That looks really really nice. The wood grain on all of the sets looks beautiful and very promising. However I think one of your Queens has a chip out. I also wonder if maple and white oak would have enough contrast. Is there a way to finish the white oak in a non-staining way that would darken it without masking its grain patterns?
Lardy set progress
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Yes one of the white oak queens had some checking in it that let go after I machined its coronet. I will see how it turns out after I wax fill it, otherwise I'll either be turning another spare queen or just keeping the set traditional with 1 queen per side.
As for the white oak colouration: it's pretty dark, I've got some spares that I'll be colour testing with before I finish the pieces. Worst comes to worst I'll stain the white oak. I don't think it will come to that though.
Feb 23, 2023
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#4
Honestly if it's for personal use I wouldn't even fix that queen. I think it gives the ser character. As for coloration I was just kind of estimating the color of it finished from an MTM Woods video where he made sample blocks of woods with different cuts glued together for customers.
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BTW I absolutely love that your using maple for the white pieces. After seeing how white NOJ's sets in maple are my boxwood white pieces look muted and yellowish in comparison.
@kineticpawn thanks for the compliments by the way. I am a bit of a perfectionist so I feel like I couldn't live with the spare queen having a check like that, but if I can fix it then I'll be satisfied.
Yes I hear you on the boxwood vs Maple. Maple is definitely very white in comparison to boxwood, but once its oiled it tends to go yellow as well. I'd lacquer them but honestly I don't think I would be happy with the finish!
@mch818 thanks, that is the exact set that I was going for. It drew me in to the point where it fed my chess addiction. I don't know why I needed a Lardy when I already have 5 other wood sets, but I saw it and I had to have it.
Feb 24, 2023
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#6
@Ibuildchess - wonderful. I can only look on in envy! As for the wood, I think maple is fantastic - I’m fortunate to have some pieces made by Biro Sandor and the maple is bright and alive compared to most of my boxwood sets. It’s one of my favourite sets, partly because of the wood! Great to see your work, thanks for posting. I did a Woodturners course late last year and now have my own tools and have joined a local club but … I am years and years away from what you are doing!
MCH 818,
I have a Lardy too, manufactured pre 1985. Love it.
Q. Why do your White bishops not match ? My black king is bent and I've this second noticed my queens are not exact match in the coronet (the centre of the black queen is deeper, more honed out ). My set has 1st/8/8/ch on the box. The 1 is peculiar, like an upturned V . (If it is a 1 ) The kings are a fraction taller than four inches. And when I first saw the set it looked fat. Can anybody date or value
Thanks
Well done ibuildchess. Lovely project. Please Keep us updated
@powderdigit thanks! I'm excited to finish it and see how it turns out in the end 
it won't be full of character like the Jura wood used on the originals but I think my sets are their own breed of Lardy, the pawn tops being a significant marker for me. Keep practicing on the lathe, repetition is the only thing that makes you better. That and try some carbide tipped tools instead of using gouges, scrapers and skews. Old boys might poo-poo them but they are so much easier to start using!
@alterego8 thank you, I hope to have some progress to show everyone soon enough!
Extremely well made @Ibuildchess ! I use to use cherry wood because it is the wood I have the most, I always dye it a little to have more contrast between pieces. Let's see how it ends once dyed.
@jacmater thanks! I'll see how it turns out once its oiled but I find cherry tends to get quite dark! I had a small stash of 2" that really didn't have a better use than a chess set
@mch818 I didn't see any issues with your bishops, or mine for that matter. Not sure where that comment came from.
Hi MCH818 i think what Alterego8 was trying to say , is that your lardy bishop looks very unhappy \ Ibuildchess very nice 
MCH818 wrote:
Ibuildchess wrote:
@mch818 I didn't see any issues with your bishops, or mine for that matter. Not sure where that comment came from.
It was not in reply to you. It was in reply to @Alterego8 who said my white bishops did not match. I don’t see the issue so I was replying and inquiring what @Alterego8 saw.
A miscommunication on my part, I was saying that I don't know where Alterego8's comments about non matching bishops came from! But I see how it came across the way you read it. My apologies!
Mch 818,
Apologies re the bishops. Dementia on my part or my Perry was particularly strong that night (8%).
Many thanks for the Detail re my Lardy label
A
First knight attempt. Not too shabby.
Thanks! Yes now that you say it I agree with you about the snout, definitely too thick at the end. I need to taper it some more. Looks like I need to take down the stomach a bit more too, he's a bit girthy. The base is definitely a bit wider than the standard but I like a wide base for stability
@mch818 nitpicking is what makes a better set! I'm happy to hear feedback from a person who owns and enjoys Lardy sets
So after a pure Lardy diet this morning my knight is looking much better all around. I think it's good enough for a reference copier for the rest of the Knights. Let me know your thoughts!
@Ibuildchess Nice work! Below are 3 closeups images of 3.75" King version Lardy Knights from an especially "crispy" hardly used (new?) condition set. Hope it helps in any way.
@pawnerai Thank you for those! I am currently working off random photos I've found on the internet. Getting scale and detail is hard with random shots so these are very helpful
@Mch818 I did reduce the snout, I tapered it quite a bit more as well as slimming and reshaping the belly and re-positioning the nostrils and rounding out the eyes a bit more too. Mine has a decently curved mane, follows an arch in the "spine" of the knight. Thanks for the encouragement and compliments! Maybe one day I'll be brave enough to make some to sell. I'll keep you all posted with the progress
I am in the process of making 2 Lardy sets for myself, since there is a lot of appreciation for Lardys here I thought I would share some photos. The king base diameter is 38mm (1.5") and height is 98mm (3-7/8"). Since a Lardy is more of a knock-around player's set I felt that it would be best to make them out of more common woods. For one set I chose Maple and Cherry, and the second set I chose Maple and White Oak. I was unsure about the White Oak, but as they are unfinished they appear quite promising, I'll have to wait until everything is oiled before I make a final judgement.
At this point in time I have finished all the turnings, and post turning machine work for all the pawns and pieces with the exception of the knight. My one noticeable change is the pawn tops, I made them a fair smooth "squashed" dome instead of the more pointed ones I see traditionally. I have 1 knight top rough cut and marked out for carving. Here's where Im at: