Chess Board Safe With Hardware Chess Men

Here is a safe that I made. It uses neodymium magnets as locks for the drawer. The chess men are made out of metal, so they move the magnets, thus locking or unlocking the safe.

I credit the idea of this safe to Andrew Lewis' article in Make magazine.

Comments

[RememberThePlot]

Very neat project (and result) here! I was thinking about making my own, and I was wondering about how much was the cost for all the materials needed?

[Data643]

I'm not exactly sure how much it cost, as I built it several years ago. The main box / board was very inexpensive. The magnets cost me $2.50 each from a local magnet store ($10 total). All I remember about the hardware chess men is that they cost a lot ($30 - $50). If you sourced the hardware better you would be able to dramatically reduce the cost.

[RememberThePlot]

Ah, I see. Well thank you for giving an estimate!

[seabananers]

no i didnt leave an e out of my comment below i forgot the c

[seabananers]

i like this cuz i lik chess

[skimmo]

ha i was think about making on of these the other day

[oldanvilyoungsmith]

THAT.....IS.....SO.....TOTALLY......AWESOME!!!! (faints)

but seriously, I wish you had done an ible, that looks so cool, just the chessmen themselves have already given me some ideas. Great work, 5 stars

[Data643]

 If you get Make magazine, it has a step by step guide to make this in issue 16

[52filipino]

where did you get the pieces

[Data643]

 I went to the hardware isle in Home Depot.

[Musicman41]

I love the idea and the locking system.  My question is: How do you keep the magnets from falling out of the notches when the drawer is open?

[Data643]

 You just have to be careful about it     : )

[nativity4me]

better idea: MAGNETIC BOARD....helps too keep those pieces in place if your in something thats moving (car, camper, etc). or have to interrupt a game for some other reason. :)

im gonna make this for hubby. hes a chess player, i am not, i need to learn.

love the SAFE idea, no one would know your valuables are in there, great idea!

MICHELLE

[noahh]

 This is great. Alas, I read and reread that article, and was unable to understand the mechanism. If I did, I would make this.

[Data643]

Maybe this will help you understand it. The lighter colored wood bars with the notches in them are fixed to the base. The drawer also has notches in it. When the magnets are moved so that they are sitting in both notches, it keeps the drawer from moving out.

Hope this helps.

[noahh]

 I think I get it now. Thanks.

[servion]

I love it! its the next project on my (loooooong) list :P

[jman 31]

Very creative. I love the little pieces. Nicely implemented!