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How to Make a Hardware Chess Set

SAFETY FIRST: Ask an adult to help with tools you haven't used before.

Making your own chess set can be as easy as digging around in your dad’s spare parts drawer.

Wing nuts, anchor caps, bolts, washers and a few other odd pieces of specialty hardware are all you need to make your own version of this “hardware chess” set.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED AND HOW YOU’LL DO IT

Total cost: An hour’s time and less than $25. And if you ever lose a piece, you can make another for next to nothing!

Remember: You need a total of 16 pawns, four rooks (also called castles), four knights, four bishops, two kings and two all-powerful queens.

Follow the instructions below, or spend some time browsing at the hardware store for pieces to customize your set.

You’ll also need the following:

  • White glue
  • 1 cup of vinegar
  • Small plastic container
  • Pliers
  • Screwdriver

Submerge half of the nuts and bolts in the vinegar overnight. This will create one light set and one dark set of pieces. It’s best to do this before assembling the pieces.

You could also choose to spray paint half of the pieces instead. If you go with this option, it’s best to paint the pieces after they’re assembled.


PAWNS

For each pawn (16):

  • 5/16 by 3/4-inch hexagonal (six-sided or regular) cap bolts
  • 5/16-inch hexagonal nuts

Thread nut onto bolt until 1/4 inch of bolt rises above the nut. Glue in place.


ROOKS OR CASTLES

For each rook (4):

  • 5/16 by 1 1/2-inch hexagonal nut sleeve anchors

Use sleeve anchor as is.


KNIGHTS

For each knight (4):

  • 1/4 by 2-inch eye bolts with nuts

Thread nut onto eye bolt until edge of bolt is even with nut. Glue in place by applying glue to the threads of the bolt, twisting on the nut, then wiping off the excess.


BISHOPS

For each bishop (4):

  • 5/16 by 1 1/2-inch hexagonal cap bolts
  • 5/16-inch wing nuts
  • 5/16-inch locking nuts with nylon inserts

Thread wing nut onto bolt. Thread insert lock onto bolt, and tighten. Secure wing nut against insert lock.


KINGS

For each king (2):

  • 1/4-inch hollow wall anchors (long)
  • No. 14 finishing washers
  • 1/4-inch flat washers
  • 1/4-inch wing nuts
  • 1/4-inch anchor caps

Grip end of hollow wall anchor with pliers, tighten screw with screwdriver until metal strips flair out. Remove center screw, add finish washer, replace screw into wall anchor. Add flat washer. Thread wing nut onto screw end, then tighten anchor cap to end of screw.


QUEENS

For each queen (2):

  • 1/4-inch hollow wall anchors (short)
  • No. 14 finish washers
  • 1/4-inch wing nuts
  • 5/16-inch external toothed washers
  • 1/4-inch nylon insert locks

Tighten screw of hollow wall anchor as for kings. Remove center screw, add finish washer, replace screw into wall anchor. Thread wing nut onto screw end upside down. Then add toothed washed and tighten locking nut to end of screw.


YOUR HARDWARE CHESS SET IS COMPLETE!


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114 Comments on How to Make a Hardware Chess Set

  1. JOE!!! THE GREAT // June 15, 2024 at 11:50 am // Reply

    hi this looks cool

  2. H. e. L. L. O.

  3. Willieillieillie // January 5, 2022 at 3:51 pm // Reply

    I will definitly try this,i might weld a base though

  4. Any ideas on how to build a chess board to go with these?

  5. I like chess.

  6. You can use Lee-Enfield .303 Cartridge cases for pawns (if you’re working to a big scale) – all sorts of metal odds and ends can be turned into a
    unique chess-set.

  7. make it like a boss

  8. 1,000 STAR RATING

  9. Put washers flat on the bottom of all pieces for greater stability.

  10. I cant tell the difference between the rook and the pawn either

  11. i love chess

  12. WAY2COOL

  13. Sounds like a good father’s day gift…

  14. I love the idea and just got all my hardware! Only downside is that it costed $30, and that was with improvision. Am very happy with the product though!!! Great idea!

  15. nice recycling!

  16. I love chess!

  17. OK, don’t get me wrong. This is a really cool project. I love it, but for one problem. My dad and I didn’t have any of the correct pieces, so we stopped by at the local hardware store. All I will say about that is that almost a decade after this article was written, this will actually take around $25 and 3 hours total. Really cool idea, though

    • Go to a flea market on the weekend that sells old tools and hardware and you will find interesting bits and pieces to design your own. Have fun!!

  18. We had tour Webelos make these for the craftsman pin. Great idea!

  19. I think they’re awesome. 5 stars!!!

  20. Awsome

  21. arcanine09 // July 31, 2012 at 10:49 pm // Reply

    Pffft. Walmart. They think they can just scurry about selling 20 dollar chess sets. I come from a long line of carpenter rice, so this is almost free!

  22. My old chess set is missing pieces. So this can really come in handy!

  23. cute crafty idea!

  24. SO AWSOME

  25. I might make it for Christmas!

  26. Makin it 4 my dad 4 christmas.

  27. COOL chess set ! have you thought of carving a chess set?

  28. Cool i love to play chess

  29. lightscout // April 7, 2011 at 3:12 pm // Reply

    Needs to tell you how you should make a board.

    • Try black and white duct tape. Then your set counts for two pieces of craftsman. If you have them sew a cloth bag to store it in that makes 3. : )

  30. Really… This is SO COOL!!!

  31. I can’t keep track of my stuff since my brothers always find. I will need an extra.

  32. I love chess and I am definetly going to make this. How do you store it?

  33. It tells people how to make robots vs aliens chess NEAT.

  34. now i have a plan and know what to look out for. i just made a mosaic tile coffee table checker board and was looking for a chess set plan. i will go to a habitat for humanity and rummage in their hardware. i will know now to make sure the pieces have a good base and to match threading. i will be sure to follow up and comment again.

  35. The Man with the Banjo // June 29, 2010 at 4:12 pm // Reply

    This is cool but I can’t tell the difference between the pawns and rooks. :/

  36. Totally awesome!

  37. I am so glad i found this!! Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  38. Foxworthy 2.0 // October 20, 2009 at 3:21 pm // Reply

    I want to make this and a custom chess board.

  39. must have missed this in Boys Life (for the one who’d never heard of this mag, it’s the official Boy Scout magazine) – must have been in between boys – was also in Mother Earth News and I’d tried to keep it but you know how that is but now we have the CD just haven’t thought about it since, though so thanks!

  40. Well, now isn’t that clever! I like it!

  41. The Dominator // July 10, 2009 at 8:29 am // Reply

    Cool.

  42. WAY COOL

  43. This is a very smart project but it is hard to remember the identity of each piece!

  44. Too bad the article has parts that will not work together. Since when does a 1/4″ nut thread onto a 3/16″ bolt(hollow wall anchor)? Never in my book. Now I have a bunch of parts laying around that I don’t need and I have to take another trip to the store with $26 in parts already.

  45. Our Webelos den made this. We made two sets because once one teacher found out we were making one for one class she wanted one too. Just the nuts and bolts cost sixty dollars at Lowes for the two sets. We bought acrylic paint but spray paint probably would’ve worked better. The pieces were clever but using exactly the specificed parts – some of them, notably the king,, queen and knight frequently fall over. We were very excited to start this and I think disappointed in the outcome, mainly because the pieces didn’t stand up. So, I would adjust the bases on some of the pieces.

  46. it should tell you how make a board

  47. I wish I had the time to make this.

  48. CHESS IS THE BEST

  49. eagle scout #34921 // December 1, 2008 at 2:36 pm // Reply

    this is a reativly good idea. Would someone please post a printable list of all the parts so i don’t have to figure out how many i need myself? Just to make things eaisier (and maybe mor enjoi able). Thanks!

  50. SpiketheWerecat // November 25, 2008 at 9:44 pm // Reply

    Cool! Maybe I should ask my Dad to do this….

  51. that is cool! cool! cool!

  52. I love chess

  53. I take a chess after school club at my school so i could bring this in)!!

  54. you are really cool who did this have fun bye

  55. hey runescape is a game where poeple fight and dont say lol (it means laugh out loud)

    i play runescape its a game were poeple do quest and type stuff to each other add me (shin902) if you ever get on

  56. anyone play runescape its a chess game i love chess!!!!

  57. that looks so cool!

  58. that looks so cool!

  59. this is cool…im totally gonna make it…i think its totally awesome

  60. hey…this is awesome…i totally am going to make it…thanx for the idea!!!!

  61. i love chess and i think it is awesome

  62. BadgerCam // June 6, 2008 at 9:23 pm // Reply

    Who care if chess is cool or not, its fun! I am a nerd and think these set is sweet! The only thing I would add is how to make a board out of some kind of like metal.

  63. Is the spray paint part a mess to do?

  64. Zachattack // March 25, 2008 at 8:05 am // Reply

    For the king and queen pieces, the instructions call for a 3/16 wall anchor and 1/4 inch wing nuts. These are supposed to be the same or else they won’t fit. Otherwise, this is really cool!

  65. bealtles luver132 // March 24, 2008 at 3:52 pm // Reply

    hey cool chess set maby i will do the same thing only cange it a bit

  66. Doogielas` // March 22, 2008 at 5:31 pm // Reply

    It is a very intriguiging to me. That means it is wicked cool.

  67. reflection // March 16, 2008 at 3:58 pm // Reply

    I made a chess board I made out of tile that i have been planning to use this set with

  68. I really want to make this! Great job!

    I LOVE chess! And don’t worry, it still isn’t cool (wait, why shouldn’t you worry?). But I don’t care. Chess is chess! Checkmate on!

  69. I’m so happy to read that so many people think my chess set idea is cool. I loved making it up. I made a bunch of pieces that didn’t work, some kept falling over, others just didn’t look right. It took a while to get just the right nuts and bolts together. Have fun making it and keep writing so I can read how your projects are going. I loved paying chess in school, and it wasn’t cool then either… especially for a girl! Who cares, it’s a great game.

    kg

  70. sargent bedford // November 12, 2007 at 5:35 pm // Reply

    not medival medicoooolllnice work dude give me 5

  71. i havent madfe this

  72. I think it is very cool how you can make fun stuff like a chess set with things from around the house.

  73. interesting

  74. COOL

  75. It would be a good way to make money but would take while

  76. awesome dude where did u get the idea

  77. I am soo doing that like NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  78. karl franz // July 31, 2007 at 7:44 pm // Reply

    this looks like a pretty good way to gt rid of those extra nuts and bolts while having fun doing it. Its a good present to!=)

  79. cool:

  80. Derrick, Age 10, Florida // July 26, 2007 at 12:00 pm // Reply

    I haven’t made it yet, but I think I’m gonna try it next weekend with my dad. I’m on the school chess team and am pretty good, so this is defnitely something I would like to do. It looks a little hard though, but then, so are most of the other project ideas! Thanks for the cool chess set idea!

  81. thats cool a ches set wid tools

  82. It’s Too Cool Tool Chess Set. I can’t wait to make it with my dad.

  83. cheesy man // July 10, 2007 at 12:57 pm // Reply

    it isnt a good idea because of global warming lol!

  84. cheesy man // July 10, 2007 at 12:57 pm // Reply

    i hate chess!!!!!!!!!!!

  85. THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO GET RID OF JUNK!

  86. me dude 53 // July 8, 2007 at 11:32 am // Reply

    this is so cool I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  87. Peter Criss // July 7, 2007 at 4:21 pm // Reply

    That looks so cool- I can’t wait to make it! I’m gonna try to find a way to make a cool chessboard out of those things

  88. But can you make a cool chessboard out of things like that?

  89. I love chess and this chess set is so COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  90. I love chess. IT ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  91. GREAT!! Keep it up BL!!

  92. no body likes chess in my shool but me,when i show em’ this set they will wont to play!!

  93. Luigi99999 // July 4, 2007 at 5:59 pm // Reply

    Sounds pretty sweet!! I’d LOVE to try it!

  94. Spartan 188 // July 3, 2007 at 6:10 pm // Reply

    Sounds so cool I want to do it right about…Now!

  95. legofreak1000 // July 3, 2007 at 9:56 am // Reply

    I love chess & it sounds awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  96. I LOVE MAKING STUF OUT OF OTHER STUFF!!!

    This ROCKS!

  97. I get it.

  98. CAII me to play ches with you.

  99. sounds CHEAP!!!!!!!!!!!

  100. the problem // June 30, 2007 at 7:13 pm // Reply

    cool

  101. that is the coolest chess set I have ever seen.

  102. I love chess, but I have a baby brother who roams around the house. While he does, he picks up a lot of things. If one of those nuts or bolts fall of my chess table, he might choke on it. If he didn’t, I would of LOVED to make it & play with it.

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