How to Make Chess Pieces (easy)

Welcome to my tutorial on how to make chess pieces!

This instructable is rather easy. If you want more intricate designs, I would not recommend this instructable.

The program I used for these chess pieces was 123D design, but of course you can use any program you want.

Supplies

• 3D printer
• Filament
• 3D modeling program

Step 1: Building a Base

This little figure right here will act as the base for all of your pieces.

In order to make it, grab a cylinder, and reduce the size so it's still a cylinder, but just really short. The dimensions of mine are 20mm x 20mm x 6mm.

Once you have the cylinder, utilize the "filet" tool and filet the circumference of cylinder at the tallest point not too much, but just a little bit so that it gives a smooth edge that is noticeable.

Step 2: Building the Rook (Step 1)

Let's first build a rook.

The rook, if you don't know, has the ability to move as many pieces it wants horizontally or vertically in a game of chess.

For this step, place a cylinder that is slightly smaller than the base on top of the base. The cylinder I used has dimensions of 15mm x 15mm x 15mm.

Step 3: Building the Rook (Step 2)

For this step, copy and paste the same cylinder on top of it. Once you do that, shrink it so that it is 1-2mm smaller in both length and width. For this project, I made it 1mm smaller, but if you want it to be slightly more sturdy and less prone to breaker, try 2mm smaller. Now move the smaller cylinder so that it overlaps the first cylinder, but not completely, as so in the first image.

Once you have the two cylinders set, use the "subtract" tool and snip off the smaller cylinder from the larger one.

Step 4: Building the Rook (Step 3)

Create two rectangles that form a plus sign on top of the cylinder.

Once you do that, use the subtract tool again and delete the overlapping parts.

Now the rook is finished!

Step 5: Building a Pawn (Step 1)

Now that you have finished the rook, let's move onto a pawn.

If you don't know, a pawn can move only 1 step forward in a game of chess, but can attack other pieces that are 1 step away diagonally.

The first step is just like the first step of a rook - add a smaller cylinder onto the base of your pawn. The only difference is that it you want your cylinder to be a bit shorter.

Step 6: Building a Pawn (Step 2)

Once you have the cylinder set, filet the top circumference to give it a smooth edge, just like the base.

That will complete the pawn.

Step 7: Building the King (Step 1)

Now that you have finished the pawn, onto the King.

The king is the most important pieces in a game of chess- if you lose it, you lose the game. It can move one square in any direction.

Just like the rook, place a cylinder on the base. You don't need to change the height, but the width and length should still be smaller than the base.

Step 8: Building the King (Step 2)

Once you finish the previous step, just add a cone to the top.

That's the king.

Step 9: Building the Queen (Step 1)

The queen is the most useful piece in a game of chess, being able to move in any direction as much as it wants.

There aren't many differences between the King and Queen in this specific instructable. The only difference is that instead of a cone, place a sphere on top of the cylinder for the queen.

Step 10: Building a Bishop (Step 1)

In chess, bishops can move as many pieces as they like diagonally.

Create a figure just like the pawn's base, however make it taller. You don't want this piece to be as short as a pawn, but it can't be as tall as a king or queen.

Step 11: Building a Bishop (Step 2)

Just like the king, place a cone on top of the figure.

Once you do that, filet the bottom circumference of the cone.

That's going to be your bishop.

Step 12: Building a Knight (Step 1)

The knight is a really versatile and unpredictable piece in chess. It's movement pattern dictates two spaces up, down, left, right, and then one space to the side.

For this step, copy and paste your bishop and move it to the side.

Step 13: Building a Knight (Step Two)

Place a cube overlapping the point of the bishop.

Step 14: Building a Knight (Final Step)

Once you have the cube placed overlapping the cone, use the, "subtract," tool once again and snip off the overlapping parts and the cube.

That is the final step, and the final piece.

If you want to print an entire set, one set will have:

16 Pawns, 2 Queens, 2 Kings, 4 Bishops, 4 Knights, and 4 Rooks