A favourite project among young woodworkers is the checker-board.
While it is closely akin to inlaying, the method of making it to avoid
unnecessary labour is here suggested. As the checker-board consists
of sixty-four squares of equal size and divided equally between two
kinds of wood, one dark and the other light, some way must be devised
to insure their being exactly alike to make the board a success.
Considerable care should be used in the selection of the woods, for
while they must present a strong contrast in colour, they should be as
nearly as possible of the same degree of hardness, to make the working
uniform.
If soft woods are used, red gum and basswood make an agreeable contrast
in colour. Basswood is not a very satisfactory wood to polish in its
natural colour, however.
Among the hard woods, a combination of black walnut and rock maple, or
mahogany and maple, or even cherry and maple, can be used. Any one of
these combinations will be more satisfactory in the finished work than
the soft woods mentioned. The work will be harder of course, but in
woodwork as in other things, nothing really good is obtained without
effort.
Assuming that the woods have been selected, four strips of dark and the
same number in light coloured wood should be squared up to a width of
1-1/4 or 1-1/2 inches according to the size of the squares to be made.
[Illustration: Fig. 187. Method of making a checker-board]
As in other woodworking problems, have a full-sized or half-sized
mechanical drawing ready before using a tool.
A checker-board built up of 1-1/4-inch squares will be ten inches
square without the frame. (See Fig. 187.) With 1-1/2-inch squares,
it will be twelve inches on each side. This is amply large and a
satisfactory working size. The material should be either 1/4 inch or
3/8 inch thick. Plane the strips about sixteen inches long by one inch
and a half wide.
Lay the four strips of dark wood on edge on the bench top and carefully
fasten the four in the vise. Remove a light shaving to insure their
width being all alike.
Treat the light strips the same way.
Next place all eight strips together and examine for inequalities. Too
much care cannot be exercised at this point, as the success of the
problem depends on it.
To make doubly sure, reverse every alternate strip end for end, and if
inequalities appear place all eight strips in the vise and remove a
light shaving. One of the best methods for making these strips of equal
size and with perfectly square edges is to construct a shooting board,
or arrange one already made, as shown at _a_.
The strip _s_ is set to a gauge line made 1-1/2 inches from the edge.
The strips are laid in this space and planed in the usual way, until
the plane touches the stop. This makes the width of all pieces the same
and gives true edges.
These eight strips placed alternately light and dark are now glued
upon a backing of soft wood, 1/4 inch or less in thickness. Gluing must
be done thoroughly, each strip being rubbed back and forth until a good
joint is made with its neighbour.
A piece of newspaper is spread over the top, heavy pieces of flat
stock placed top and bottom, and the pressure from several hand screws
applied while the glue is drying.
The best liquid glue obtainable should be used, and the paper on top
prevents the hand screws being glued to the wood.
This combination must stand until the glue is thoroughly hard, if it
takes forty-eight hours, which it does sometimes in damp weather.
When dry, remove hand screws and tear off paper. Square outside edges
if backing projects or glue adheres. With a large try square or steel
square lay out parallel lines across the combination 1-3/4 inches
apart. Saw on the lines with cross cut saw, unless a mill is handy,
when it can be done more accurately with a circular or band saw.
The new strips will be 1-3/4 inches wide, less the amount removed by
the saw. Dress them down to a width of 1-1/2 inches on the shooting
board. This should bring the eight pieces on each strip to squares
1-1/2 inches on a side.
Eight of these strips make the checker-board. The original pieces,
being sixteen inches long, allow for two or three extra strips in case
any are spoiled in sawing or planing.
These finished strips are now to be glued together on the permanent
backing, which should be 1/4 or 3/8 inch in thickness, of the same
material as the frame is to be and about eight inches each way longer
and wider than the checker-board proper.
This should be placed carefully in the centre of the backing, joints
rubbed and fastened by cleats 1 × 1/2 inch tacked to the backing on all
four sides.
While this is drying under pressure of the hand screws as in the first
gluing, square up the moulding which is to act as a frame: _d_ shows
two styles. In both mouldings, a rabbet 1/2 inch or so wide and 1/8
inch deep should be made with rabbet plane. The outer edges may be
square, rounded, or bevelled.
When the checker-board is removed from its final gluing, this moulding
is to be mitred and fitted about it as in making a picture frame.
Before doing this, remove all glue from edges with a chisel so that the
frame will fit snugly to the checker-board.
The frame is to be glued to both backing and checker-board and again
placed in hand screws. While this is drying, an inlaid border strip as
wide as the rabbet, either plain or built up, should be prepared.
[Illustration: Fig. 188. Checker-board tables]
This strip, as well as the rabbet, may be omitted entirely, but should
the frame be of the same material as one of the woods used in the
checker-board it is necessary, and in any case it adds a finish to the
work that is very pleasing. Inlaid designs may be set into the frame
and a very elaborate result obtained, if desired.
After this last gluing, set in the inlay, and when dry, plane, scrape,
and sand-paper the whole surface flat, and square the edges of the
frame.
This makes a very substantial and heavy board, worthy of any woodworker
and worthy of being used as a table top. Such a table may be
constructed as shown in Fig. 188. It calls for mortise and tenon joints
cut at an angle, and if this style of work is considered too difficult
vertical legs can be used. This under structure should be of the same
kind of wood as the frame of the checker-board, and if oak is used the
stain should be applied before placing the inlaid border. Bay wood is
preferable to oak for inlaying but is more expensive.
On a small table of this size, where vertical legs are used, the base
is so small that the structure is top-heavy and easily upset, so that
the problem becomes a very interesting study in design.
When the entire table has been put together, polish it. If mahogany,
finish in natural colour; if oak, any of the styles described in
the chapter on staining may be used, with care taken to keep the
checker-board itself in the natural colours.