Chess table "Instruc-table"

Chess tables are fascinating but expensive objects.
I wanted to build such a table, with tournament proportions, which could alternatively be used as a coffee table too.
In addition, I didn't want to spend too much time on it, and had no woodworking tools with me at the time !

So I started looking for reusable materials, and ended up with this little table.
Here is how it was done ...

PS: English is not my mother tongue, so I apologize if things are not always clear.

Step 1: Materials

You will need:

- A sturdy cardboard square box (about 60cm width , 20cm height).
Mine came from a famous Swedish furniture shop :p

- Thick (0.5mm) colored construction paper for the chessboard. You will obviously need two colors.
You should have enough paper to cut 32 (5cm x 5cm) squares of each color.
I found sheets of white and black paper in a hobby shop

- A square (40cm) plexiglas sheet.
I found mine (and had it cut to size) in a poster shop.

- A square (40cm) of thin cardboard
Choose the cardboard so that its thickness added to the plexiglas thickness is inferior to the box's thickness.

- PVA glue

- Newspapers

- Black paint

- Lacker

I don't have the prices for the materials, but none of them are really expensive.

Comments

[Axtklinge]

What a great way to recicle material, and save some money!
And the options are endless.
Congrats!
A.

[joejoerowley]

Nice Instructable!! Looks great!

[Satka]

Thanks ;) It did shine pretty nicely ... Parting with it was not an easy thing to do :(

[Aburame Shino]

Why on earth did you have to part with it? :(

[porcupinemamma]

English is not your first language? A reader would never suspect it was not! Your instructable is excellent and very creative! Way to go!

[Shut Up Now]

Very nice end result. if you wanted it to look even more clean then you could use a matte paint and a spray clear coat.

[GeorgeTP]

The instant I get some suitable boxes, I'm making this! If only I had chess pieces! Good pictures and directions!

[pyrocop1]

Chess pieces at your request.

DIY.com

[allandnnn]

to tell you it is exspensive to make a chest board table imagine how this cedar table was made in my carpenters shop by a guy i worked with resently ....all the materials were was 1 1/2 inch finishing nails glue and poly. coating and cedar wood 10ft boards my boss got 12 stacks for a bout 1.60 a board us. matter a fact this whole room is made of cedar minus a few items here and there and you may be thinking its a bed room your only half right this is a boat bedroom for the owner of the boat company and that is on a river push boat ...yes that is a electric fire place with cedar trim

[gripes]

I think it looks awesome with just the newspaper! just seal it with some mod podge!

[Satka]

Good idea! Maybe using themed paper, like ... chess magazines in that case? ;)

[saisay]

Wow, this is great! I might do this when I get the chance!

[lightmoon1345]

It looks like the real thing! You saved me 300$!

[Satka]

Yay ! Glad I could help !

[rachel]

Sweet! A clever idea, nicely documented.

[Satka]

Thank you ! I wish I were clever enough to actually play chess as well as this table deserves ;)

[Treelan]

Umm... looks to me like you have PLENTY of cleverness! Don't worry about being not "clever enough" for anything else. :-)

[GorillazMiko]

Wow, that's insane! Impressive, very impressive, at first I thought this had to do with a lot of wood and everything. This is so great, if I can get a huge box, I will do this. Probably not for chess, but for other stuff, but wow, this is awesome.
+1 rating.
(added to favorites)

[Treelan]

I am very impressed with your resourcefulness! I never would have thought to use papier mache like this. Very nice instructable, and hilarious pun! :-)

[Satka]

Hehe ...
Papier mache is just wonderful, if you can stand having dried glue all over you !
I remember doing a Starship Trooper "arachnid" once ... all in papier mache on a cardboard structure.
It was a present for a friend who didn't like (for some reason) tearing open presents wrappings ...
The funny thing (not for him) was that the present was *inside* the bug, and he had to literally "gut it" to get the present !

Hey, I even have a few pics !

[canida]

Sweet! You should do a slideshow.

[Jake-off]

THATS AMAZING!!! i love starship troopers

[mrmath]

1) Your English is fine. Easily understood 2) A fine instructable 3) A BAD pun.

[ewilhelm]

I enjoyed the pun, too!

[Satka]

Thx. ... and I can never resist a bad pun ... sorry :p

[gmjhowe]

Nice, cheap an easy! Im working on my own chess project at the moment, its great to see some fresh takes on things. (ps you english is better than mine - and im english!)

[Satka]

Thanks :) I actually had to give the table away before leaving Sweden (where I only stayed one year, but found a way to feel crafty anyway) I will surely repeat the experience, and build another table in a similar fashion. I'm curious to see your version of a chess table !!!

[gmjhowe]

well its gonna be a bit of an hybrid- but basically its gonna have a detachable board. so it can be used as a normal chess set. and also when in table form it will be just for chess as it wont support drinks etc.