Make a tool chess set
Photographs by John R. Fulton Jr.From the March 2003 issue of Boys' Life magazine
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):
- 5/16 by 3/4-inch hexagonal (six-sided or regular) cap bolts
- 5/16-inch hexagonal nuts
Thread nut onto bolt until 1/4 inch of bolt rises above the nut. Glue in place.
ROOKS OR CASTLES
For each rook (4):
- 5/16 by 1 1/2-inch hexagonal nut sleeve anchors
Use sleeve anchor as is.
KNIGHTS
For each knight (4):
- 1/4 by 2-inch eye bolts with nuts
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):
- 5/16 by 1 1/2-inch hexagonal cap bolts
- 5/16-inch wing nuts
- 5/16-inch locking nuts with nylon inserts
Thread wing nut onto bolt. Thread insert lock onto bolt, and tighten. Secure wing nut against insert lock.
KINGS
For each king (2):
- 3/16-inch hollow wall anchors (long)
- No. 14 finishing washers
- 1/4-inch flat washers
- 1/4-inch wing nuts
- 1/4-inch anchor caps
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):
- 3/16-inch hollow wall anchors (short)
- No. 14 finish washers
- 1/4-inch wing nuts
- 5/16-inch external toothed washers
- 1/4-inch nylon insert locks
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.
Totally awesome!
I am so glad i found this!! Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want to make this and a custom chess board.
must have missed this in Boys Life (for the one who’d never heard of this mag, it’s the official Boy Scout magazine) – must have been in between boys – was also in Mother Earth News and I’d tried to keep it but you know how that is but now we have the CD just haven’t thought about it since, though so thanks!
Well, now isn’t that clever! I like it!
Cool.
WAY COOL
This is a very smart project but it is hard to remember the identity of each piece!
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
I take a chess after school club at my school so i could bring this in)!!