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His desire to own a hand-carved chess set led to a business for the student, George Marsden, when he found a way to make molds of the original figures and a cheap, liquid plastic to form the finished product.

An avid chess fan in his spare time, Marsden began the laborious task of hand carving the figures during the spring of 1949. He also experimented with molding mixtures to make figures on a mass-production basis and hoped to find a suitable plastic to form the finished product.

Six months later he had finished his figures, solved his production problems, and turned out his first set of thirty-two pieces. Now, with his molds completed, he can turn out a set in eight hours of actual work at a cost of $4.35, excluding labor costs. Each set retails for $15.

THE FIRST step in the process was preparing plaster of Paris from which to carve the original figures. Marsden mixed some inexpensive plaster of Paris powder with water, and used a cylindrical piece of cardboard to contain the mixture until it hardened.

Then, he set about the precise job of carving the chess figure, adding a humorous, personal touch to each one. He gave the bishop a round cap and a happy look. He dressed him in a long-sleeved habit and sandals, and folded his hands across his chest. The queen represented a bustled dowager looking askance through a lorgnette. A stalwart king leaned on a sword in regal fashion. The pawn, smallest figure at two inches in height, and half the size of the others, brandished a battle-axe, and looked scared and big-eyed behind a huge shield.

Carving was done with a penknife, while finishing touches were applied with the edge of a bottle opener.

Next, Marsden covered the figure with talcum powder to prevent the mold from sticking to the original when removed. Four coats of liquid latex were applied with two hours drying time allowed between coats. He also painted latex around the base of the figure. This served to keep the mold upright in a water glass when the mold was inverted later for pouring.

AFTER DRYING, the mold was easily peeled off the original and washed in cold water. It was then ready to receive the plastic mix for the finished product.

After experimenting in an effort to find plastic substances durable enough to withstand rough treatment, Marsden found a liquid plastic which proved satisfactory. This plastic retails for $3.75 per quart. A catalyst, or hardening agent, is available for 35 cents a bottle. Directions call for eight drops of catalyst to one ounce of plastic. Marsden found that he used one bottle of catalyst for each quart of plastic.

For customers desiring a black and white set, the 20-year-old artist concocts a black dye, using ten drops of red and blue dye, and adds it to the mixture. These colored dyes sell for 25 cents a half ounce bottle.

In making the mixture for the opposing side of sixteen men, no dye is added. Marsden gets a white color by adding one ounce of artists' white powder and oil to the plastic mix.

Although it takes from four to five ounces of the mixture for each chessman, Marsden makes a saving on plastic as well as making the figure lighter by inserting a circular piece of wood into the mold during the pouring process. To do this the mold is inverted in a water glass and it remains upright as the flared base covers the rim of the glass.

Marsden then works the air bubbles out of the mixture with his fingers. It is then heated to 100 degrees under a light bulb, and allowed to dry for six hours. Then the mold is peeled off, revealing the finished product containing the same details as the original figure.

If the product is not thoroughly dry when the mold is removed, it will have a shiny texture. If it is completely dry, the product will have a dull finish. Marsden says he can regulate the drying time to insure a dull, or shiny appearance.

The finished product is then polished with a fine sandpaper. If the set is to be of a solid hue, then Marsden's job is complete, except for cutting and glueing felt bottoms on the pieces.

IF THE order calls for the figures to be hand-painted like Marsden's own set, then another process begins. Using ordinary household enamel and a water color brush, Marsden lets his artistic talent take over again. A bishop's flowing robes become a familiar brown, while his cap is maroon. His cheery, devout face assumes a natural color. Just for fun the artist gives the bishop a Chaucerian aspect by daubing red paint on the tip of his nose. He paints the bishop of the opposing side in a different hue, although Marsden says he paints all the figures in somber colors to eliminate unnecessary glare.

Since the word of his chessmen got around the Syracuse University campus, Marsden has acquired a backlog of orders and no longer needs to make person-to-person solicitations.

Marsden's molds begin to wear after being used for twelve sets, but can be patched by applying another coat of liquid latex.

In his basement workshop, he sets up the sixteen molds for one side and makes up one quart of plastic mix and pours it off. This takes one hour. He allows them to harden for six hours.

It takes about thirty minutes to paint each figure. This adds about sixteen hours painting time to a completed set of thirty-two pieces. Consequently, the price for this type of set is $20. Marsden says that the colored figures are more decorative, while the black and white sets are more practical for actual chess use.