It is exuberant how there are people who use ordinary wood lathes to care for perfect chess pieces. The majority of people still use wood lathes for making chess, And they render beautiful chess every time they do it. Their excellent skills and artisanship are unparalleled. However, customers question whether CNC woodturning machines can be used to make chess. Considering the technological advancement these days and tools available to perform almost any task, CNC woodturning machines can be used to make chess. And the method is easy, feasible, and economical.

Universal engraver reviews that mini CNC wood lathes can be used instead of ordinary lathes to turn chess pieces. Both these lathes are similar in concept and function, However, They require two completely different operator skill sets. CNC wood lathes require advanced computer and graphic knowledge, While ordinary lathes require a more artistic skillset. To add to the convenience, CNC wood lathes are safer than ordinary lathes.

A CNC wood lathe is categorically designed to perform functions related to engraving. This advanced machine ensures that functions such as wood milling, woodturning, and carving are performed with utmost precision and perfection.

A chessboard typically has six kinds of chess pieces - Pawn, Rook, Knight, Bishop, Queen, and the King. While the pawn can be completely turned on a CNC wood lathe, the other five chess pieces can only be partially turned owing to their design which requires detailing. This detailing cannot be done using a CNC wood turning machine.

Universal engraver reviews and takes a closer look at these chess pieces for easy understanding.



Pawn: The Unique selling point of the pawn is that it is cylindrical and symmetrical in its shape. This makes it easier to be turned using a CNC wood lathe

Rook: When it comes to carving the rook, The majority of the turning can be performed using the CNC wood lathe, except for the slots on the head. Hence, as practice, These slots are made manually later since they are easy to execute.

Knight: Knight’s base can be turned using the CNC wood lathe. Since the Knight’s head is not cylinder-based, it cannot be turned using CNC. The Knight’s head consists of details such as eye, mouth, etc, and while these can be carved using hand (although not an easy task), There are other machines such as a 4axis CNC carving machine or a 5-axis router, Which can perform this task ideally.

Bishop: Almost the whole of Bishop can be turned using a CNC wood lathe, except for the slots on the head. Similar to the rook, these slots can be handcrafted separately.

Queen: The queen has the most intricate design across all chess pieces, and that is the top part of the crown. Therefore, while the rest of the Queen can be turned on the CNC wood lathe, the crown top can be either handcrafted or mechanized with the help of a more advanced 5-axis CNC.

King: The King’s base and head can be turned using the CNC wood lathe, however, the small detail on the top of its head requires it to be either handmade or milled by an advanced CNC such as 5 axis CNC.


The CNC wood lathe is a whole new level of experimentation and it can take your imagination to the next level. Anything can be carved using this beautiful machine, just configure the shape, and size and the machine can produce it. Nothing turns ordinary wood into a more beautiful product than a CNC wood lathe. CNCs are fully automatic and can shape and engrave without human assistance. These machines can be used to build the staircase and its central pole. These poles are usually placed at the center of the staircase for support and for decorative purposes. Once considered a tedious and time-consuming task, these poles, newels, or balusters can be produced within a matter of a few minutes using the highly advanced CNC wood lathes.

CNC woodturners can perform heavy cutting functions with ease and effectively save a gargantuan amount of motor time. The machine reduces turnaround time thereby increasing efficiency and productivity. One can use these CNC wood lathes/turners to create exact replicas of a product. For more information visit Universal Engraver.