Tardis 3-D Vertical Chess

This chessboard is designed for the Dr. Who 3-D Chess set with Lenticular Animation. The chess pieces are excellent, but the cardboard chess board included with the set is pathetic. I decided to up my game and make a suitable board both to showcase the pieces and allow play in a different dimension.

Playing in this orientation takes some getting used to due to the steep diagonals and the fact that if you are the player whose pieces are at the top of the board, you need to reverse your thinking. To me, that just adds more challenge to an already challenging game.

The 3-D effect comes from the fact that the white tiles stick out farther than the blue ones. Also, since the blue, or dark colour is the background, you only have to make 32 tiles, saving work.

If you would rather build a vertical board sized to your chess pieces, check out another of my Instructables, " 3-D Vertical Chess."

For this project, you'll need the Dr. Who chess set, available online or at any good games store. Also, some 1/2"x 2,1/2" material, some 1/2"x1,1/2" material, some scrap pine, a piece of 1/2" hardboard cut to exactly 12"x 36" and some plastic lattice, 1/4"x 1,1/2" for shelves on which the playing pieces will sit. Most importantly, Tardis Blue paint. The closest you'll find is Behr S-G-570 Sapphire Lace Int/Ext Enamel. Also, a dollar store solar light will perfectly resemble the Call Box light. Just remove the stake. A can of white spray enamel, some construction adhesive and a tube of clear silicone plus brad nails, sandpaper and tools are all you will need to get started.

Cut your materials and lay them out first. Frame the hardboard with the 2,1/2" material. Build a header with a fascia that protrudes 1/2" on each side. Build two levels with scrap pine on top of this, each slightly smaller than the other. Drill the top to accept the solar light. This approximates the look of the top of the Tardis, Dr. Who's time machine. There are thousands of images of the Tardis online if you need to refer to them for reference. At the bottom, build a foot that protrudes 1/2" at each side and at the front. Build two wood shelves, one to cover the played pieces and one to close off the fascia. Lay out the pieces but don't nail or glue.

Next, make the tiles from the 1,1/2" material. The tallest piece is the King at 3" so add 1/2" for movement of the pieces and another 1/2" since the pieces overlap at the shelves. Make 24 this size, which is 4". The top and bottom rows only overlap once, so make 8 tiles 3,3/4" . Score the tiles 1/4" from one end. This will assist when lining them up. Place your tiles in the frame, remembering the bottom row begins with white to the right. When lined up, you will be able to locate the position of the bottom shelf. When happy with the alignment, mark shelf location and fasten everything except the tiles with construction adhesive and brad nails. Sand and prime the frame then give two coats of the Sapphire Lace.

Sand and prime the tiles and give them a spray coat of white enamel.

Carefully replace the now painted tiles, beginning with white on the bottom right. When lined up perfectly, remove one at a time and glue with construction adhesive. Don't worry about the score marks, the plastic shelves will cover them.

Make seven 12" shelves from the plastic 1,1/2" lattice. fasten them in place with clear silicone against the tiles and run a bead at each edge. Hold the tiles in place with masking tape till they dry overnight.

The Police Public Call Box sign applied to the fascia can be made with stick on letters but I had a sticker made in a professional sign shop. Well worth the expense!

Two holes drilled in the hardboard behind the fascia will allow you to hang the board on the wall invisibly.