CPC chips and extreme desert heat (1 Viewer)

Psypher1000

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TL;DR - If you live in a desert area with high heat, consider having chips manufactured by CPC shipped during non-summer months OR have your shipment require a signature during the summer months.

This is my first summer as a chipper, so I share this for others that may be new to the hobby and live in areas with high heat.

Over the past few months I've received three shipments of chips produced by CPC (not necessarily shipped by CPC, mind you...just produced by them) that have arrived warped. Fortunately those that have arrived warped were not what I would call chips of high consequence - I won't be playing with them on any table. Nonetheless, I was a little disappointed each time.

The first time, the chips were stacked together and in a plastic bag, and were packaged such that the chips were basically a single brick. These chips were actually partially melted together and had to be pried apart. The edges were also rounded down on the outer chips.

The second shipment was sent in plastic coin/chip sleeves contained within bubble wrap/mailer.

The third shipment was basically taped flat to cardboard.

The shippers did nothing wrong - all shipments were packaged soundly; who shipped them is irrelevant. I describe the packaging only so that folks see that a variety of packaging resulted in the same type of damage - warping. The problem is our Arizona heat/mailboxes. David has indicated that CPC chips endure 140 degree heat during the manufacturing process. Our metal mailboxes during the summer hit/exceed those temps and are little more than ovens in the desert heat, particularly if they are in direct sunlight. While this phenomena isn't exclusive to CPC chips - I've had one order of Paulson's show up warped - it's mostly been CPCs. Also, the warped chips were across three different molds.

So, with all that said...be careful, desert chippers!
 
TL;DR - If you live in a desert area with high heat, consider having chips manufactured by CPC shipped during non-summer months OR have your shipment require a signature during the summer months.

This is my first summer as a chipper, so I share this for others that may be new to the hobby and live in areas with high heat.

Over the past few months I've received three shipments of chips produced by CPC (not necessarily shipped by CPC, mind you...just produced by them) that have arrived warped. Fortunately those that have arrived warped were not what I would call chips of high consequence - I won't be playing with them on any table. Nonetheless, I was a little disappointed each time.

The first time, the chips were stacked together and in a plastic bag, and were packaged such that the chips were basically a single brick. These chips were actually partially melted together and had to be pried apart. The edges were also rounded down on the outer chips.

The second shipment was sent in plastic coin/chip sleeves contained within bubble wrap/mailer.

The third shipment was basically taped flat to cardboard.

The shippers did nothing wrong - all shipments were packaged soundly; who shipped them is irrelevant. I describe the packaging only so that folks see that a variety of packaging resulted in the same type of damage - warping. The problem is our Arizona heat/mailboxes. David has indicated that CPC chips endure 140 degree heat during the manufacturing process. Our metal mailboxes during the summer hit/exceed those temps and are little more than ovens in the desert heat, particularly if they are in direct sunlight. While this phenomena isn't exclusive to CPC chips - I've had one order of Paulson's show up warped - it's mostly been CPCs. Also, the warped chips were across three different molds.

So, with all that said...be careful, desert chippers!


wellp i know that last chipper ;( sorry
 
Haven't had any issues like that, but my mailbox has brick over the metal. It's been high 90s for weeks now. I've gotten shipments packed via method 1 and 2 recently, and sent out the Iron Bank chips with method three. I won't do that again after having one inlay damaged by the tape. I'll stick with plastic wrap or bags as the only material contacting the chip from now on. Just a general PSA.
 
May I suggest........

001_Kate_Joyce_Mail_Box_2013_MG_0093.jpg
 
If you are expecting a shipment, I would recommend contacting the post office and telling them to hold the chips for pick-up - unless you're like me and you just cut out of work early when you know you have a package arriving during the day.
 
If you are expecting a shipment, I would recommend contacting the post office and telling them to hold the chips for pick-up - unless you're like me and you just cut out of work early when you know you have a package arriving during the day.
Or have them delivered to work
 
USPS Priority flat-rate boxes can be held for pickup at the post office. That won't do anything to help damage done in transit but it will prevent the chips from softening in a mailbox. I understand that chips are heated when manufactured, but they're in molds at the time.

Heck, I live in Illinois and I try to avoid having chips delivered during our hottest months. Hot is hot.
 
120F is plenty warm enough to get most 'clay' chip formulas to soften. Higher temps required for ceramics (and most plastic chips). Never did an analysis on china clays, but suspect they are somewhere between the two.
 
Good info for sure. Pretty hot here in Texas but my deliveries aren't made to an outdoor mailbox so at least I have that going for me.
 

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