Magnetic Modular Chessboard

This is a project that I’ve been working off and on again for a long time and I'm happy to finally share it.

The STL files and fusion files for everything have been added to the google drive.

I have one more 3D printing project in the works, then I'm going to focus on The Singularity Deck for a bit. 

This is a grid board that can quickly change into any size, is portable, and can reflect different grid patterns. The board consists of a bunch of individual squares that are connected together with either openlock connectors or magnetic clips (more on that later). This allows it to be configured in a ton of different ways and easily broken down.

The key features of the board:

1. The size of the board could change depending on the game you were playing. For example, a 5x5 board for Tak or Santorini, an 6x6 board for The Duke, or even a 10x10 board for playing amazons. Tak (5 by 5 grid): The Duke (6 by 6 grid):
2. I wanted the pieces to be able to flip to change the grid pattern. For example, in arimaa there are four hole/pit spaces while the rest of the board is the same. I printed the board in the pictures with a wood filament that I then stained different colors on each side so the pieces could be flipped in place. I preferred a more subtle contrast between the colors; however, you could make it whatever colors you’d prefer. It would also be easy to swap filaments half way through printing to make the squares two-toned without needing to paint anything. Checker pattern Chess Board (8 by 8 grid): Onitama (5 by 5 grid):
3. I wanted it to be easy to re-configure and break down. The board can be held together with standard openlock clips (https://www.printablescenery.com/) for a rigid structure or with magnetic clips. I included a special version of the magnetic clips that cover the edge of the squares. Depending on aesthetic preferences, the board then doesn’t require the edge pieces.The Magnetic clips use 3 by 3 mm barrel magnets:
   Here is my wife and I’s Tak Table. The board can easily break down and fit in the drawer alongside the game pieces. It is also easy to throw the board into a pouch for the gamer on the go:
   Here is an example of the board held together with the standard openlock clips if you want solid connections: