First thing I'd worry about is weight. How thick is this going to be?
If it's about half the size of a 3/4 plywood sheet, and a sheet of
plywood weights about 25lb per quarter inch, that's something like
forty pounds or so for a 40x40x3/4. Heavy and awkward. Is it going to
go to any conventions or things like that?

Maybe a torsion box, or something similar so it can still be 3/4 or
even one inch thick but weigh a lot less?

Dan

On Jul 6, 9:41*pm, "barry712" wrote:
I have a very good friend who runs a gallery in Gatlinburg, TN who wants me
to make him a very nice, and rather large, chessboard. *I'm thinking the
squares will be something like 5". *His chess *pieces will be comic book
action figures about 8" tall. *I will turn a 4" round base for each of
these. *I'm guessing the board itself will be glued up of squares of
maple/cherry or maple/walnut. *I'm thinking some simple inlay work may help
to dress up the board.

Does anyone have any advice/plans/ideas on how I should proceed? *I have
some concerns that the board will simply be too large to "look right". *If
the board is composed of 64 - 5" squares, that means it will be 40" X 40",
plus it really should have a border or 5" or 6". *To me, a four (4') foot
chessboard is not too practical. *But it is more a display for the action
figures than it is a board for playing chess. *Comments please. *Thanks.