My daughter has fallen in love with playing checkers and now chess (she's 5 years old!). I saw this plan in Woodsmith and thought it looked pretty good. I changed a couple of things - instead of solid walnut for the case and base, I used figured maple for the case and cherry for the base.
I learned a couple of things in doing this - one, that my TS blade isn't level to the fence, and two that I need some practice with mortising things. I usually hand mortise nearly everything, both to get the practice and because setting up the router and making a template and having to do multiple passes to get the depth - who needs all that? Takes about as much time as hammer and chisel!
Oh, and I also learned don't pony up $30 for a pair of jewelry box hinges until you're good enough with hinge mortises!
Anyway, here's the checkerboard, and next I start work on the card case for my friend turning 90 next month (but that's another thread...).
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