Chess
All Photos by David Bunn
Modern Design & Manufacturing
I worked with a team of 5 to design and manufacture a chess set using a CNC lathe. The upper halves are made from polycarbonate, sanded to a frosted glass look. The bottoms differentiate the teams, made of polished copper and aluminum to keep the center of mass low and prevent tipping. Post-operations were done on a mill to create piece-specific features.
With dozens of repeated parts, we worked to streamline the manufacturing process while ensuring each piece had a uniform and consistent finish. The bottoms are identical for all pieces, and the copper squares were machined using a fixture that reduced setup time while still achieving tight tolerances for the inlay fit.
Design & Aesthetic
The board is made from aluminum brackets with copper inlay, polished to a mirror finish. The rows are held by a steel spine, staggered to give the appearance that the board is floating.
Team Members: Christopher Fox, Reed Ginsberg, Jack Lanzi, Marshal Pritt