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Origins of the Kinetic Chess Set
Inspired by an origami fold pattern, designed as a present for a loved one.
The Kinetic Chess Set
Weighing in at almost eight pounds, the Kinetic Chess Set carries a solid walnut playing surface in a precision-machined, black-anodized aluminum chassis. Four integrated panels are joined using brushed stainless steel hardware in an origami-inspired mechanism which can dynamically transition between storage, setup, and playing states. Self-centering on the playing surface and securely stored piece trays, our custom magnetic chess pieces are CNC machined from solid blocks of a resin-infused birch laminate normally reserved for high-touch objects like knife handles, jewelry, and pistol grips. The force of their magnetic base is subtle, leaving play uninterrupted and feeling more like additional piece weighting.
Thanks to the set's single degree of freedom playing configuration which is constrained by its planar resting surface, even with its cantilevered corners, it feels as solid and square as the surface below it.
Design Features
- The set never has to be emptied or flipped during setup. Pieces can be arranged directly between the piece trays and playing surface.
- The origami bird informs setup as well as use. Position A1 on the walnut playing surface is marked with an origami bird, and also indicates the direction of panel movement when opening as well as which panel goes to the top while closing.
- Proper board layout is indicated by laser-marked icons in the piece trays. The white piece tray's king icon is on the right side of its queen, and is on the same side as the origami bird which marks square A1. The black piece tray's king icon is to the player's left of the queen.
- Pieces will always appear perfectly aligned, whether on their individual playing squares during gameplay or in their piece trays upon opening, and even after bumps while playing and shakes while stored.
- Panel bottom edges feature discrete elastomeric bumpers which dampen panel contact and safely grip their supporting surfaces.
Materials
- Black-anodized aluminum chassis (CNC-machined 6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy)
- Brushed stainless links (CNC-machined 316 Stainless Steel)
- Polished stainless steel fasteners (CNC-machined 316 and bearings (316 SS)
- Resin-infused birch laminate chess pieces (CNC-machined birch laminate)
- Laser-patterned black walnut playing surface (catalyzed lacquer fini
Solid Walnut Playing Surface
We laser-patterned and stained a pair of book matched solid walnut panels for each chess set. Our unique playing surface texturing results in a smooth, clearly patterned surface both in color and reflection while preserving the continuous grain afforded by its single piece construction.
Machined Stainless Steel Links
Brushed stainless steel links and 24 stainless steel ball bearings ensure that the user feels only the movement of the underlying mechanism during articulation, and not the compliance of its constituent parts.
CNC Machined Chassis
To improve robustness over long-term use, we replaced the solid wood construction of our early prototype with a metal-wood hybrid design. Each set is machined from solid aluminum plate
Micron Precision
CNC Machined Construction
We use the most advanced manufacturing processes available to build our products. This precisionis essential to achieving the tactility which characterizes our authentic hardware.
