Where can I get these tools? The wooden one or this one.. are they inexpensive?
Go back and look at my post in this thread #99 and you will see everything you need. Any quick clamps will do. HOME depot or Lowes & they are probably $5 or so. You really only need 1, but if you want to speed things up 4 of them helps a lot. Heating pad at CVS might have been $20 & the blank ceramic chips from gene at BR pro. Can't remember exactly but probably 25c ea or something. You can skip the blanks and just use any ceramic chips that you already have and save that. 1.5" dia PVC tubing I got a scrap piece for free at HD.
If u go to CVS make sure to get the extra long series 700 (with the actual temp gauge). The regular size is not long enough to cover 10 chips and 11 ceramic spacers.
FYI, I switched to laying 10 chips and the spacers flat and heating them for 10-15 mins at 140 degrees - then immediately putting them in the clamps and let sit for 2 hours. Much faster.
It turns off after 30 mins as a safety feature.
There's a timer I can set it to 180m apparently. Anyway, it seemed to have turned off at least 10m before the first 30m mark, and the "E4" and the fact that I couldn't turn it on again without unplugging it and plugging it back in seemed to indicate some kind of error. It did turn back on again after and stayed on until I turned it off again. Will see with the next batch.
I feel like because I'm using 43mm spacers without the ribbed rack, it takes me a little bit of time to balance and stack the alternating spacers and chips vertically on the bar clamp "platform", taking time to center the chips between the blanks, that I'd probably lose a decent amount of heat. I'm okay with stacking and clamping them first, then wrapping the heating pad around and letting them warm. Second batch just finished heating at 140F and I'll let them cool overnight.
If you only have a rack to do your method is fine, but it is going to take a lot of extra time. If you have a lot to do, you really need either the spacer thing or something like I use with the 1.5" PVC tube cut in two. Lining everything up takes me 2 seconds and it works perfectly every time. See my post #99 in this thread: https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/flattening-chips-question.67486/page-4#post-1586920
Thanks for the advice! Right now I only have 1.5 racks of chips hat really need flattening. Might go though the rest of my chips to see if there's more. I was able to get the heating pad, 43mm blanks, and clamps within a few days. The 3D printed ribbed rack would have taken longer so I just tried the manual, balancing act because I didn't want to want. Plan on getting those racks to make it way easier in the future!
If directed at me, you are welcome
I have found that almost all used chips have some warped chips in there. You don't realize how nice it is to have flat chips until you start messing around with flattening them.
Yes directed at you (and others), thanks!
looks like you are on the right track!.
This pad says max setting is 140, so that’s where it’s at. Timer is set and I’ll be rotating the clamps and stackin stacks throughout the day
looking closer at your pic, do you have ceramic blanks in between each chip. I don't see them, but maybe they are there. I know others have had good luck with the thingy ma jiggy that helps line everything up. I am sure that works great too, but for free I asked for, and got a scrap of 1.5" dia PVC pipe at HD and then cut it in half the long way. Make it about 8' long and it works like a champ for free. It should look something like this:
I do, it’s just blue CPCs mixed with blue ceramics haha.looking closer at your pic, do you have ceramic blanks in between each chip. I don't see them, but maybe they are there. I know others have had good luck with the thingy ma jiggy that helps line everything up. I am sure that works great too, but for free I asked for, and got a scrap of 1.5" dia PVC pipe at HD and then cut it in half the long way. Make it about 8' long and it works like a champ for free. It should look something like this:
perfect
Whoa!
With my bar clamps, I give the tightening handles a firm handshake. So far so good, but I find some chips just won't flatten even after multiple attempts, with more pressure, with higher temps (150-160), etc. Have you found that some chips will never flatten (and I'm not expecting perfectly flat, but some are still quite wobbly after multiple flattening sessions)?
How long are you allowing them to cool?
2+ hours
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