Stained Glass Chessboard

Here is a project idea that can be done as a beginner, and uses only a few tools.  Not only is it good for the beginner, but would make a good gift for a chess enthusiast.
Materials needed
  • Stained Glass -- amount will depend on how well you cut and size of the board you make
  1. Opaque White or other design of light coloring
  2. Opaque Black or other design of dark coloring
  3. Clear Textured glass or other decorative design
  • Copper foil tape --1/2 - 3/4 inch (regular for the colored glass, and might want silver-backed for the clear glass
  • Soldering supplies -- solder, flux, soldering iron
  • Glass cutting supplies -- ruler, glass cutter -- if available a strip cutter helps, but is not necessary

These instructions will allow you to make a simple chessboard, such as the one pictured by the title.  When determining the size  of your board, it is good to have a particular chess set in mind and work from that.  Select the piece with the largest base and add about 1/4 inch to the longest dimension, if it is not round.  Based on this begin cutting your glass.

You will need 32 white squares and 32 black squares.  It is best to cut long strips first, then cut the individual squares from those.  The other glass will be used as a border.  After getting the squares cut, foil them with the copper tape.

To assemble, line the squares up in alternating colors, such as is found on a chessboard -- 8 rows of 8 squares with alternating black and white squares.  Once assembled, spot solder so that you can do the next step:  determining the border.  The border is where you can be creative.  If you are able to get a piece of glass that is as long as the finished board, remembering to add in enough for the width of the border, you can do one piece on all sides.  Other ideas might be to have small squares in the corners and longer strips on the sides -- either two, three, or four.  Note:  It would not be recommended to have strips in the border that are the same length as one individual square.

Once you have the border cut and foiled, finish doing the soldering, making sure to get all seams and include the edges of the border.  Then carefully turn your piece over and do the same with the backside.  After that, clean up your piece to get all the flux off.  When completely finished, it is best to place the board on a sturdier backboard (it does not have to be attached) that would accentuate the piece you have just created.