Apex/Black Aurora Poker Chip Cases (7 Viewers)

Which APEX Poker Chip Case capacity do you want us to make first?


  • Total voters
    54
  • Poll closed .
Should the rubber feet protrude a bit farther from the recess to allow for some "wear on the tire"?
I wrestled with this issue for a while. The rubber feet that I've chosen are dense, hard rubber meant to be used as feet for a speaker cabinet (think 4x12 guitar cab, 8x10 bass cab, etc.). I really don't see a lot of wear being caused by the types of surfaces poker chip cases are usually set on. Part of the reasoning behind the shallow protrusion is that some will put their cases on metal garage or grocery-style racks where one foot may be resting on something solid and the other foot may fall through a gap. I didn't want the protruding feet to be a problem you had to deal with.

But...if you guys want the feet to protrude more, now's the time to mention it. (y) :thumbsup:

[Edit: But we will sell replacements at a reasonable price. Don't quote me, but I'm thinking $3.99 for a pack of 4 would make sense.]

...Not be the best performer at all three, but reasonably useful.
We're shooting for scorecards like:
Storage: 9.5/10
Transport: 9.8/10
Display: 12.0/10
Fair enough, I doubt I'll see a birdcage that holds chips secure enough for me personally to trust transportation of the chips. It's not really even the cage, it's the racks stacked higher than 2-3 high that are likely to fail. Not being encased in foam just makes it worse.
The racks are definitely the weak link in this system. But the pegs really do keep everything in place. I'll have to do a video to show you guys how effective they really are. As long as you're not doing donuts...your chips should be fine.
...if they aren't easily removable then my interest immediately will go to zero
They are easily removable with a Phillips screwdriver.
APEX 1000 39mm-43mm Injection Moldable without Compartments with Dogs v28 - screw.png
APEX 1000 39mm-43mm Injection Moldable without Compartments with Dogs v28 - screw 2.png
 
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You’re looking at the result of a little over 36 hours of modeling. That’s for the ribs, the dog/peg compartments, and some failed bosses that the screws and feet were supposed to attach to.

A little explanation of what you’re looking at: This is the first iteration of the underside of the base, where the racks of chips will sit. The rounded rectangle or “oval” shaped thing that runs the width is the underside of the pocket that the handle will eventually screw into. (Still need to add holes.) The nipple-things with the rounded cross-shaped “fins” protruding from them are the bottoms of the peg compartments.

Minor setback: the feet that I thought would be low-profile enough are making the no-compartment base thicker than I would like, so I’ve ordered some new feet from McMaster. May have to consider adhesive feet, but nylon hasn’t a tendency to be “greasy,” due to additives they put in the resin to make it slip from the mold cavities easier.

Now to design the bottom panel while I wait for the feet to arrive.

Sorry it took so long to post. I need a $4000 workstation with a Quadro GPU, not a $1200 gaming laptop for this. Could’ve cut that 36 hours down to 9. ‍♂️ Christmas list, I guess.
 
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You’re looking at the result of a little over 36 hours of modeling. That’s for the ribs, the dog/peg compartments, and some failed bosses that the screws and feet were supposed to attach to.

A little explanation of what you’re looking at: This is the first iteration of the underside of the base, where the racks of chips will sit. The rounded rectangle or “oval” shaped thing that runs the width is the underside of the pocket that the handle will eventually screw into. (Still need to add holes.) The nipple-things with the rounded cross-shaped “fins” protruding from them are the bottoms of the peg compartments.

Minor setback: the feet that I thought would be low-profile enough are making the no-compartment base thicker than I would like, so I’ve ordered some new feet from McMaster. May have to consider adhesive feet, but nylon hasn’t a tendency to be “greasy,” due to additives they put in the resin to make it slip from the mold cavities easier.

Now to design the bottom panel while I wait for the feet to arrive.

Sorry it took so long to post. I need a $4000 workstation with a Quadro GPU, not a $1200 gaming laptop for this. Could’ve cut that 36 hours down to 9. ‍♂️ Christmas list, I guess.
Youre doing a fantastic job. We are lucky to have you. I hope your products become the “go to” birdcages for all dedicated chippers.
 
Youre doing a fantastic job. We are lucky to have you. I hope your products become the “go to” birdcages for all dedicated chippers.

From your lips to God’s ear! And thanks for the kind words, Sir! I’m glad my work is appreciated. This project is consuming me, so your appreciation makes it well worth it!
 
Just curious - what happened to the modular design for the handle attaching to the base?
I recall a video where the handle slipped in from the bottom and connected via a wider recess in the base.

It appeared that this design allowed for multiple capacities by changing out the handle and lid only.
 
Just curious - what happened to the modular design for the handle attaching to the base?
I recall a video where the handle slipped in from the bottom and connected via a wider recess in the base.

It appeared that this design allowed for multiple capacities by changing out the handle and lid only.

It's not entirely off the table, actually, but more people said it was an unnecessary function than not. Even with the Apex though, you could just remove the bottom and unscrew the handle, and swap out the handle and lid. I would just have to not use any welding solvent. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think most buyers would rather just have an additional working case, rather than save a few bucks--even if that difference were as high as, say, $10-20.
 
It's not entirely off the table, actually, but more people said it was an unnecessary function than not. Even with the Apex though, you could just remove the bottom and unscrew the handle, and swap out the handle and lid. I would just have to not use any welding solvent. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think most buyers would rather just have an additional working case, rather than save a few bucks--even if that difference were as high as, say, $10-20.
Yes. One of the reasons that youre making this birdcage is to make it stronger and more durable than whats available on the market. Making it a removable/detachable type product, defeats that purpose. If I have multiple chip sets, I want several cages. I want a cage that will hold chip racks securely and look good a few years down the road.
 
If the quality and appearance is significantly better than what is currently being offered on the market, then I'd be in for 3 x 1000 carriers and at least 3 x 600 and 3 x 400 chip carriers. I have a couple 1200 chip sets for which 2 x 600 carriers works well. And as I'm getting older, I'd favor a 600 and 400 chip carrier combo to distribute the weight across both arms/shoulders when carrying to other locations.

Of the 2 x 600 chip and 1 x 400 chip carriers that I bought this past year, the acrylic on one of the 600 chip carriers and on the 400 chip carrier arrived cracked. And then I cracked the acrylic on a new 1000 chip carrier as I was pushing on it while trying to slide it across the carpet on my closet floor. This would not have happened with my circa 2007 carrier. The acryic on the newer carriers is no where near as thick/durable as the acrylic on the older ones.
 
If the quality and appearance is significantly better than what is currently being offered on the market, then I'd be in for 3 x 1000 carriers and at least 3 x 600 and 3 x 400 chip carriers... Copy that, @TroyMan! Sounds great! I hope the three 1000-chip carriers will suffice for a while until we can raise the money for tooling for the 800, 600, and 400-chip handles. Shouldn't be too tough, with the momentum we have so far. Also, I hope you'll consider investing in more 1000-chip carriers until we can get to the 600- and 400-chip handles, as well. It would really help us get this project off the ground.

...the acrylic on one of the 600 chip carriers and on the 400 chip carrier arrived cracked. And then I cracked the acrylic on a new 1000 chip carrier...The acryic on the newer carriers is no where near as thick/durable as the acrylic on the older ones. Our sentiments exactly. The 6mm (roughly 1/4") acrylic on the Apexes should be much more durable than the 2-3mm acrylic on most current birdcages.
I would definitely be in for a 600 chip carrier - following this thread, product looks great! Awesome, @gkitt80! And thanks! Would you consider ordering a 1000-chip to hold you over until we can acquire the tooling for the 600-chip handle?

Thanks for keeping this thread and project alive, guys. With the support we've received from PCF, we're definitely minimizing the amount of pre-orders we'll need from casinos.

I had big plans last week for where I wanted to be by now. An industrial injury, unfortunately, had other plans for me. Temporarily lost some use of my left arm for a few days--it was just sore, mostly--but I'm good enough to continue now. No permanent damage that I'm aware of--it's just a little achy still. I spent the downtime researching 3PL (Third-Party Logistics), which involves shipping, warehousing, packaging, assembly, etc.. I'm very encouraged by the results.

The rubber bumpers/feet I ordered and thought would be ideal for the case came with a nasty side-effect--they left horrible black marks on everything they came into contact with. They worked better as crayons than feet. So I bit the bullet and ordered 7 different types of feet which should be here tomorrow. Hopefully, at least one of those will be perfect for the Apex and we'll be off and running again. All we need is some real-world measurements and we can get the model for the bottom cover done. Then we get to submit for quote and order a 3d printed prototype once the specs are approved.

Today, I'm double-checking the ribs on the bottom cover and the no-compartment base. Hope all is well with everyone.
 
It still kinda depends on shipping cost to Europe, but most likely I will be up for 2 x 1000 chip carriers with racks :)
 
Hey @Mario Garza could you post a summary of what is going on in the original post? I am quite interested in a variety of sizes, depending on cost. I am most interested in the simple base. I have gotten pages behind and am curious as to which one you are going forward with and when preorders will happen etc. Thanks so much!
 
Hey @Mario Garza could you post a summary of what is going on in the original post? I am quite interested in a variety of sizes, depending on cost. I am most interested in the simple base. I have gotten pages behind and am curious as to which one you are going forward with and when preorders will happen etc. Thanks so much!
If I understand correctly ATM ....1000 ct and simple base with rack pegs
 
Hey @Mario Garza could you post a summary of what is going on in the original post? I am quite interested in a variety of sizes, depending on cost. I am most interested in the simple base. I have gotten pages behind and am curious as to which one you are going forward with and when preorders will happen etc. Thanks so much!
If I understand correctly ATM ....1000 ct and simple base with rack pegs

Very quick update, because I need as much time as I can possibly get to work on the models and I'm free now! :LOL: :laugh: @RowdyRawhide is correct, @markleteenie. 1000-count, no compartments, bench dogs for 39mm and 43mm racks (four per side per chip size, which is 8 peg holes per side, in total), bottom cover with rubber feet.

Also wanted to give a shoutout to @pokerpig for sending me his 43mm babies! Spent about 3 hours last night painstakingly measuring every single chip and rack, down to the hundredth of a millimeter, to make sure the pegs and the height of the lid are accounting for as many different brands of chips and racks as possible! It's people like you that make projects like this possible! Thanks, man. :)

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For weeks I've been looking for... Exactly this. Okay, a 600pc version of two, but wow, this looks great.

:D Love seeing comments like this. Well, @cwebb, we're starting with a compartment-less, 1000-chip case, with bench dogs (rack pegs). If you can help out by pre-ordering the 1000-chip case(s) first, it will help us bring the 600-chip to market shortly after, as well as the 800-chip and 400-chip models.

If you’re still taking a rough count, pretty sure I’m in for one

Always, always, always taking a rough count and hoping for more promises to pre-order! Thanks, @DJ_Fett!

Following

Excellent. Yes, be sure to follow/subscribe so you don't miss the pre-order, guys!

If shipping to Germany isn‘t a killer I‘m in for two or maybe some more.

Two or more! Got it, @PatTheCat! Almost done with the CAD models, which will allow me to submit for quote (finally get a pre-order price for this bad-boy), as well as order prototypes. When the prototypes get here, I'll box them up and get real-world shipping quotes. I'm willing to do anything I can to help lessen the impact of the shipping costs.

Time to get to work!
 
Do you have an estimation on price? Or does it depend on numbers/thresholds passed pre-ordered, etc?

You hit the nail on the head. It depends on a lot of things. The finished CAD models are (FINALLY!) within reach, but more on that at the end of this post. The most important things that will have to be amortized among the pre-orders, so far: aluminum injection mold tooling, acrylic sheets, Apex parts (handles and bases), and, of course, shipping/freight, which will probably include a 3PL service.

One thing I can say with certainty: the price will go up after the initial pre-order. I have a target price in mind--and it is a value, considering the price of typical birdcages and the exorbitant price of the higher-quality ones--but I know if I throw a ballpark number out there, some guys will hold me to it. If the price ends up being much more than what I expect, we'll lose some pre-orders because some will be upset that it wasn't what I thought it might be.

Wish I could just be as transparent as I want to be.

I'm in for one...

Awesome, @efdenny! I'll keep you posted. Thanks!

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After several persisting difficulties, among which have been the arm injury, finding time, insufficient processing power for such an intricate model, and working on a few poker equipment orders, trying my best to close the funding gap...I've decided to take some time off my full-time job to finish the models. I requested Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of next week off, but, here we are, Friday, and the request is STILL pending. I don't see a problem getting the time off, but my supervisor is taking his time about it.

Progress-wise, the base is done. I showed you guys the early progress, which took quite a while on its own, but ran into some problems in putting the finishing touches on it. I had to re-evaluate how many ribs I put in, the thickness and shape of the peg compartments and their gussets, as well as some more boring stuff that you probably don't care about. Changed the pegs and the compartments and the finishing touches are done. I'm double-checking the base for errors this morning and then checking injection mold quality of the model. This involves plugging the model into software that simulates injection. It tells me where the flaws are, basically. If there are errors, I'll have to tweak the model more. Once that's done, I'll order half of a base from a 3D printing company to make absolutely sure the peg spacing is right for all the racks I've tested. I know the measurements are correct, but I guess I'm a little old school. I want to SEE the racks fit around the pegs. Once that half-base gets here and checks out, I'll order the full 3D printed prototype. The same process will be repeated for the bottom cover.

The bottom cover is almost done--hoping to have that done today, because I won't have time to finish it this weekend--and I need to work with the manufacturer about the best way to increase manufacturability and decrease wasted material in the handle. I'm hoping to begin the handle today and finish during my time off next week.

I hope this gets everyone caught up and alleviates concerns. Time to get to work again.

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What is the design height of the overall unit? From bottom of feet to top of handle? My request is to not have any extra clearance above the top rack of chips... beyond what is necessary. If these fit within my storage cabinet... I will likely buy two.
 
What is the design height of the overall unit? From bottom of feet to top of handle? My request is to not have any extra clearance above the top rack of chips... beyond what is necessary. If these fit within my storage cabinet... I will likely buy two.

I've used @pokerpig's chips and racks for the bench dogs/pegs, but not for the height of the lid yet. The height of the lid may affect the overall height, so this number may change, but it's close: 12.95 in

The vertical lid clearance will be necessarily tighter for 43mm chips/racks than 39mm chips/racks. Otherwise, there would be a big gap between the top of a stack of 39's and the top of the lid.
 
Understood that the lid and handle need to be sufficiently tall to allow for the 43mm chips. I will confirm my acceptable height this weekend. Thanks.
 

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