Queen Chess Piece From Stabilized Wood

Want to create the perfect home decoration for a chess lover?

This tutorial will walk you through how to use a CNC router to mill a Queen chess piece out of wood.

Tools

• Fusion 360 or other 3D design software
• Shopbot Desktop, VCarve and Shopbot Control Software
• You can use a lathe if you have access to one
• 1/8" Ball Nose Endmill
• Small sanding files
• Sandpaper

Materials

• Stabilized wood stock (40mm x 40mm x 120mm)
• You can use any hardwood, such as maple, cherry, purple heart, padauk
• I used birch burl stabilized with purple resin for its fascinating grain and color
• Wood finish
• CA glue, clear lacquer spray, shellac spray, etc.

Design your chess piece with your preferred 3D design software.

Alternatively, you can download the file I used below to make a Queen chess piece.

Set the material size in the CNC software (e.g., VCarve).

For more detailed instructions on flip-cutting (2-side milling), see this helpful website.

Export the roughing and finishing paths.

Mount the wood stock securely onto the spoil board. Zero the XYZ position for CNC machining.

Do the roughing and finishing cut on one side.

Flip the piece over, and re-do the cut. Be careful not to change the XYZ zero position.

File and sand down the piece until the surfaces are smooth. Don't forget to wear a mask!

Apply multiple thin layers of wood finish onto your chess piece.

With stabilized wood, you can also use CA glue to achieve a durable finish.

Voila! A beautiful queen chess piece to decorate your home, gift to the queen in your life, or to simply play chess with.