Backgammon

RULES:

I play BG just about every day on the internet--what specifically do you need to know? I *do* have a real board also, but very rarely meet anyone personally who plays. Good boards have magnetic pips to keep them from sliding around.Not very strong magnets, they need to be easily picked up to move. So you could get tiny magnet buttons to embed in wooden pips, and they would probably work OK through 1/8" veneer with thin steel plate as a base.

Ken Grunke

My son and I play semi-regularly, and this is a great idea for a birthday gift, hope you don't mind if I adopt it. Anyway... for turned parts you have the pips and dice cups: - Pips (checkers) light and dark wood- turned and slabbed off- maybe stipple the rim for texture or interest. Or Tagua nut for the light pips? Don't forget to make a few extras just in case. - Dice cups can be a turned cup or box as plain or intricate as you decide, you just need an interior lip to give the dice that final toss when they come out of the cup. Make a lid for storage so the dice don't get lost.

Non-turned parts: - Board: lots of inlay work here, great potential for some fancy jointery. I might be tempted to make a non-folding board, with storage in drawers under the playing surface.

Definately an excellent idea. Thanks,

Vic

Make a jam-chuck and turn the faces ala 'rosette.'

Rather than solid wood do marquetry using veneers.

Graham IIRC there was an article in Australian Woodworker a couple of years ago on making a backgammon set. I will go back through my collection but a call to AW might be more productive.