A HANDCRAFTED, NUTS-AND-BOLTS

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

QUADRUPLET ROOKS

You'll need to fabricate four identical rookseach one requiring a 1-1/2"long machine bolt (the kind that's threaded only partway up the shaft; it's called a hex-head cap screw in some hardware catalogs), a castle nut (a hex nut with slots across its top), and a flat washer. You may not be able to find castle nuts in the standard National Coarse thread, and if this is the case, simply use fine-thread machine bolts to match the available castellated nuts.

Thread a castle nut far enough onto the bolt to allow about 1/4" of bolt to project above the top of the nut, and fix it in place with a dab of glue. Now place a flat washer on your workbench, center the bolt's head on the washer, and glue the two together to form a stable base.

KNIGHTS 'N' BOLTS

Each of the four knights will require a 1-1/2"-long machine bolt, a hex nut, a wing nut, and a flat washer.

Thread the hex nut far enough onto the bolt to get it temporarily out of the way. Now thread the wing nut down until the top of the nut (not the wings) is flush with the end of the bolt. Place a drop of glue on the bolt's threads just beneath the wing nut, and back the hex nut up until it makes contact with the base of the wing nut. Glue a flat washer to the head of the bolt for a base, and kiss this one good knight.

BISHOPS FOUR

Each of the four bishops requires a 2"-long machine bolt, a hex nut, a cap nut (which is a hex nut with a rounded head; also known as an acorn nut), and two flat washers. Begin by running the hex nut about a third of the way down the bolt's threaded portion to get it out of the way for the next operation. Now glue a flat washer to the base of a cap nut (being careful not to get any glue on the nut's threads), allow the glue to dry for a minute or so, then thread the washer and cap nut firmly onto the end of the bolt. Next, place a drop of glue on the bolt's threads just below the washer, then back the hex nut up the bolt until it's snug against the washer. Finally, glue the second flat washer to the bolt's head to form a base.

ENTER THE QUEENS

Construction of each of the two royal ladies commands a 2-1/2"-long machine bolt, a cap nut, two hex nuts, two flat washers, and a fender washer (an oversized flat washer).

Begin your first queen by turning a hex nut as far as it will go down the threads of the machine bolt. Now drop a speck of glue onto the threads just above the hex nut and quickly place a flat washer atop the nut so that the glue secures both nut and washer to the bolt. Next, thread a second hex nut down to about a quarter of an inch above the first flat washer, drop the second flat washer in place atop the second nut, and screw the cap nut snugly onto the end of the bolt. Now place a drop of glue on the threads on both sides of the second flat washer and back the second hex nut up the bolt until it holds the washer hard against the cap nut. Glue a fender washer to the bolt's head for a stable base, and you're ready to move on to His Majesty.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print