Flattening Warped Cards (1 Viewer)

[Potsie1]

Still working on the correct temperatures to speed up the process. Currently sitting around 4 hours. Quite a long time for a single deck of cards. I would say it gets about 90% of the warping out but not 100%. It makes them shuffleable and pitchable.

The process is virtually identicle to flattening chips. Heat, pressure and time. The major difference is that instead of baking chips I'm dehydrating cards.
I bought a new breville smart air convection oven because it will allow you to proof bread as low as 80 degress, dehydrate, air crisp and bake just like a regular oven. I originally tried proofing and then baking at low temperatures. I got very poor results. We have guessed that maybe warping is caused by moisture so I decided to try the dehydrate function. The cards were flipped on top of each other so they pushed against each other. I started at 90 degrees with slightly better results never using more than 20 minute intervals. Eventually I arrived at 120 degrees for 2 hours. Results were extremely promising. I let the cards cool and then resorted/mixed them and put them through the process again.

I used glass that I had around the house, 4 clamps and put 28/26 cards in each piece. I'm still playing with temps and will be trying much higher ones to see if I can improve the time.
The breville smart oven retails for 399.99 but a nesco dehydrator can be had for 69.99 and will run temps from 80 to 150 degrees.
This won't be worth the time or money for most people but its nice to know it can be done.
More pictures and info to follow.

 

[RichMahogany]

The real question is, pre or post USPC?

 

[RichMahogany]

Also, I hope this works. Nothing I’ve ever tried in the past has worked at flattening Kem cards.

 

[Potsie1]

The real question is, pre or post USPC?

I'm not sure. These were used decks from Fiesta Bowl Casino in Richland Wa. Picked up about 40 setups. All the dates on the outside seals are between 2005 and 2007.

 

[RichMahogany]

My guess is post.

Check the Ace of Spades. If it says something about the US playing card Co, well, there’s your answer.

Edit:tried to find info on when the casino was open but not having much luck on my phone.

 

[v1pe]

How are you doing it?

 

[Potsie1]

My guess is post.

Check the Ace of Spades. If it says something about the US playing card Co, well, there’s your answer.

How are you doing it?

coming soon...........

 

[RichMahogany]

View attachment 128815

Can’t remeber what the “C” in the date code signifies, but IIRC, that means these are pre-USPC

 

[Potsie1]

updated

 

[upNdown]

I was about to tell you to just buy a new damn setup, but then I remembered that time I bought used cards from here and I washed and scrubbed and dried each card individually, and my kids asked me what I was doing. So good on you.

 

[Potsie1]

I was about to tell you to just buy a new damn setup, but then I remembered that time I bought used cards from here and I washed and scrubbed and dried each card individually, and my kids asked me what I was doing. So good on you.

Ha yah! It was more for fun. I dont plan on doing it unless its an extraordinary deck of cards. I will be using this oven for flattening chips (when the wifes not home) as my big oven only goes down to 165 degrees. She has no clue I do this in the oven.

 

[Potsie1]

Here is a picture of two decks from the same setup. A very nice example of before and after. While I said before that the process takes the deck to 90% fixed, shuffling them for 5 minutes after theyve cooled seems to work out the remaining warping. Its almost as if they need to be shuffled to be fully reset. Weird. I would say these are fixed 98% and could go through another round of heating for that last 2%.

 

[pedrofisk]

So how much to send you my 1950s KEM deck for flattening?

 

[T_Chan]

Do you think the dehydration process is necessary? Would heat alone do the job?

 

[Potsie1]

Do you think the dehydration process is necessary? Would heat alone do the job?

possibly. at some point in the next week I'll try a 2 hour bake instead of a 2 hour dehydrate.

 

[BGinGA]

If it's humidity that causes KEM cards to warp (my conclusion), it will be interesting to see how long it takes them to re-warp. Not very long, I'm guessing.

 

[Psypher1000]

If it's humidity that causes KEM cards to warp (my conclusion), it will be interesting to see how long it takes them to re-warp. Not very long, I'm guessing.

Send them to The Armory. We'll keep'em safe & desiccated.

 

[Potsie1]

This appears to be a newer type deck using the ace of spades as reference. I got them for Christmas from my brother in law about 7 years ago. Pulled out a deck. Shuffled it a few times. Put it back in the box. About a year later I pulled it out again and the deck was warped. The warping wasnt extreme but the deck seemed stiff and it couldnt be shuffled unless you bent it the opposite way and then shuffled. They would then pop back to their warped state. While the warping wasnt as drastic as previously shown I would consider them unusable as it was really difficult, almost impossible to shuffle and pitch. You could bend the deck back and forth and it would "pop".
Anyhow I ran it through the process. Since it was post uspc I started dehydrate mode full deck 30 minutes. Seemed slightly better but extreme popping still. Next I split into two stacks and ran for 40 minutes. Still popped. Last I kept it to two stacks at 120 degrees and ran for 1hr 45min. Was dissapointed as it got most of the warping out but it still popped though less drastically. I would say fixed 85%. I shuffled and shuffled and at best it got to 90%. Still had the pop. At this point they could stay straight if I popped them up but with a gentle propping would pop into slightly warped shape. Anyhow I left them on the table next to the other deck. Just got home tonight and their perfect. Theyre 100%. Absolutely perfect. I cant figure it out. Who knows. It worked

 

[Potsie1]

So how much to send you my 1950s KEM deck for flattening?

As long as you assume the risk and understand it's still a work in progress you can send them to me no charge. I would like a second opinion.

 

[pedrofisk]

As long as you assume the risk and understand it's still a work in progress you can send them to me no charge. I would like a second opinion.

Well I was joking but sure I'd be happy to provide another test subject. I'll PM you for your address.

 

[Jeff]

The best way to un-warp cards is to throw them in the trash and buy a new setup of a different manufacturer until you find some you can live with that stay flat.

That being said, interested in how baking plastic cards turns out.

 

[Potsie1]

The best way to un-warp cards is to throw them in the trash and buy a new setup of a different manufacturer until you find some you can live with that stay flat.

That being said, interested in how baking plastic cards turns out.

Agreed. I'm thinking more about that special deck like maybe a horseshoe casino deck that you can't replace. But yah the average deck probably won't be worth it.

 

[Jeff]

Fair enough. I am interested to see how the heating affects the cards. I.e whether there is unintended effect. Baking could make these cards brittle, affects the print etc.?

 

[Potsie1]

Fair enough. I am interested to see how the heating affects the cards. I.e whether there is unintended effect. Baking could make these cards brittle, affects the print etc.?

Exactly. While I have decks to practice with I have two people sending decks so the can give some additional feedback.. if it's moisture and I'm removing it then dry and brittle could be a side effect.

 

[Jeff]

These may end up like tiny card shaped shrinky-dinks.

 

[pedrofisk]

Might end up being a good deck for throwing card tricks!

 

[Potsie1]

Chris Ferguson meet @pedrofisk

 

[BGinGA]

These may end up like tiny card shaped shrinky-dinks.

Before:

After:

 

[pedrofisk]

Back in the analog days I had packs of those mini cards to play solitaire on airplanes.

 

[Potsie1]

If anyone was remotely interested in the nicest toaster oven on the market now is the time to buy. Forget about cards it's the best unit for flattening chips.

Thru the 8th breville is running 20% off their toaster ovens. 319.99(normally 399.99). Use your bed bath 20% off coupon and it takes it below cost. 255.99 (cost is 259.99). If the local store is out they can order it for you and use your coupon.

Edit
The store is bed bath and beyond.