Backgammon project

[Sean Hughto]

I gathered some vintage bakelite pieces, bought some dice I likes, and a doubling cube, and then set about building a board around them. The outside panels are veneer marquetry - double bevel method a la Silas Kopf. The box parts are apple - with half blind dovetails. The trays are osage orange ane pink ivory trimmed with ebony. The playing surface is tooled leather, with points dyed. The inside walls are more leather, with some edge coat. It plays well. I'm happy to answer any questions, if anyone is interested in construction details or whatever. Thanks!

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[Jay Jolliffe]

I really like it...love all the color & detail. Great job....

[Kevin Bourque]

A really beautiful job. I like the shamrock a lot.

[John C Lawson]

Seeing that makes me want to play a game on it, so it accomplishes the ultimate goal of a backgammon set. And it's spectacular to look at!

[Paul McGaha]

Beautiful Sean.

[Raymond Fries]

Love the details and craftsmanship. I do have to admit that I have no clue how to play the game.

Enjoy!!

[Andrew Hughes]

Very nice sean, and exciting to good work.Like all the colors too.

[Bas Pluim]

Wow, that came out great, and the leather is a much better choice than bare wood (noise). You even got precision dice!

[Sean Hughto]

Thank you all. Glad you like it. It was one of those things that sort of sounds easy - just a box - but was surprisingly challenging when I got into it. The next one would be faster, as usual.

[Sean Hughto]

Thanks, Bas. I debated corka nd leather, and decided leather would be more durable as the cork points would just be painted. I'm tickled you noticed the precision dice! It doesn't help me, as my daughter still rolls doubles everytime in the end game!

[David Hawxhurst]

those are really cool. what kind of lock it that and where can i get one?

[Sean Hughto]

Thanks, David. Just one set from multiple angles.

The lock is a combination lock that opens with a letters/word combination. It is vintage. You can probably find one from a lock collector - similar (vintage brass word combination locks, that is) ones are often available on eBay.

[Mike Cozad]

Absolutely stunning....

[george wilson]

Sean,nice work,but isn't that lock absolutely medieval? I'd like to have one,though I have no place to use it.

[Sean Hughto]

Thanks, George. The lock isn't exactly necessary, but I love its look so was happy to add it as an ornament more than anything else.

[Jeff Bratt]

Very nice project - good planning and choice of materials and great woodworking.

[Walter Plummer]

Exceptional piece. Did you do the leather work yourself? Where did you get your leather? Beautiful.

[Jeff Monson]

Wow Sean, that is beutiful. I love every aspect, including the lock. Your photos are just as stunning. Very well done.

[Sean Hughto]

Thank you, Walter. I did indeed do the leather work myself, though I must admit it wasn't the most complicated leather "work." I found a very nice leather working supplier on eBay and after explaining what I wanted to do, she set me up with a sheet of tooling leather, the knife, and couple of tools I needed to tool the points in. I then used Feibings leather dyes to color the points - just carefully painted on. Some top coats for water resistance and then gluing it down in the right place (I used my vacuum press, but just some weight probably would have worked fine). The leather edging is just strips with top coats and Feibings edge coat (like the stuff on edges of belts to seal and protect the cut edge).

[Sean Hughto]

Jeff, you are very kind. It was fun - lots of firsts. It gave me lots of ideas.