A chess set built from three materials that age well together: a vegetable-tanned leather board, copper pieces on one side, steel on the other. A 12-page pattern printed 1:1, and the full build filmed from first cut to last coat of finish.
The pieces are cut from 22 mm (7/8 in) copper and steel tubing, faced, filed and numbered with alphabet and number punches - no casting, no lathe, hand tools and a pipe cutter. The board is grooved, dyed and oiled. It rolls up, which makes it a travel set that happens to look like an heirloom.
Leather and materials. Around 0.25 m² (388 sq in) of 2.5 mm (6 oz) vegetable-tanned leather for the 50 × 50 cm board. Copper and steel tubing at 22 mm outside diameter for the pieces. Dye, neatsfoot oil, leather finish, 400 grit paper.
Tools. Utility knife, groover, alphabet and number punches, pipe cutter, Dremel cutting wheel, hand files, nail file, paint brush, buffing wheel (optional).
This is the most demanding pattern in the shop - there is metalwork as well as leatherwork, and it rewards patience. Print the 12 A4 pages at 100% with zero margins, tape the sheets together, cut, and follow the video.
Instant download.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/rwUqVCf1S1IThe two sides are told apart by dye, not by paint. If you want the contrast to hold - here is how I dye vegetable-tanned leather.
This pattern is one of my printable leather patterns, all built from pieces I made first.
