Hardwood chess board warping
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No solid-wood board is perfectly flat, even right after manufacture; solid-wood boards are susceptible to warping if not properly cared for (humidity etc.), but can be kept stable (i.e., as close to flat as they were when manufactured) if properly stored; I suggest reading my posts about humidity, board storage, board-level correctness, etc.
Sep 26, 2020
0
#3
Thank you.
So as long as it is slight and something I can deal with then I shouldn’t worry about it? Is that basically what you’re saying?
So as long as it is slight and something I can deal with then I shouldn’t worry about it? Is that basically what you’re saying?
More or less yeah, but you should also follow proper board care protocol to minimize/prevent wood movement as much as possible, to keep the board in the best condition possible; there is also a chance the board corrects itself with proper care. The main reasons for board warp (that are in an end user’s control) are improper humidity levels/fluctuation and storing boards flat on a surface (because the underside is not exposed to the same level of humidity as the top side).
No problem; I’ll post links to some of my threads here soon, if you’d like.
EBowie wrote:
Links would be great. Thanks
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/humidity-research-and-questions
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/heating-season-humidifier-hygrometer-recommendation
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/psa-store-your-chessboards-vertically
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/truly-flat-chessboards-do-they-exist
I own and recommend all of the following, except the dehumidifier:
Hygrometer:
> AcuRite 01083M Pro Accuracy Temperature and Humidity Monitor: https://www.amazon.ca/AcuRite-01083M-Accuracy-Temperature-Humidity/dp/B01HDW58GS/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1548955296&sr=1-2&keywords=acurite+hygrometer&refinements=p_85%3A5690392011
Humidifiers (Running Distilled Water):
> Boneco Air O Swiss S250 Digital Steam Humidifier: https://www.thebay.com/boneco-air-o-swiss-s250-digital-steam-humidifier-44903/product/0600089711362?R=834546000985&P_name=Boneco+Air+O+Swiss&Ntt=boneco+s250&N=0
> Crane (yes it looks silly but it's excellent): https://crane-usa.com/product/elliot-the-elephant/
Dehumidifier:
> Ivation IVADM45 (doesn't really work but it doesn't require filters/maintenance; I would recommend going through this dehumidifier review site and picking something with conventional refrigerant tech if you need serious dehumidification; personally, I simply control the flow of air into my chess room to bring humidity down (AC or furnace air bring room RH down)): http://www.dehumidifierbuyersguide.com/ivation-ivadm45-review/
Air Purifier:
> Coway AP-1512HH Mighty: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-air-purifier/
Lights:
> LEDs; other types of bulb emit UV, which can darken/damage wood like UV rays (art museums use LEDs for this reason.
No problem
MGT88 wrote:
No solid-wood board is perfectly flat, even right after manufacture; solid-wood boards are susceptible to warping if not properly cared for (humidity, etc.), but can be kept stable (i.e., as close to flat as they were when manufactured) if properly stored; I suggest reading my posts about humidity, board storage, board-level correctness, etc.
Where I find these posts? I have several boards that are now in the attic. I live in Switzerland, and I am concerned about winter. I guess I have to store the boards upright, right? The attic is rather dry, but in winter it gets cold. Can this be a problem? I asked some people here in Switzerland, and some of them think it is not a problem.
brasileirosim wrote:
MGT88 wrote:
No solid-wood board is perfectly flat, even right after manufacture; solid-wood boards are susceptible to warping if not properly cared for (humidity, etc.), but can be kept stable (i.e., as close to flat as they were when manufactured) if properly stored; I suggest reading my posts about humidity, board storage, board-level correctness, etc.
Where I find these posts? I have several boards that are now in the attic. I live in Switzerland, and I am concerned about winter. I guess I have to store the boards upright, right? The attic is rather dry, but in winter it gets cold. Can this be a problem? I asked some people here in Switzerland, and some of them think it is not a problem.
Sorry, I did not read further, I see now the links.
EBowie wrote:
Is some warping of a hardwood chess board normal? Does it tend to get worse?
Mine is ever so slightly bowed. I can live with it if it doesn’t get worse. Just wondering if someone might have advice based off a similar experience.
Thanks
Mine is ever so slightly bowed. I can live with it if it doesn’t get worse. Just wondering if someone might have advice based off a similar experience.
Thanks
I have two or three boards that are bowed. I bought them like this for a very good price. They have really a nice patina, so I would like to fix them. Is there any post explaining how to do this? If I bring the boards to a specialist here in Switzerland I have to pay a lot of money.
Sep 26, 2020
0
#15
Anyone reading MGT's threads about this subject should benefit greatly!
brasileirosim wrote:
EBowie wrote:
Is some warping of a hardwood chess board normal? Does it tend to get worse?
Mine is ever so slightly bowed. I can live with it if it doesn’t get worse. Just wondering if someone might have advice based off a similar experience.
Thanks
Mine is ever so slightly bowed. I can live with it if it doesn’t get worse. Just wondering if someone might have advice based off a similar experience.
Thanks
I have two or three boards that are bowed. I bought them like this for a very good price. They have really a nice patina, so I would like to fix them. Is there any post explaining how to do this? If I bring the boards to a specialist here in Switzerland I have to pay a lot of money.
From what I've read on this, you never want to sand warped wood (cupped, bowed, etc.); the only methods for board correction that I've heard of are self-correction in proper conditions, imbalanced application of humidity, and applying weight (although I'm not sure this really works). If a board is left flat for a while and begins to cup or bow because its top side is exposed to humidity while its bottom side is not, it might be possible to correct this by turning the board upside-down for a while (basically reversing the process that damaged it; a craftsman actually suggested this), or by simply exposing both sides of the board to proper humidity and hoping it corrects itself. If the boards are really important to you, you might want to contact Ron Fromkin: http://www.ivoryrepair.com/Chess%20Restoration.html. If you have you no intention to pay an expert to restore the boards, then I would try leaving the board stored vertically (both sides exposed) for a month or two in proper humidity and see what happens; if no success, you can try the trick I mention above about exposing only one side of the board, but now you're beginning to enter DIY-disaster risk territory; if that doesn't work, then you can try applying weight to the board, which is the riskiest of the three methods.
magictwanger wrote:
Anyone reading MGT's threads about this subject should benefit greatly!
Thanks! I made a post a while ago about sticky'ing topics but never got a response; it would be really nice if we could sticky some of this wood-care stuff so people don't make the mistakes so many of us made in the past with our beloved chess equipment!
I actually recommended to retailers to make a section on their sites for the proper care and handling of their products to prevent piece cracking and board bowing. Normally consumers will just buy new sets and boards.
chessroboto wrote:
I actually recommended to retailers to make a section on their sites for the proper care and handling of their products to prevent piece cracking and board bowing. Must be easier to let people think that they should just buy new sets and boards.
Yeah...or they don't know about proper wood-care themselves (or don't care); I don't really trust any retailer to properly store their stock, which is why I prefer pre-ordering retail products (no time spent in storage) or made-to-order products. It would be pretty difficult for a retailer to properly store their stock anyways; they would need to properly humidify an entire warehouse or storage area (and keep it stable), keep all of their stock properly exposed to humidity (e.g., by not stacking products one upon another or burying them in boxes), etc.
Mine is ever so slightly bowed. I can live with it if it doesn’t get worse. Just wondering if someone might have advice based off a similar experience.
Thanks