Custom Chip Design Help and Feedback for UK Group (1 Viewer)

[Choketastic]

Hi all. I'm sure you've seen many posts like this before so I do apologise but couldn't find a general ask a question thread.

My small UK pub group has agreed to graduate from dice chips to something better. I've taken the lead and keeping everyone happy isn't easy We've agreed on the clubs logo in the middle with EPT outside. Fully custom. We are open to ideas though.

Issues:
- A very tight budget.
- Everywhere has high shipping costs and then approx 25% total added for VAT and Import fees.
- Making sure the quality will be good.

Options I know of=
Premium/Expensive:
1. BrProPoker - I have a set of cash game chips of dia de los meurtos and they're beautiful. We can't however afford the needed chips on our budget.
2. Sun-Fly - I've been in contact and whilst the price per chip is ok free shipping is only for non-custom section which is understandable.
3. Poker Merchant - Just very expensive overall but looks good quality.

Affordable/Tina:
4. Shenzen - I like the look of their hybrid ceramics (https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/nuts-hybrid-tina-chips.95735/) but concerned that a sticker inlay might not be durable? Anyone have experiences with this?
5. KaileGame - Awaiting on their sample pics.
6. MandyPokerChips - https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/custom-ceramic-chips-from-mandy-poker-chips.94635/ posted here that they were good. I'm concerned that the crosshatching is quite prominent fading out the colour? Looks a little fuzzy I dunno. Samples below. Would love feedback on these samples from experienced chippers.

Any feedback and other ideas would be welcome

 

[Choketastic]

Shameless bump

 

[SoupHQ]

_4. Shenzen - I like the look of their hybrid ceramics but concerned that a sticker inlay might not be durable? Anyone have experiences with this?_

Yes, they are very durable. Go with Tina - best Chinese-Vendor by far.

 

[Choketastic]

_4. Shenzen - I like the look of their hybrid ceramics but concerned that a sticker inlay might not be durable? Anyone have experiences with this?_

Yes, they are very durable. Go with Tina - best Chinese-Vendor by far.

Thanks for reply Glad they hold up, our casuals will put them to the test

I'm assuming this is a cultural thing as in the UK labels are seen as cheap and non-durable. Obviously not just a interesting difference of attitude.

I've spoken to Tina briefly and they seem very switched on

 

[Beanio]

Hi - im in the UK.

You say a tight budget... what is your budget, even approximately?

How many players in your pub group?

 

[Choketastic]

Hi - im in the UK.

You say a tight budget... what is your budget, even approximately?

How many players in your pub group?

HI Beanio.

We have approx £500/$635. This wouldn't be an issue normally but living in UK I'm sure you're aware of all the fees I love the idea of the hybrid ceramics but with a 1,000 min order and likely label fees it's probably out of reach so aiming for ceramics like shown in first post.

Pub group averages 15 but can host up to 27. With a restricted loadout we can get this down to 725 chips. 825 chips ideally if we want to expand an extra table

 

[Nymor]

It might be possible to get enough hybrids on that budget but I suspect you'd be pushing it.

I got ~1000 Tina No Molds a couple of years ago for around £500 all in, mostly 39s but a few 43s. I can't remember exactly but the breakdown chips/shipping was approx £280/£220 for what was 10kg direct via plane rather than the slow boat and I was fortunate enough that I somehow slipped through the customs cracks and paid no import fees

I don't think Tina prices/shipping costs have changed that much over the last 2 years for the above to be too far off what I'd expect now so you could get what you need.

(If going fully custom you may need to budget for some help from a designer unless you or one of your players can do the design work but that shouldn't be prohibitive)

 

[Beanio]

Seems you're not too far off being able to purchase a fully custom ceramics set from BR Pro - you own a set of DDLM's so you'll know first hand the quality of the chips.

I have a custom set of BR Pros for cash games - SUPER high quality and durable.

You'll definitely want something durable if you're set to play with them often.

What is your starting stack breakdown for your tournaments?

You could go for a 5k starting stack like so:

8 x T25
8 x T100 (+2 more for colour up)
4 x T500
2 X T1000

I would add 2 extra T100's per player, for colouring up the T25's.

That in total is only 720 chips if you wanted enough for 30 players - which isn't far off your budget with BR Pro Poker custom ceramics (comes out about £510 before shipping and customs tax).

Each player would start on 100 BB's if you set the first level at 25/50 - which I think is plenty, especially for a pub tournament which cant go on all night.

I don't have any experience of Tina's ceramics or any of the other Chinese made options, but there seems to be lots of enthusiasts on here that buy Tina's ceramics.

Personally, if it were me - I'd try to find a bit more budget and see about getting some fully custom ceramics from BR Pro. Failing that, maybe go with Tina's or another cheaper alternative.

That's my 2 pence on the matter mate... Be interested to see what you go with

 

[Beanio]

I think I've cracked it!

You can get semi custom chips from BR Pro at .75 cents a chip based on an order between 500 and 999 chips.

So you could go with the 720 chips, 5k starting stack option I outlined in my previous post, and with the current exchange rate, its coming out as £425!

That'll leave some budget for shipping and import costs.

You also wont need to worry about artwork, just change the text or denomination to represent the boozer you play in.

Might be worth considering...

 

[Choketastic]

It might be possible to get enough hybrids on that budget but I suspect you'd be pushing it.

I got ~1000 Tina No Molds a couple of years ago for around £500 all in, mostly 39s but a few 43s. I can't remember exactly but the breakdown chips/shipping was approx £280/£220 for what was 10kg direct via plane rather than the slow boat and I was fortunate enough that I somehow slipped through the customs cracks and paid no import fees

I don't think Tina prices/shipping costs have changed that much over the last 2 years for the above to be too far off what I'd expect now so you could get what you need.

(If going fully custom you may need to budget for some help from a designer unless you or one of your players can do the design work but that shouldn't be prohibitive)

That's really good to hear. I've messaged Tina about general ceramics so this would be the ideal option.

How have yours held up?

Could you please link me/DM to where you got the No Molds from?

We actually have an excellent designer in our poker group so they are sorting it, which was lucky!

 

[Choketastic]

Seems you're not too far off being able to purchase a fully custom ceramics set from BR Pro - you own a set of DDLM's so you'll know first hand the quality of the chips.

I have a custom set of BR Pros for cash games - SUPER high quality and durable.

You'll definitely want something durable if you're set to play with them often.

What is your starting stack breakdown for your tournaments?

You could go for a 5k starting stack like so:

8 x T25
8 x T100 (+2 more for colour up)
4 x T500
2 X T1000

I would add 2 extra T100's per player, for colouring up the T25's.

That in total is only 720 chips if you wanted enough for 30 players - which isn't far off your budget with BR Pro Poker custom ceramics (comes out about £510 before shipping and customs tax).

Each player would start on 100 BB's if you set the first level at 25/50 - which I think is plenty, especially for a pub tournament which cant go on all night.

I don't have any experience of Tina's ceramics or any of the other Chinese made options, but there seems to be lots of enthusiasts on here that buy Tina's ceramics.

Personally, if it were me - I'd try to find a bit more budget and see about getting some fully custom ceramics from BR Pro. Failing that, maybe go with Tina's or another cheaper alternative.

That's my 2 pence on the matter mate... Be interested to see what you go with

I do love my DDLMS's the only issue however is we had a group vote and it was decided that the chips must contain the clubs logo. Which I'm ok with. We're having the DDLM chips as back up if cannot find good quality customs This rules out the semi-custom from BrProPoker and would have to go fully custom and for 700 chips that's around £1,000

It's funny you mention the 5k and chip loadout. I sort all of the chips and blind structure etc and 5K's already our stack size and the 8/8/4/2 is our future chip loadout Funny how chippers think alike! We are also purchasing 75 bounty chips for our bounty games which are monthly. So this bumps the price up. We need 700 chips minimum and 825 ideally.

Appreciate the input. I agree BrPro quality is unmatched. Will post an update post when we sort everything. Our pub poker is developing into a quality night. We don't do things lazily

 

[Nymor]

They're holding up very well - they're as new tbh, no breakages or wear that I can see.

Tina is at https://szchenlin.en.alibaba.com/ , but if you've been messaging her then you've already got that.

The only thing to say about Tina No Molds, when compared to her Hybrids, is that you will get some "spinners". I have a few but they don't bother me and non of my players have mentioned it. Search the forum for "spinners" to read more about them if you haven't already. I haven't seen anyone who has a problem with them but best to be informed and aware.

 

[Beanio]

I do love my DDLMS's the only issue however is we had a group vote and it was decided that the chips must contain the clubs logo. Which I'm ok with. We're having the DDLM chips as back up if cannot find good quality customs This rules out the semi-custom from BrProPoker and would have to go fully custom and for 700 chips that's around £1,000

It's funny you mention the 5k and chip loadout. I sort all of the chips and blind structure etc and 5K's already our stack size and the 8/8/4/2 is our future chip loadout Funny how chippers think alike! We are also purchasing 75 bounty chips for our bounty games which are monthly. So this bumps the price up. We need 700 chips minimum and 825 ideally.

Appreciate the input. I agree BrPro quality is unmatched. Will post an update post when we sort everything. Our pub poker is developing into a quality night. We don't do things lazily

My pleasure! Great to have a project like this and whatever you go with, it will be so cool to have a custom set for your games.

One thing I will leave you with, double check your pricing on BR Pro fully custom, because with the volume discount I make it out as £585 for 825 chips.

 

[Choketastic]

My pleasure! Great to have a project like this and whatever you go with, it will be so cool to have a custom set for your games.

One thing I will leave you with, double check your pricing on BR Pro fully custom, because with the volume discount I make it out as £585 for 825 chips.

I got it as;
825x$0.90 (non alligned edges but it's ok) = $742
Shipping = $180 +$742= $922
+ $230 Tax and Fees 25% = $992+$230=$1,152
$1,150 or £905 (or 700 chips for approx £800)

All the extra fees to the UK is just awful

 

[SoupHQ]

Post your design here before ordering!!! - we can help with that too.

 

[Choketastic]

Post your design here before ordering!!! - we can help with that too.

We have a sample made for us already from MandyChips who has been excellent to talk to so far, this is shown in the original post (as long as my picture uploaded).

Should be an uploaded picture with this post

 

[SoupHQ]

We have a sample made for us already from MandyChips who has been excellent to talk to so far, this is shown in the original post (as long as my picture uploaded).

Should be an uploaded picture with this post

Take your time ;- ) Browse through the forum to check out other designs.