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Poker Chip Milling For Labels (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Tommy
- Start date
Do you have pictures of how you center and hold the chips. Yours seem really well centered.
I made a simple jig out of scrap wood & shims I had lying around. I just threw this together really quickly. I got a bolt running through the board, so I can fine tune the jig to center up the chip. I just loosen it up a bit, eyeball it center and tighten down. I also put a clamp on the other end for insurance. I also glued a piece of craft foam sheet to the wood to prevent the chip from spinning. I plan on making another in the future, but beefing it up a bit.
Once I got the right bit, I've been milling away! It's addicting. Good luck. (y) :thumbsup:
As you can see a little bit in the picture, I actually used the bottom half of an airtite with the foam ring in it to hold the chip, got the idea from @Wifey 's post. I placed a HS $1 chip I'd popped the inlay out of in the airtite then centered it by lowering the router bit and scotch foam adhesive taped it in place. Set the router depth to the stock Paulson label inlay depth based off the HS chip and voila.
I've set up a bottom mount router to experiment with some chip milling like in the OP, but it turns out that the supposed 2" ID exhaust flange that I was going to use as a jig is actually 2.125" ID, which completely f***s up my calculations. I suppose I can call it a partial success, because with my current 3/8" bit I can mill a just about perfect 1" diameter recess, which would be good for an RHC chip.
However, I have THC chips to mill, so I must keep my recess to 7/8". I've ordered a 1.875" exhaust flange which I'll pick up tomorrow morning (auto parts stores are still considered essential services), so hopefully its true inner diameter will be 2" and I can use it as a jig. I think that bottom mount routing has big advantages over the drill press method, as I can set the recess depth and it will be consistent every time, no matter how thick the chip is (which will differ between minty and well-used roulette chips).
Hopefully I will have a successful progress report tomorrow.
However, I have THC chips to mill, so I must keep my recess to 7/8". I've ordered a 1.875" exhaust flange which I'll pick up tomorrow morning (auto parts stores are still considered essential services), so hopefully its true inner diameter will be 2" and I can use it as a jig. I think that bottom mount routing has big advantages over the drill press method, as I can set the recess depth and it will be consistent every time, no matter how thick the chip is (which will differ between minty and well-used roulette chips).
Hopefully I will have a successful progress report tomorrow.
All I can say is...AMAZING SUCCESS!
I've milled my first two racks of THC, and when perfectly centered a 15/16" diameter mill will just reach the inner ring of the THC and give a great flat surface for a 15/16" or 7/8" aftermarket textured sticker. With the exhaust flange jig I can do both sides of a chip in about 10 seconds.
Only 2860 chips to go! Afterward, I may be able to offer limited milling services to forum members!
I've milled my first two racks of THC, and when perfectly centered a 15/16" diameter mill will just reach the inner ring of the THC and give a great flat surface for a 15/16" or 7/8" aftermarket textured sticker. With the exhaust flange jig I can do both sides of a chip in about 10 seconds.
Only 2860 chips to go! Afterward, I may be able to offer limited milling services to forum members!
Great to hear Berny. Any pic's of your set up?
I'll try to get a couple later today, as well as description of the process, and the pros and cons.
One Eyed Dollar
Flush
The consistent depth is a very cool advantage of this method. I look forward to seeing your setup!
Okay, before we get to the setup, we need to go over safety equipment. I highly recommend:
Eye protection - a must!
Hearing protection - unless you really enjoy the whine of the router in an enclosed space
Respirator/mask - a must! This method creates a LOT of clay dust, and lots of that might be lead content if you're milling those types of chips
Also helpful:
An apron or smock - I use a lab coat worn backwards (you are going to get covered in dust)
Good lighting
Portable heater if it's chilly
The setup:
Your basic bottom-mount router setup. This is sitting on a small folding table with adjustable height legs so I can work at chest height while sitting and have just enough room for my legs go get under the table so I can work closely.
Close up of the jig:
It's an exhaust flange with a 2" diameter (likely slightly wider, like 2 1/32" or so). Bit is a 3/8" bottom cleaning double flute with a 1/2" shank. It's fixed to a leftover piece of cork plank flooring. Manipulation tools are a small piece of dowel wrapped in duct tape, and a little wooden pry-piece.
Why cork? a) I had it around, and b) it has a tiny bit of compressibility which will help a bit if your chips aren't completely flat. The dowel piece is for pushing and rotating the chip inside the jig, which will naturally move like an old spirograph. The pry tool is, of course, to get your milled chip out of the jig without having to reach in with your fingers to get it.
Another view:
Small bucket of water on the ground. Once the chip gets milled, into the bucket it goes. After I do a barrel, I turn off the router, make sure the milled chips are well-rinsed, and then place them out to dry on another table (far away enough to not catch dust). I keep the garage door open, of course, to aid in ventilation, get more light, and have more area to disperse the dust.
I'm going to do a few more racks, and then I'll get into the pros and cons of this setup a little later.
Eye protection - a must!
Hearing protection - unless you really enjoy the whine of the router in an enclosed space
Respirator/mask - a must! This method creates a LOT of clay dust, and lots of that might be lead content if you're milling those types of chips
Also helpful:
An apron or smock - I use a lab coat worn backwards (you are going to get covered in dust)
Good lighting
Portable heater if it's chilly
The setup:
Your basic bottom-mount router setup. This is sitting on a small folding table with adjustable height legs so I can work at chest height while sitting and have just enough room for my legs go get under the table so I can work closely.
Close up of the jig:
It's an exhaust flange with a 2" diameter (likely slightly wider, like 2 1/32" or so). Bit is a 3/8" bottom cleaning double flute with a 1/2" shank. It's fixed to a leftover piece of cork plank flooring. Manipulation tools are a small piece of dowel wrapped in duct tape, and a little wooden pry-piece.
Why cork? a) I had it around, and b) it has a tiny bit of compressibility which will help a bit if your chips aren't completely flat. The dowel piece is for pushing and rotating the chip inside the jig, which will naturally move like an old spirograph. The pry tool is, of course, to get your milled chip out of the jig without having to reach in with your fingers to get it.
Another view:
Small bucket of water on the ground. Once the chip gets milled, into the bucket it goes. After I do a barrel, I turn off the router, make sure the milled chips are well-rinsed, and then place them out to dry on another table (far away enough to not catch dust). I keep the garage door open, of course, to aid in ventilation, get more light, and have more area to disperse the dust.
I'm going to do a few more racks, and then I'll get into the pros and cons of this setup a little later.
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Okay, so my last 2 racks took about 1h 40m, and that was probably the easiest two racks I had so far, so an average of about 1 rack per hour is probably about right (including rising chips, laying them out to dry, etc.). 10 seconds per chip is probably at peak efficiency, but that is never sustained for very long, and is very dependent on the chip condition as well. Probably more like 15-20 seconds per chip to do both sides.
My thoughts so far about this setup vs. the more popular drill press milling method:
PROS:
1) Consistent mill depth. Doesn't matter how thick the chip is. As long as the jig is securely fastened to a flat surface, the router bit will always mill to the same depth because you're approaching from beneath. And the router allows for good micro depth control, so you can easily switch mill depth to shorter (for more worn and smooth hot stamps) to a bit deeper (for chips with more preserved hot stamps like minty Starbursts). This fine control allows you to mill the minimum depth possible, therefore preserving most of the chip's original weight.
2) Smooth serial operation. Just keep the router going and you do chip after chip. No need for turning the machine on and off between chips or between sides of the same chip. Depending on how much dust I'm creating around the jig, I can usually do 20 or even 40 chips in a row before stopping the machine to clear the dust and taking the milled chips out of the rinse water to the drying table.
3) Fairly easy to center. Yes, you can eyeball it, but always do a few practice chips (maybe on some cheap plastic or leftovers (I use some old random ASMs that are not part of sets). I centered my jig by first drilling the 3/8" hole that the router bit will come out of, then placing a 2" diameter fender washer with a 3/8" center hole directly over the first drilled hole (sticking the whole drill bit in to keep things steady), and then fastening down the exhaust flange around it after that. Then I line up and lock down the rail guide, and add an extra clamp on one side.
CONS:
1) Dust, dust, dust. This shit gets everywhere, even if you're milling just a teensy weensy little bit. Always wear eye protection and some sort of mask Vacuum system would help, HOWEVER it is good to have a little bit of dust, as it does act as a lubricant to help move the chip around in the jig a bit easier. Protect all surface that you don't want to get dirty. I even had to stuff a towel below the door leading into the house because the dust will get through.
2) Doesn't handle warped chips well. As always, for best/most efficient results, chips should be flat before milling this way. A drill press would have the advantage in speed with a warped chip. But more chip material ends up getting milled away regardless of method used.
3) Hand cramping after repeatedly using the dowel to spin the chip inside the jig. Probably would be best if I rested for a bit after doing each rack, but I try to do 2 racks at a time (for this project, at least) so that I get each colour done at once.
I'll edit as I think up some more stuff and get more practice.
PROS:
1) Consistent mill depth. Doesn't matter how thick the chip is. As long as the jig is securely fastened to a flat surface, the router bit will always mill to the same depth because you're approaching from beneath. And the router allows for good micro depth control, so you can easily switch mill depth to shorter (for more worn and smooth hot stamps) to a bit deeper (for chips with more preserved hot stamps like minty Starbursts). This fine control allows you to mill the minimum depth possible, therefore preserving most of the chip's original weight.
2) Smooth serial operation. Just keep the router going and you do chip after chip. No need for turning the machine on and off between chips or between sides of the same chip. Depending on how much dust I'm creating around the jig, I can usually do 20 or even 40 chips in a row before stopping the machine to clear the dust and taking the milled chips out of the rinse water to the drying table.
3) Fairly easy to center. Yes, you can eyeball it, but always do a few practice chips (maybe on some cheap plastic or leftovers (I use some old random ASMs that are not part of sets). I centered my jig by first drilling the 3/8" hole that the router bit will come out of, then placing a 2" diameter fender washer with a 3/8" center hole directly over the first drilled hole (sticking the whole drill bit in to keep things steady), and then fastening down the exhaust flange around it after that. Then I line up and lock down the rail guide, and add an extra clamp on one side.
CONS:
1) Dust, dust, dust. This shit gets everywhere, even if you're milling just a teensy weensy little bit. Always wear eye protection and some sort of mask Vacuum system would help, HOWEVER it is good to have a little bit of dust, as it does act as a lubricant to help move the chip around in the jig a bit easier. Protect all surface that you don't want to get dirty. I even had to stuff a towel below the door leading into the house because the dust will get through.
2) Doesn't handle warped chips well. As always, for best/most efficient results, chips should be flat before milling this way. A drill press would have the advantage in speed with a warped chip. But more chip material ends up getting milled away regardless of method used.
3) Hand cramping after repeatedly using the dowel to spin the chip inside the jig. Probably would be best if I rested for a bit after doing each rack, but I try to do 2 racks at a time (for this project, at least) so that I get each colour done at once.
I'll edit as I think up some more stuff and get more practice.
Nice write up. Just an FYI about the dust to anyone interested in milling chips. Regardless of which method you choose, definitely use a good quality respirator along with any other PPE that you feel necessary. Especially when milling vintage chips known to contain lead. I would isolate or enclose your milling setup if possible. I wouldn't want my family breathing any of that dust or getting it on their skin, clothing, etc.
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So, I guess next step is to make a video?
I'll see what I can do to get a short, maybe 2-3 minute video up later today. No narration, as I don't sound like anything beneath all that protective gear. And the router is not exactly quiet.
Eloe2000
Straight Flush
So glad to see you milling @allforcharity!
I will add a slightly older video I have of my basic milling setup. I actually have a finger guard that this video doesn’t show. I was milling a CPC HHR set yesterday and I should have taken a video. I will probably do more tomorrow and create another video with me aligning the press and showing the finger guard.
My speed milling hotstamps is about 30min/rack and so far a little bit longer milling inlaid chips at about 45min-1hr per rack because of how precise this needs to be and some additional cleanup.
It isn’t obvious in this video but I put the entire drill press in a very large cardboard box with the front cut away and this contains all of the dust and debris.
I will add a slightly older video I have of my basic milling setup. I actually have a finger guard that this video doesn’t show. I was milling a CPC HHR set yesterday and I should have taken a video. I will probably do more tomorrow and create another video with me aligning the press and showing the finger guard.
My speed milling hotstamps is about 30min/rack and so far a little bit longer milling inlaid chips at about 45min-1hr per rack because of how precise this needs to be and some additional cleanup.
It isn’t obvious in this video but I put the entire drill press in a very large cardboard box with the front cut away and this contains all of the dust and debris.
Nice video...I love seeing these. I've been tempted to set up something similar. One thing I have noticed is that the mold impression into the clay is not always center. Have you noticed any off centered cuts in reference to the first inner ring of the mold? I'm always constantly adjusting my jig to center my cuts. Then again I'm pretty anal
Here's a short video of me working with my setup above:
For some reason, these chips went easier. Two racks done in about 1h 30min.
For some reason, these chips went easier. Two racks done in about 1h 30min.
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Nice vid Berny. Seems like a smooth operation you got there. Just watch those fingers!
Eloe2000
Straight Flush
oh wow, thanks for the video. I didn’t understand the setup until that video. That is really interesting. I was trying to figure out how to use a router in some way like that. It’s genius.
Eloe2000
Straight Flush
Nice video...I love seeing these. I've been tempted to set up something similar. One thing I have noticed is that the mold impression into the clay is not always center. Have you noticed any off centered cuts in reference to the first inner ring of the mold? I'm always constantly adjusting my jig to center my cuts. Then again I'm pretty anal
there is some very slight variation, but you are going to get that with any method. It’s no different than the results on real Paulson casino inlays. They have even more variation between the mold variance and the inlay variance. The issue you run into is not the mold ring, but the hotstamp or the inlay you are milling out which can be tricky to align because the inlay are the exact same width of 7/8” and sometimes the hotstamps are as well. So for those chips I will actually have my jig very slightly off center and drop the chip in after a visual check to counter the slight offset of the inlay or hotstamp.
It's funny, general pacing really ramps it up. When I started I was about a rack every 90 minutes. Now I'm to a rack every 45 minutes just with fluid movements.
Don't worry, I'm not using my fingers to reach in and pick up the chip with the live router. That's why I have the little wooden pry piece, you might not be able to see it very clearly.
Chips with the deepest hot stamps take the longest time, of course. Sometimes I find myself putting the same chip back in the jig a couple of times. But the point is actually not to take out the hot stamp entirely, it's to create a smooth surface for the aftermarket sticker to go on top. So I don't mind if there's a little bit of hot stamp still there, as long as it know it will be covered. Best to leave a little bit rather than take out more chip material than is necessary.
1980 chips done, 1100 to go. Pacing myself through the weekend, I should be done by Sunday afternoon.
Next week, the fun begins again with running them briefly through the ultrasonic. They are generally clean, so I figure I can do 50-60 at a time for less than a minute per batch. Shouldn't take a ridiculously long time. But I know some of the Arc Yellows will need some magic eraser work.
Chips with the deepest hot stamps take the longest time, of course. Sometimes I find myself putting the same chip back in the jig a couple of times. But the point is actually not to take out the hot stamp entirely, it's to create a smooth surface for the aftermarket sticker to go on top. So I don't mind if there's a little bit of hot stamp still there, as long as it know it will be covered. Best to leave a little bit rather than take out more chip material than is necessary.
1980 chips done, 1100 to go. Pacing myself through the weekend, I should be done by Sunday afternoon.
Next week, the fun begins again with running them briefly through the ultrasonic. They are generally clean, so I figure I can do 50-60 at a time for less than a minute per batch. Shouldn't take a ridiculously long time. But I know some of the Arc Yellows will need some magic eraser work.
2420 chips milled, 440 to go (220 were previously inlay-removed).
All 3080 chips now ready for inspection/cleaning, and then labels. Now to get back to design. I think I'll need the forum's help on this one - I'll put up an opinion thread in the mock up section sometime this week when I'm not so tired. Back to work tomorrow morning right at COVID-19 Central.
@allforcharity you need to make a video on how you made your jig! It fits the chips so perfectly.
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