into making chess pieces and interested in learning about the equipment needed. Any advice?
Hello, great video!
Could you say me please, what's that for a kind of finish ?
Cheers
It's O.B. Shine Juice made famous by Cap'n Eddie Castelin. Watch this video for information. ua-cam.com/video/taJbBmcaAZQ/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching!
Hey this is same pity story like American recipes in kitchen blogs.... when ever you think "wow looks great" the ingredience list contains ready-made things like dr. Bates' magic cookie helper...... the shellac ist just the pure product? Or again magic shine.... ;)
Love the file trick! I'm going to try that out :)
Is that a one way chuck I see there? Nice bishops
Got to put a handle on that file though...
It's a Oneway Talon - great chuck. Thanks!
smart
James, what tools you need, what wood, and the price plz. Thank you!
Great job. Good luck on the knights! Depending on how detailed you get they are a doozy. Each of mine was over an hour and a half work and i had to throw away two full prototypes.
Luke Sellers Thanks Luke. I have a couple of ideas to try out. I hope I only have to throw away two! Thanks for watching!
A minor triumph ....you say , about not having a disaster with the saw.. Agree absolutely. Would really pay to rig up a way to lock the spindle when doing some things. A jury rig with wood cramps would work for the few times you need it. Then you can get 2 hands on the job.
Keep it up, you are getting great results very quickly.
Geoff
Geoff Gwyther Geoff - thanks for watching. Interesting and coincidental suggestion - I DID have to rig up a spindle lok to do the filing on the knights. A large Irwin clamp did the trick. Thanks for your kind words!
great job. what kind of camera do you use....looks awesome
What kind of chuck are you using to hold the wood into place?
Hi James good video, can I place order on a full set of chess piece?
Sure - but you probably won't like the price.
But thanks for watching.
James Wegner oh I see, my reason of getting a chess piece is not for gaming, if you can refer me where to get nice economic piece I'll appreciate.
I know a lot of nooks and crannies are very small on turnings like this, but, one thing I use a lot is pieces of a noodle or I have even used that pipe wrap stuff that is foam. The noodle I'm talking about is what kids use in a swimming pool. I cut them up, in half, length and width wise, etc. However you want them. Pieces work great because they contour to woods and acrylics very nicely. One noodle gets a ga-zillion sanding pads... LOL
Roger K Wow - great tip - I'll have to try that, Thanks!
What kind of wood are you using to do this b.c I'm trying to do mine with maple but they keep cracking???
Used Alder for the white - walnut for the black. Thanks for watching!
hola soy argentino y estoy tratando de empezar con la tornería para la fabricación de piezas de ajedrez, que madera me recomienda , saludos coirdiales
Thanks for watching!!
thank you
James, I like your videos and find them very helpful. I am also a 'newbie' to wood turning, and would like to try making a chess set at some point.
Since there are so many repetitive figures to make, have you considered making a template to ease the work of constant measuring with your calipers to get the correct dimensions?
I have one suggestion for future videos... Turn off the music while you're talking because it's unnecessary and distracting.
Happy turning!
Rick Hilton Hi Rick. Yes - If I make another, I'll definitely have a template. And this was the only one with music while talking - I was "experimenting" - LOL. Thanks so much for watching!
Who is seriously gonna sit here and watch another man make a whole damn chess set?
Me that's who.
LOL - good one! Thanks for watching!
Probably me :)
I would say that I might, but I did so me
LOL - thanks for watching!
me, everyone does things different and I like to pick up new ideas.
it sounded like you are a master craftsman, so beautiful, i like your video, you equip yourself a caliper to copy the replica,.
Cesar Caoili Thanks for watching and for your kind words.
very very buetifull
Thanks for watching!
wow your really good
I loved
Getting close to finishing.
You should consider getting yourself a Japanese woodworking saw, it cuts really fine and on the pull unlike most American saws and they are not really expensive. Here is an example of one, I'm sure you could probably find one cheaper if you look. www.amazon.com/Crosscut-Dovetail-Razor-Japan-Woodworker/dp/B00BWM2ZP8
Randy Rosencrans Thanks Randy - will look into it! Birthday coming! LOL
Can you show us how you made that jig for the pieces?
What jig? The piece that mounts the stock to the lathe? Thanks for watching!
You're good skill make Bishop. And are you going sell chess sets? LOL
+Matthew Baker No - It's a hobby only. Thanks for watching!
Loved your video's But the Music does my head in. Very distracting and nearly drowns your voice, Maybe you can turn the volume down or preferably off, But thanks for the very fine job on the rest of it, hope you don't mind the minor critique.
Gl - Thanks for watching and for your comment! I will make audio adjustments for the net one - I'm still experimenting on a video style. Cheers!
good videos, thank you...a tenon saw might work better for that cut, less nerve racking
Frank - you're absolutely right. I wish I owned one! LOL Thanks for watching!
The closest thing i got to wood turning was putting a peice of clay on a fan
Haha. Thanks for watching!!
Funny at the time I watched this viedo you have 13k subscribers, and your in awe of guys with less subscribers
It's still amazing to me!! Thanks for watching!
Would you be interested in making and selling me a set?
I would but consider: each piece takes between 4 and 5 hours. So even if I charged only slightly more than minimum wage, the set would start at $1,800.00. Thanks for watching!
Turn the music off. It is hard to hear you.
your chess pieces are all gorgeous.
but can you make a complete chess pieces in only one day?
here is the designed I wanted you to finish sir.
I forgot I can't send you an image here on youtube comment.
can I have your email so, I can send it to you?
Leomared Campos james@blackforestdesigns.com
Thanks for watching!
good videos. but its complicated to find them. You should add more keywords.
Thanks for watching. I will add to the search keywords - great tip.
I think you're way beyond "beginner"
Roger K Well thank you. You haven't seen what I throw away - lol! Thanks for watching.