Has anyone made a Millenium Falcon chess table?
- Thread starter blufive
- Start date
Rebelscum
Sr Member
Progress has been slow due to my schedule but I do have some updates.
Work continues on the electronics for the lights and sound. I'm very happy with its progress, which will allow operation on both transformer and battery power, different light patterns and music. I'm also working to use the three greeblie knobs to control the electronics.
The keys have been problematic, mostly due to high cost, even if made in china, unless we make them from plastic. And even then they are still expensive. Part of the problem is there are 52 of them per table, so cost adds up really quickly. Right now I'm getting help from RelicMaker to test making them from pewter via molds of master keys I've made. We hope to know if this will work next week after we get the first one done.
The first piece I'll be offering in the Junkyard is the playing surface itself. I have the material to do them, just need to actually run them, get them coated and the black applied. The shop has to stay clean this week so it will be at least next week before that can happen.
Work continues on the electronics for the lights and sound. I'm very happy with its progress, which will allow operation on both transformer and battery power, different light patterns and music. I'm also working to use the three greeblie knobs to control the electronics.
The keys have been problematic, mostly due to high cost, even if made in china, unless we make them from plastic. And even then they are still expensive. Part of the problem is there are 52 of them per table, so cost adds up really quickly. Right now I'm getting help from RelicMaker to test making them from pewter via molds of master keys I've made. We hope to know if this will work next week after we get the first one done.
The first piece I'll be offering in the Junkyard is the playing surface itself. I have the material to do them, just need to actually run them, get them coated and the black applied. The shop has to stay clean this week so it will be at least next week before that can happen.
Rebelscum
Sr Member
Re: Has anyone made a Millennium Falcon chess table?
While forgotten by many and it may seem dead, this project is just slow going. After many attempts to get the keys done by others in volume including a very disappointing and time wasting failed couple of commitments from somebody that wanted to do them, I ended up just doing them myself with help getting going on molding and casting from Relicmaker and another local friend that worked on my Fett costume. I couldn't have done it without them and it has greatly raised my level of appreciation for those who do beautiful castings.
The table is making progress again with the completion of the process to make the 54 keys needed for each table from resin. While I had thought about pewter keys, and even cold cast keys, I think the resin ones turned out great and should paint fine along with the table.
Here are a few photos.
While forgotten by many and it may seem dead, this project is just slow going. After many attempts to get the keys done by others in volume including a very disappointing and time wasting failed couple of commitments from somebody that wanted to do them, I ended up just doing them myself with help getting going on molding and casting from Relicmaker and another local friend that worked on my Fett costume. I couldn't have done it without them and it has greatly raised my level of appreciation for those who do beautiful castings.
The table is making progress again with the completion of the process to make the 54 keys needed for each table from resin. While I had thought about pewter keys, and even cold cast keys, I think the resin ones turned out great and should paint fine along with the table.
Here are a few photos.
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vaderdarth
Master Member
Re: Has anyone made a Millennium Falcon chess table?
Philip, how much will a full kit end up costing? It looks phenomenal!
Dave
Philip, how much will a full kit end up costing? It looks phenomenal!
Dave
Rebelscum
Sr Member
Re: Has anyone made a Millennium Falcon chess table?
Still too early to know. I hope to complete the tables first for those that have expressed interest, and then all the parts to build a basic table or one with the electronics kit designed for it.
Philip, how much will a full kit end up costing? It looks phenomenal!
Dave
Still too early to know. I hope to complete the tables first for those that have expressed interest, and then all the parts to build a basic table or one with the electronics kit designed for it.
Howlrunner
Master Member
WOW! Looking sensational! :love Unfortunately I just KNOW that shipping alone would take this out of my budget.
AndiB
New Member
OOh Nice to see this is not dead. I had belonged to a group, that had pulled down alot of info and specs on it..but then they just gave up on it.
I would love one myself...but I want one a bit portable, so I could take it to cons and actually PLAY...
HEHEHE.. Would be fun to watch the reactions. But I love the work you have done on yours its beautiful!! Keep up the updates!!
I would love one myself...but I want one a bit portable, so I could take it to cons and actually PLAY...
HEHEHE.. Would be fun to watch the reactions. But I love the work you have done on yours its beautiful!! Keep up the updates!!
almar bouwman
Sr Member
Well this is the first time I've checked this topic and boy have I missed much. I must say that I am very impressed with all the time and effort that went into this project. Looks awesome!
Rebelscum
Sr Member
A pretty big update as I've been working on the table quite a bit in the last couple of weeks.
After a couple of revisions, these are the aluminum master knobs for each side of the table. Each knob will be drilled on the bottom and that will slip over the shaft on a digital encoder switch, rotate to choose, push to select. the knobs will work to control the table lights and sound.
In order to have an accurate and consistent drill locations for the 26 lights and 10 knobs, I used the 3d models to create files so I could laser cut guide templates.
I've always known the lights would be a pain to build since the appear to just be round acrylic discs glued over holes drilled the table with a bulb under them. Good enough for the film, but it would not be great on this table. In the movie they kind of glow in the center, but have no light on the edges. After a lot of tinkering around, I came up with lights that I think will work fine. It's a lot of steps though so it takes a while to make 26 of them. They are made from acrylic discs, sandblasted to frost the underside, etched to give a place for a thin brass tube to be attached and the edges of each lens is polished glass smooth. The brass tube is sandblasted inside to eliminate reflective hot spots, glued to the lens and a 5mm LED bezel is inserted in a black acrylic donut glued into the bottom.
I've also found somebody to print and cut stickers for each key with the symbols on each. My friend Chris has drawn them from my screen captures and sketches from the fan video of the table reference much earlier in this thread (Thank goodness for that video) Test keys with the stickers are due by Friday and now I just have to create vector files from the bitmaps Chris drew so they can do the run.
The electronics are fully specified and with any luck at least a mockup of that will be done by he first week of October.
I have also since decided to cut a large hole in the top of the table for easy access to the back side of the lights, electronics and sound gear. It will be covered up with the aluminum playing surface, to which I'll laminate a large round plywood key that positions it to the new hole.
By Friday I'll have picked out the paint color and finalized plans for paint. I'm hoping to airbrush the keys and knobs, and paint the table with a full spray rig.
Though I hate deadlines I hope to have this table done by the middle of October.
The final drill template for the key locations is done. I almost made a mistake here because I initially set it up for 26 keys and only at the last minute realized it was supposed to be 27 per side. They keys glue down to the table with metal pins inserted into the bottom of each key.
After a couple of revisions, these are the aluminum master knobs for each side of the table. Each knob will be drilled on the bottom and that will slip over the shaft on a digital encoder switch, rotate to choose, push to select. the knobs will work to control the table lights and sound.
In order to have an accurate and consistent drill locations for the 26 lights and 10 knobs, I used the 3d models to create files so I could laser cut guide templates.
I've always known the lights would be a pain to build since the appear to just be round acrylic discs glued over holes drilled the table with a bulb under them. Good enough for the film, but it would not be great on this table. In the movie they kind of glow in the center, but have no light on the edges. After a lot of tinkering around, I came up with lights that I think will work fine. It's a lot of steps though so it takes a while to make 26 of them. They are made from acrylic discs, sandblasted to frost the underside, etched to give a place for a thin brass tube to be attached and the edges of each lens is polished glass smooth. The brass tube is sandblasted inside to eliminate reflective hot spots, glued to the lens and a 5mm LED bezel is inserted in a black acrylic donut glued into the bottom.
I've also found somebody to print and cut stickers for each key with the symbols on each. My friend Chris has drawn them from my screen captures and sketches from the fan video of the table reference much earlier in this thread (Thank goodness for that video) Test keys with the stickers are due by Friday and now I just have to create vector files from the bitmaps Chris drew so they can do the run.
The electronics are fully specified and with any luck at least a mockup of that will be done by he first week of October.
I have also since decided to cut a large hole in the top of the table for easy access to the back side of the lights, electronics and sound gear. It will be covered up with the aluminum playing surface, to which I'll laminate a large round plywood key that positions it to the new hole.
By Friday I'll have picked out the paint color and finalized plans for paint. I'm hoping to airbrush the keys and knobs, and paint the table with a full spray rig.
Though I hate deadlines I hope to have this table done by the middle of October.
Howlrunner
Master Member
Awesome work and attention to detail. Really looking forward to seeing the finished article. :thumbsup
Delmustator
Sr Member
I feel certain that I saw the original chess table in a museum in Washington DC. If I remember correctly, it's at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum over at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dullas..
If I remember correctly, the table is the item on this map at the very bottom on the far right side. Looks like a small square.
UPDATE: Found what is at the Smithsonian..... UGH!
OK, the item on display at the A&S Museum is NOT the Star Wars Chess Table. But is in fact the mothership from the "Encounters of the Third Kind" movie. I was confused.. CRS kicked in... LOL
UPDATE: Found this online..
Millenium Falcon Holo-Chess Board Prop
Screen-used props represent an interesting segment of Star Wars collecting. It's astounding to see the exact item existing today that Star Wars fans viewed for years in the films. The chess board in this photo should be immediately recognizable to any self-respecting Star Wars afficiando. Who can forget the other worldly chess game played aboard the Millenium Falcon in Star Wars: A New Hope. Star Wars enthusiast Russ Moore stands next to chess board in this picture taken at MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida.
Carry On....
If I remember correctly, the table is the item on this map at the very bottom on the far right side. Looks like a small square.
UPDATE: Found what is at the Smithsonian..... UGH!
OK, the item on display at the A&S Museum is NOT the Star Wars Chess Table. But is in fact the mothership from the "Encounters of the Third Kind" movie. I was confused.. CRS kicked in... LOL
UPDATE: Found this online..
Millenium Falcon Holo-Chess Board Prop
Screen-used props represent an interesting segment of Star Wars collecting. It's astounding to see the exact item existing today that Star Wars fans viewed for years in the films. The chess board in this photo should be immediately recognizable to any self-respecting Star Wars afficiando. Who can forget the other worldly chess game played aboard the Millenium Falcon in Star Wars: A New Hope. Star Wars enthusiast Russ Moore stands next to chess board in this picture taken at MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida.
Carry On....
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Rebelscum
Sr Member
It's actually down at Disneyworld, but currently in storage. I have lots of photos of it from when it was on display as it was there quite a while.
nerftheherder
Active Member
I'm glad I stumbled accross this one! The project looks amazing thus far and i will def be interested in some prices for completed pieces or even parts (so I can try my hand at it if time allows).
Keep up the great work! Very professional!
Keep up the great work! Very professional!
Jedi Reali
Sr Member
:eek Wow! Excellent work!!! I would love to buy one of these, but I have a feeling it's gonna fall a little out of my price range.:confused
