Making your own chess set can be as easy as digging around in your dad’s spare parts drawer.
Wing nuts, anchor caps, bolts, washers and a few other odd pieces of specialty hardware are all you need to make your own version of the “tool chess” set.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED AND HOW YOU’LL DO IT
Total cost: An hour’s time and less than $10. And if you ever lose a piece, you can make another for next to nothing!
Remember: You need a total of 16 pawns, four rooks (also called castles), four knights, four bishops, two kings and two all-powerful queens. And you’ll need to paint one set a different color.
Follow the instructions below, or spend some time browsing at the hardware store for pieces to customize your set.
You’ll also need to get some white glue, spray paint, pliers and a screwdriver.
PAWNS
For each pawn (16):
Thread nut onto bolt until 1/4 inch of bolt rises above the nut. Glue in place.
ROOKS OR CASTLES
For each rook (4):
Use sleeve anchor as is.
KNIGHTS
For each knight (4):
Thread nut onto eye bolt until edge of bolt is even with nut. Glue in place by applying glue to the threads of the bolt, twisting on the nut, then wiping off the excess.
BISHOPS
For each bishop (4):
Thread wing nut onto bolt. Thread insert lock onto bolt, and tighten. Secure wing nut against insert lock.
KINGS
For each king (2):
Grip end of hollow wall anchor with pliers, tighten screw with screwdriver until metal strips flair out. Remove center screw, add finish washer, replace screw into wall anchor. Add flat washer. Thread wing nut onto screw end, then tighten anchor cap to end of screw.
QUEENS
For each queen (2):
Tighten screw of hollow wall anchor as for kings. Remove center screw, add finish washer, replace screw into wall anchor. Thread wing nut onto screw end upside down. Then add toothed washed and tighten locking nut to end of screw.
FINAL TOUCHES
Spray paint one team. While it dries, practice saying “Checkmate!” You’re ready to play.
Tags: Chess
Too bad the article has parts that will not work together. Since when does a 1/4″ nut thread onto a 3/16″ bolt(hollow wall anchor)? Never in my book. Now I have a bunch of parts laying around that I don’t need and I have to take another trip to the store with $26 in parts already.
Our Webelos den made this. We made two sets because once one teacher found out we were making one for one class she wanted one too. Just the nuts and bolts cost sixty dollars at Lowes for the two sets. We bought acrylic paint but spray paint probably would’ve worked better. The pieces were clever but using exactly the specificed parts – some of them, notably the king,, queen and knight frequently fall over. We were very excited to start this and I think disappointed in the outcome, mainly because the pieces didn’t stand up. So, I would adjust the bases on some of the pieces.
it should tell you how make a board
I wish I had the time to make this.
CHESS IS THE BEST
this is a reativly good idea. Would someone please post a printable list of all the parts so i don’t have to figure out how many i need myself? Just to make things eaisier (and maybe mor enjoi able). Thanks!
Cool! Maybe I should ask my Dad to do this….
that is cool! cool! cool!
I love chess
So do I
I take a chess after school club at my school so i could bring this in)!!
you are really cool who did this have fun bye
hey runescape is a game where poeple fight and dont say lol (it means laugh out loud)
i play runescape its a game were poeple do quest and type stuff to each other add me (shin902) if you ever get on
anyone play runescape its a chess game i love chess!!!!
that looks so cool!
that looks so cool!
this is cool…im totally gonna make it…i think its totally awesome
hey…this is awesome…i totally am going to make it…thanx for the idea!!!!
i love chess and i think it is awesome
Who care if chess is cool or not, its fun! I am a nerd and think these set is sweet! The only thing I would add is how to make a board out of some kind of like metal.
Is the spray paint part a mess to do?
For the king and queen pieces, the instructions call for a 3/16 wall anchor and 1/4 inch wing nuts. These are supposed to be the same or else they won’t fit. Otherwise, this is really cool!
hey cool chess set maby i will do the same thing only cange it a bit
It is a very intriguiging to me. That means it is wicked cool.
I made a chess board I made out of tile that i have been planning to use this set with
I really want to make this! Great job!
I LOVE chess! And don’t worry, it still isn’t cool (wait, why shouldn’t you worry?). But I don’t care. Chess is chess! Checkmate on!
I’m so happy to read that so many people think my chess set idea is cool. I loved making it up. I made a bunch of pieces that didn’t work, some kept falling over, others just didn’t look right. It took a while to get just the right nuts and bolts together. Have fun making it and keep writing so I can read how your projects are going. I loved paying chess in school, and it wasn’t cool then either… especially for a girl! Who cares, it’s a great game.
kg
not medival medicoooolllnice work dude give me 5
i havent madfe this
I think it is very cool how you can make fun stuff like a chess set with things from around the house.
interesting