Bill Spight wrote:I have a Showa era kaya board with legs, which I found at a local import shop for the amazingly low price of $250. I guess someone's grandfather died and they sold the set without knowing how much it was worth. When I bought it I also saw a set of old, worn stones, the shells discolored and misshapen with concavities made by long use. I asked about buying the stones, too. I had seen a similar set elsewhere for the ridiculous price of $175. I was told that those stones went with a different board, but the salesperson called the shop owner, who threw the stones in for free! Amazing luck!
WOAH, that's an insanely good deal for a board and stones like that!
I also like the idea of self-tumbled stones. Talk about an investment in your gear!
Joseki (n): 1. Japanese term meaning "when Jo lives in seki."
I also like the idea of self-tumbled stones. Talk about an investment in your gear![/]
The topic of making one’s own stones has been discussed at least once. Search or scroll back through this folder.
Thinking it must be possible to create my own set, I researched the subject by talking with lapidary, glass, and ceramic experts and became totally discouraged. The crafts of cutting rock, melting and casting glass, mixing and molding clay are not difficult to learn. But they turn into a huge commitment of time and energy, even soul numbing tedium, as one considers making 361 to 400 individual items.
David Bogie, Boise ID
I play go, I ride a recumbent, of course I use Macintosh.
Applebaps wrote: Oh no lmao, is there no way to like, cast them in a batch?
Of course, but making the mold is complicated, too.
Firing, glazing, sanding, polishing, and finishing are more tedious than the casting or molding. If you have seen the video of the folks at the Yunzi factory, ladling out their lines of molten ceramic buttons, you can tell they have made so many millions they no longer measure the stock material. Inherent in a set of handmade go stones is the charm of dramatic variance. If this lack of precision is acceptable, or perhaps sought after, many manufacturing shortcuts can be used.
Ceramics, hot (molten) glass, warm (slumped) glass, lapidary (cut stone), and some other techniques like cutting wood, casting or shaping metal or shell (!) all have possibilities. It’s a fun project to discuss with people who are experts in the crafts and materials you might be considering. If you find someone who can help you get started, please start a new thread! Would be a fun topic to follow.
David Bogie, Boise ID
I play go, I ride a recumbent, of course I use Macintosh.
My best set is one I own: masame 2-sun hyuga kaya board, mulberry bowls (hiragata), 8 mm yuki hyuga clam stones. I have other sets with slate and shell stones and lesser, but still good, boards. The one I described first is especially pleasing because all the parts are sized to go well together.
This is about actual/physical boards, isn't it, in stead of computer setup?
Secondly, it is about the perfect setup one may have on hand, in stead of the ideal setup one may wish?
I have made it a hobby to collect as many and as different boards, stones and bowls as possible.
My current collection varies from a free paper board with cut-out 'stones' (thank you former Go Game Guru), plastic stones, several glass stones both Japanese and Korean, yunzi stones, some slate and shell stones, and some bowls. I have a thin, standard of the mill table board, a foldable board, some shin kaya boards of different thickness, a traditional floor goban and two actual kaya table boards. I can also choose between some different bowls. Some paraphernalia includes some stickers, a watch, some semi-precious (onyx) stones, paulownia boxes, a storing cabinet, etc. I like to view it as my personal museum. It has grown over the years out of curiosity and appreciation of (nice) playing material.
My perfect setup? It depends.
To go to my weekly club meetings, I highly appreciate my shin kaya 2.5 inch table board with size 33 double convex yunzi stones, nice bowls. Bought new from Yellow Mountain Imports. Very nice to play with, very nice to (my) eyes, to the feel and touch. This is the set I use most often, being perfect for club play.
To occasionally go outside to play at a public place, I like an old foldable board with Japanese glass stones. This board is of some sort of very hard wood, so less risk of damage during travel and play. It is old and second hand, so I don't mind any possible damage or loss of some stones. I just toss it into a shopping bag.
Sometimes, a friend and I play at home. For his and my pleasure (he is also into nice stuff), I gladly use the most upper end set that I have. Size 35 slate and shell snow grade stones (second hand but very nice) on a table board about 2.5 inches thick (also second hand). I don't know what kind of wood it is. It does not seem to be kaya, shin kaya, hiba, agathis or bamboo, but it has a pleasant brown colour, nice grain and it is very soft wood. The sound when placing a stone, such a beautiful stone, is ever so delicate!
Some large, dark wood bowls match entirely (in my view). I unpack this set out of an paulownia box to enhance the experience.
For those occasions, this is my perfect setup.
So I have the luxury of being able to chose my perfect setup according to the occasion and my personal preference of the moment.
My ideal would be (of course?) a separate playing room, to play on an even nicer kaya board (to be acquired).
My other items are just for my collection and are rarely used. The floor goban I use maybe once per year, same as an old, worn and warped kaya table board, semi-precious stones and some other items.
