From: Kenneth.E.Harker@dartmouth.edu (Kenneth E. Harker)
Newsgroups: rec.games.go
Subject: Re: Making boards?
Date: 14 Apr 92 15:18:29 GMT
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

In article <dove.702756781@elaine14.Stanford.EDU>
dove@elaine14.Stanford.EDU (Dav Somebody) writes:

> anyone have any tips on making your own boards?  how about a price
> list on stones and bowls?  
> 
> thanx, 
> dav

     I am currently getting around to making my own board as well.  I
haven't gotten very far do to limits on my time, but I have done some
work on it.  I am going to make mine (after I practice with cheap pine)
out of ash, but beech and spruce, and even maple are also good choices.
 Traditional boards are made out of Kaya, a rare Japanese wood that
requires a tree to grow about 500 years beforehand.  (Truly traditional
boards are close to a foot thick, and cost about US$11,000)  Anymore,
the "nice" go boards are made out of katsura wood, which also comes
from Japan, and is also not cheap.  
     In making the board, remember that the grid is not perfectly
square.  The best dimensions I have (there is not standard) is that
each square in the grid is 27/32" x 29/32".  You can reasonably make
the board anywhere from 1/2" to 2" thick.  For putting on lines (this
is the part I'm still thinking about), the easiest way is probably to
get a straight edge, and a pen that will create the width of line that
you like as well as not spread with the grain of the wood (i.e. try
things with scraps of the wood your board is made out of) and just draw
them on yourself.  I have also heard of people making silkscreens, or
inlaying a dark wood (a little too complex for my woodworking skills,
personally) for the grid.  
     Stones should probably be bought (unless you're a true masochist.)
 I imagine that bowls would not be too hard to make, but I haven't
gotten that far, and there has never been a discussion on the net about
that, so I don't have any idea what to do for that.  In fact, I was
going to compile a FAQ about this stuff, but I haven't received info
from ANYBODY...

     The only prices I have are from Ishi Press (and may be
out-of-date):
Stones:
     Glass, 8.5mm(Korean).....US$29.95    <== The millimeter
measurements 
     Glass, 9mm(Japanese)........69.00        refer to thickness of
each 
     Slate&Shell, 6.3mm.........150.00        stone.  
     Slate&Shell, 8mm(Jitsuyo)..230.00
     Slate&Shell, 9.8mm(Yuki)...950.00
Bowls:
     2 Ash Bowls (medium size)...US$39.95  <==  The thicker the stones,
the
     2 Chestnut Bowls (medium)......89.00       larger the bowl should
be.
     2 Rose Keyaki Bowls (large)...139.00
     2 Keyaki Bowls (large)........270.00
     2 Quince Bowls (Extra Large)..450.00

Where to get a current price list and order information:

         Ishi Press
         76 Bonaventura Drive
         San Jose, California 95134
         United States of America

=======================================================================
          Ken Harker             "And there's bound to be rough waters
Official Chimney Sweep of the     And I know I'll take some falls
  Romantic Fire Association       But with the good Lord as my captain
Kenneth.E.Harker@Dartmouth.Edu    I can make it through them all..."
       Vote GOP in 1992!                   -Victoria Shaw, Garth Brooks
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