Introduction: 3D Printed Chess Pieces

This instructable will show you how to 3D print pieces for chess. This requires some knowledge of Inventor or other modeling programs. If you are notorious for losing chess pieces, this may be a help.

Step 1: Dimensions

These are the dimensions for a standard Staunton chess set:

King: Diameter---1.75in---Height---3.75

Queen: Diameter---1.75---Height---3.50

Bishop: Diameter---1.50---Height---3.00

Knight: Diameter---1.50---Height---2.75

Rook: Diameter---1.50---Height---2.50

Pawn: Diameter---1.125---Height---2.25

(Diameter is for the base.)

Just for reference:

The general size of chess board squares are 2.25in, in an 8x8 grid.

Step 2: Making the Queen

This is where inventor (or the program of your choice) comes in. I'll show how I made the King and the Queen, but after that you should be able to figure the rest out on your own.

As a reminder:

Queen: Base Diameter---1.75, Height---3.5

1. Sketch a 1.75in diameter circle on the base plane.

2. Extrude the sketch 2.75in with a -6 degree taper (or more, depending upon your aesthetic tastes).

3. Sketch another 1.75in diameter circle on top of the extruded shape (so it matches up with the base).

4. Extrude the sketch 0.25in.

5. Sketch a circle another circle on top so it matches up with the top of your tapered shape.

6. Sketch a circle inscribed 0.05in from the first.

7. Extrude the space between the two 0.5in with a 12 degree taper to make the Queen's "crown" (again, you can tweak this).

8. Create a plane that is stands parallel to the construction and touches the farthest edge of your "crown" taper.

9. Create a sketch on this plane. Draw an arc from the very top--make it as big as you like--and close it with a simple line.

10. Extrude this sketch backwards so it cuts material out of the "crown" section.

11. Select this extrusion and circular pattern it around the central axis. Repeat the feature as many times as you like, I personally chose to repeat it 8 times.

12. Fillet the bulge just below the crown (I used a 0.09 fillet).

13. Now all you have to do is upload it to a 3D printer and print!

P.S. Make sure you get the scaling right when you print, I messed mine up and it turned out only about as big as a quarter.

Step 3: Making the King

The basic structure of the King is very much like that of the Queen except for, of course, the embellishments on top.

1. Sketch a 1.75in diameter circle.

2. Extrude it 3.00in with a -6 degree taper (the only thing that changed here is the height*).

3. Sketch and create another 1.75in circle in line with the bottom of the shape and extrude 0.25in.

4. Sketch a rectangle in the center with side lengths 0.20in and 0.10in.

5. Extrude rectangle 0.50in.

6. Make a sketch on the vertical side of the previous extrusion. Center a rectangle with both sides 0.15in from the top and bottom so as to make a cross.

7. Extrude 0.70in.

8. Copy the sketch again, but this time extrude 0.20in in the opposite direction.

9. Fillet the rim/bulge.

10. Print and enjoy!

*For the height of each segment, I made the embellishments generally 0.50in, the rim/bulge 0.25in, and the remaining height was made into the base.

First Time Author Contest 2016

Participated in the
First Time Author Contest 2016

3D Printing Contest 2016

Participated in the
3D Printing Contest 2016