Project American Chess Board has started!

I was recently asked to help a fellow instructor during his marquetry class at the John C. Campbell Folk School.  The students over a week, made unique chessboards using modern and old marquetry techniques.  I made a chess board along with the class, and I used all American woods (except for the eagle bodies).  I have posted some images of the completed project.  I will take some better images very soon.

The chess board was made from American cherry, American walnut and American maple.  The edge banding is made from veneers that have been dyed red, white and blue.  The edge banding for the chess board consists of 104 individual pieces, almost as many as the chess board playing field!  The eagles are all packet cut using a Dewalt 788 scrollsaw, and are sand shaded to make it look three dimensional.  Each eagle piece is cut with the background cherry piece to assure a perfect fit.  Each eagle piece is then sand shaded individually, and the pieces are then put back together to make the image of the eagle.

Chess Board Project:

American Chess Board Top

Edge banding for the chess board