Chess Set

Author(s)

Petrina A. G. Copes

Preventive Conservation
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
301 First Street
Williamsburg, Virginia 23185

pcopes@cwf.org
www.colonialwilliamsburg.org

Photo Credits:

Petrina A. G. Copes
Jason B. Copes (Figures 1, 4, and 20)

Publication: 2020

Description

Templates of chess pieces were created using 3D software and cut out on craft cutting machine. Template pieces were then traced onto and cut from Volara. The Volara was then glued over Ethafoam, which was then carved out to form a cavity and filled in with Relic Wrap to snuggly fit each chess piece. Cotton batting was covered in Relic Wrap and glued to lid of box to secure pieces in place, and the box is tied closed with twill tape on short sides.

Materials, Tools & Supplies

• Tinkercad (Free online 3D software)
• Silhouette Cameo Craft Cutter and software
• Card stock
• Volara 1/8-inch thickness and ¼-inch thickness.
• Blue board
• Cotton batting
• Relic wrap
• Archival reproduction 18^th century wallpaper
• Craft knife
• Flat lab spatula
• Micron pen
• Push pins
• Hot glue
• Ruler
• Straight edge
• Bone folder
• Binder clips/clamps
• Lascaux Adhesive
• ½ inch Grommets
• Hammer
• Twill tape

Construction

1. Using the free online 3D-printing software, Tinkercad, a “virtual” box and chess pieces were made to illustrate what the box would look like once built, along with exact dimensions of box and pieces.

2. A photograph was taken of each unique chess piece (pawn, bishop, knight, rook, queen, and king) with a ruler placed next to them to get the actual height and profiles without the need to handle the pieces.

Figure 3. Chess pieces with ruler.

3. The photo of chess pieces was opened in the Silhouette Cameo Craft Cutter Software (figure 4) where the chess pieces were traced and duplicated to create an entire chess set cutting template.

Figure 4. Silhouette Cameo Program used to create and cut out chess piece templates on card stock.

4. The pieces were then cut by the Silhouette Cameo Craft Cutter (Figure 6) from card stock to make paper piece templates.

Figure 5. Image of Silhouette Cameo craft cutting machine used to cut out paper templates. (photo credit: www.silhouetteamerica.com)

5. ¼ inch Volara was cut to the inside dimensions of the box. The chess piece paper templates were laid out and pinned to the volara in same configuration of the tinkercad 3D illustrations.

Figure 6. Paper template pieces pinned to ¼ inch Volara.

6, The paper templates were traced onto the ¼ inch volara and then cut out to create cavities for the chess pieces to fit.

Figure 7. Tracings being cut out.

8. After cutting out cavities in second layer of volara, a 1/8-inch piece of Volara was glued to the bottom of the two ¼ inch sheets of volara giving us a total of 3 layers of volara.

Figure 9. Deeper cavities cut into second sheet of ¼ inch Volara with 1/8-inch sheet of Volara added as 3rd and final layer

Figure 10. Three layers of Volara. Two ¼ inch pieces on top of 1/8 inch sheet.

9.  A slit was cut approximately ¼ inch around each chess piece opening. Relic Wrap was cut to fit the openings for each chess piece and tucked into the slits.

Figure 11. Slit cut around cavity opening

Figure 12. Tucking Relic wrap in slit.

10. The box and lid were constructed of archival blue board and papered with reproduction 18^th century wallpaper using Lascaux adhesive.

Figure 13. Box and lid being covered with reproduction 18th century wallpaper using Lascaux adhesive

11. A piece of blue board was cut to fit inside the lid of the box (In figure 15 below, the blue board is covered in the repro wallpaper as it was repurposed from an earlier lid that was ill fitting). Cotton batting was glued to the board (step not pictured). Perforations were cut into the back of the blue board and relic wrap was stretched over the batting and around to the back side of the board, tucking securely into the perforations (figures 15 and 16). This batting and relic wrap “bumper” was attached to the inside of the box lid to provide cushion and support to the chess pieces in the box.

Figure 14. Back of repro wallpaper covered blueboard with relic wrap tucked into perforations

Figure 15. Cotton batting covered in relic wrap and glued to lid.

12.  Completed box and lid.

Figure 16. Completed Box and lid

13.  To secure the box closed, grommets were added to each short side of the box and lid and tied closed with twill tape.

Figure 17. Grommets and twill tape added to box and lid.

Figure 18. Twill tape securing the lid and box.

Figure 19. Completed box and lid before grommets were added

Comments

Utilizing Personal Craft Machines in the Museum Environment

Silhouette America is a family of personal craft tools ranging from three craft cutting machines, a stamp making machine, and the recent introduction of a 3D printer.

The Cameo is Silhouette’s desktop craft cutting machine with the capability of cutting designs in materials ranging from vinyl, cardstock, fabric, and more.  The Cameo comes with a robust design software package giving the user the ability to cut preloaded design files or to create designs of their own.

As a home crafting machine, the Cameo, though limited in its ability to cut thicker or heavier materials, can be used to create templates to trace onto archival materials for cutting any shape or form. The software can be used to design perfectly shaped templates for creating forms to fit fragile objects into storage boxes with minimal handling of objects.

When tasked with creating a storage and display box for a donor’s antique chess set, the cameo software was used to digitally trace the silhouettes of each chess piece and create a complete chess set template. The template file was then sent to the Cameo machine, which cut out the shapes of all the pieces from card stock. The card stock templates were then arranged and pinned to volara. Their shapes were then traced and cut to create cavities to fit the chess pieces.

The Cameo could also be utilized to design and cut out vinyl lettering and shapes for displays and/or exhibits ranging in size from 12 inches wide and up to 10 feet long.  With the addition of a pen tool, the Cameo can also scribe any design, text, or even your own personal handwriting.

The Silhouette Cameo is a very versatile tool with many possible applications in the museum storage and display environments, limited only by imagination.

Adapted From

[insert text]

Literature Cited

[insert text]

Description

Templates of chess pieces were created using 3D software and cut out on craft cutting machine. Template pieces were then traced onto and cut from Volara. The Volara was then glued over Ethafoam, which was then carved out to form a cavity and filled in with Relic Wrap to snuggly fit each chess piece. Cotton batting was covered in Relic Wrap and glued to lid of box to secure pieces in place, and the box is tied closed with twill tape on short sides.

Materials, Tools & Supplies

• Tinkercad (Free online 3D software)
• Silhouette Cameo Craft Cutter and software
• Card stock
• Volara 1/8-inch thickness and ¼-inch thickness.
• Blue board
• Cotton batting
• Relic wrap
• Archival reproduction 18^th century wallpaper
• Craft knife
• Flat lab spatula
• Micron pen
• Push pins
• Hot glue
• Ruler
• Straight edge
• Bone folder
• Binder clips/clamps
• Lascaux Adhesive
• ½ inch Grommets
• Hammer
• Twill tape

Construction

1. Using the free online 3D-printing software, Tinkercad, a “virtual” box and chess pieces were made to illustrate what the box would look like once built, along with exact dimensions of box and pieces.

2. A photograph was taken of each unique chess piece (pawn, bishop, knight, rook, queen, and king) with a ruler placed next to them to get the actual height and profiles without the need to handle the pieces.

Figure 3. Chess pieces with ruler.

3. The photo of chess pieces was opened in the Silhouette Cameo Craft Cutter Software (figure 4) where the chess pieces were traced and duplicated to create an entire chess set cutting template.

Figure 4. Silhouette Cameo Program used to create and cut out chess piece templates on card stock.

4. The pieces were then cut by the Silhouette Cameo Craft Cutter (Figure 6) from card stock to make paper piece templates.

Figure 5. Image of Silhouette Cameo craft cutting machine used to cut out paper templates. (photo credit: www.silhouetteamerica.com)

5. ¼ inch Volara was cut to the inside dimensions of the box. The chess piece paper templates were laid out and pinned to the volara in same configuration of the tinkercad 3D illustrations.

Figure 6. Paper template pieces pinned to ¼ inch Volara.

6, The paper templates were traced onto the ¼ inch volara and then cut out to create cavities for the chess pieces to fit.

Figure 7. Tracings being cut out.

8. After cutting out cavities in second layer of volara, a 1/8-inch piece of Volara was glued to the bottom of the two ¼ inch sheets of volara giving us a total of 3 layers of volara.

Figure 9. Deeper cavities cut into second sheet of ¼ inch Volara with 1/8-inch sheet of Volara added as 3rd and final layer

Figure 10. Three layers of Volara. Two ¼ inch pieces on top of 1/8 inch sheet.

9.  A slit was cut approximately ¼ inch around each chess piece opening. Relic Wrap was cut to fit the openings for each chess piece and tucked into the slits.

Figure 11. Slit cut around cavity opening

Figure 12. Tucking Relic wrap in slit.

10. The box and lid were constructed of archival blue board and papered with reproduction 18^th century wallpaper using Lascaux adhesive.

Figure 13. Box and lid being covered with reproduction 18th century wallpaper using Lascaux adhesive

11. A piece of blue board was cut to fit inside the lid of the box (In figure 15 below, the blue board is covered in the repro wallpaper as it was repurposed from an earlier lid that was ill fitting). Cotton batting was glued to the board (step not pictured). Perforations were cut into the back of the blue board and relic wrap was stretched over the batting and around to the back side of the board, tucking securely into the perforations (figures 15 and 16). This batting and relic wrap “bumper” was attached to the inside of the box lid to provide cushion and support to the chess pieces in the box.

Figure 14. Back of repro wallpaper covered blueboard with relic wrap tucked into perforations

Figure 15. Cotton batting covered in relic wrap and glued to lid.

12.  Completed box and lid.

Figure 16. Completed Box and lid

13.  To secure the box closed, grommets were added to each short side of the box and lid and tied closed with twill tape.

Figure 17. Grommets and twill tape added to box and lid.

Figure 18. Twill tape securing the lid and box.

Figure 19. Completed box and lid before grommets were added

Comments

Utilizing Personal Craft Machines in the Museum Environment

Silhouette America is a family of personal craft tools ranging from three craft cutting machines, a stamp making machine, and the recent introduction of a 3D printer.

The Cameo is Silhouette’s desktop craft cutting machine with the capability of cutting designs in materials ranging from vinyl, cardstock, fabric, and more.  The Cameo comes with a robust design software package giving the user the ability to cut preloaded design files or to create designs of their own.

As a home crafting machine, the Cameo, though limited in its ability to cut thicker or heavier materials, can be used to create templates to trace onto archival materials for cutting any shape or form. The software can be used to design perfectly shaped templates for creating forms to fit fragile objects into storage boxes with minimal handling of objects.

When tasked with creating a storage and display box for a donor’s antique chess set, the cameo software was used to digitally trace the silhouettes of each chess piece and create a complete chess set template. The template file was then sent to the Cameo machine, which cut out the shapes of all the pieces from card stock. The card stock templates were then arranged and pinned to volara. Their shapes were then traced and cut to create cavities to fit the chess pieces.

The Cameo could also be utilized to design and cut out vinyl lettering and shapes for displays and/or exhibits ranging in size from 12 inches wide and up to 10 feet long.  With the addition of a pen tool, the Cameo can also scribe any design, text, or even your own personal handwriting.

The Silhouette Cameo is a very versatile tool with many possible applications in the museum storage and display environments, limited only by imagination.

Adapted From

[insert text]

Literature Cited

[insert text]