Star Trek 3D Chess Set - Build, & Finished

This looks awesome, and I'm super jealous. All you need, now, is a set of those awesome tumblers with the finger and thumb indents.

Also, is it just me, or are the platforms in the first photo on a diagonal, whereas yours are perpendicular to the stand? It's hard to tell in any of the photos, with all those levels.
 
It looks to me in the first pic like they intentionally skewed the boards to show more of the board in one picture. They were definitely not like that in the show.
 
Awesome. I never get the ideas to pull off things like these. Any chance of someone producing a vector of the board stand (so we could make one of our own?)
 
I would like to get my hands on those rules. I have always wanted to build me one of these chess sets. And I would like to know how to play it. There has to be some varying rules, compared to regular chess, with the modification of the board.

25 inches tall? No wonder my Franklin Mint one I shelled out for back when I had money always felt too small (it's only 13"). Inevitably when playing, someone would reach for a piece in the middle of a large board and knock the small board while trying to squeeze their hand underneath. At least it came with a set of rules, though.

OK, actually it didn't, I complained, they sent the TOS booklet in German! - I'd bought he TNG board- complained, eventually got the right booklet.

BTW I used the exact same mask-and-spray-silver technique (should be able to re-use those boards) together with what looks like the same clear and frosted glass chess set.
 
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The whole concept of that board is really genius... Chess is a 2- dimensional game, designed to mimic warfare... The ST chess-board is 3-d; it illustrates a level of thinking that has evolved beyond the limits of a 2- dimensional world
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WOW! I was looking through your prop thread and was absolutely amazed by your collection!
When I found a link to this thread I had to check it out!
I had the TOS chess board years ago but ended up selling it (needed the cash) and it was too small anyway!
You have some fantastic props and I just wanted to say thanks for sharing them with us!
 
Hello Alan,
Your chess set is amazing!
I belong to a Starfleet correspondence chapter that puts out a quarterly newsletter. One of our articles is called Trek Chic. I was wondering if we could feature your Chess Set in the next issue for this article.
Please take a look at our last issue here. The Trek Chic article is on page 25.
I think it would be a great addition to our newsletter.
Our ships' website is here.
Please email me.
I look forward to hearing back from you.
Kristy.
 
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I have seen better pics but this one looks like a profile/silhouette of the Lost in Space robot.

LISchess_zps3b9a6c7f.jpg
 
I have seen better pics but this one looks like a profile/silhouette of the Lost in Space robot.

It is, and if I remember correctly the piece above it on the little board, next to Troi's head, is supposed to be the Jupiter 2.

Alan, great work on your board! I've loved 3D Chess on Trek since I was a kid and always wanted one of the boards. Yours turned out really nicely.
 
Thank you gentlemen :)

YCL, dimensions roughly as follows :

'Large' board - 14 X 14 X 0.4 cms
'Small' board - 7 X 7 X 0.4 cms
Rods - 5.5 cms X 0.8mm diameter.
Base - 17.5 X 15 X 1.5 cms
'Main' Frame - 32 cms tall x 0.8 cms thick
Total Height - 40 cms

Note - It is not 1 : 1.

First I estimated what 'volume' of space I could afford to give it without it looking too bulky in the overall prop room deco. Then I bought the chess pieces, and worked backwards with their dimensions from there, using screen-grabs and proportional calculations.

According to Christie's, the original prop was 25x10x20 inches.

Forgive me for being a dunce, but I have a few questions.

1. Does that mean if the original is only 25 inch tall then yours is almost double the hight? its just yours doesnt look like its oversized.
2. What paint did you use?
3. Also correct me if im wong but isnt the original chess board platforms attached at an angle from the main section, more like a diamond rather than a straight square? if that makes any sense at all :D

That last one is not a criticism btw, just wondered if my eyes where playing tricks lol :D

Brilliant build btw :thumbsup
 
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