help...newbie wants to design his own sets (1 Viewer)

[ihavesnowmen]

I am very serious....avid poker player (never paid attention to chips just what is offered.) Now a fanatic. I want to design my own high quality chip and i didnt realize the magnitude of my wishes.....point me in the right direction?...what are the right questions to ask? The right people to ask them to? Cheap or free designers to help me? Im not that artistic love helpful advice?....please only nice helpful people i dont have time for time wasters or thread deterioration
Bryan

 

[MaxB]

I'd start with the chip design tool from the top menu here

 

[Mr Tree]

First, you are 100% in the right place! Welcome. Now get ready.

Do you have a budget? Customs can run up there depending on what you want to do.

Also I think the first step is to determine a medium. Ceramic or clay chips? Once you figure that out you can begin work on what you want to do.

 

[abby99]

My first decisions were choosing a type of chip (clay) and a manufacturer (CPC is the best and only choice today). Then I spent hours, seriously, pouring through photos of custom chips and making notes about which elements appealed to me and which elements I was unlikely to want in my custom set. After I had developed a good sense of what I wanted, I spent even more hours (probably by a factor of 100) with the chip design tool, while working with a designer (J5). Selecting a theme occurred early in the design process. I also ordered a color sample set from the manufacturer -- don't skip this step because colors on a screen don't look the same in real life. As I developed my ideas, I posted my drafts and received many helpful suggestions from fellow members.

 

[trever]

I'd differ slightly and suggest that you start with your theme first. once you start closing in on that, you will have some basis for narrowing your other choices.

 

[ihavesnowmen]

Wow....im at work ...wrote the post in my lunch and you guus are great already helping.....ill check out the tool...for sure
For you guys that have strong opinions for the custom offerings....please tell me why "you" chose your medium. Most likely ill have the same concerns i just dont know what they are yet. This may sou d wierd but i want to build a set i can hand down to my son.....i should have died from a medical problem i had last year and he loves poker and he is only 11...so if something happens i want him to be proud to own them....instead of me saying give me the most expensive ....caiuse i dont know the ranges can you guys tell me i spent 50 cents a chip andd wish i never uses them and i spent 1 a chip and thwy were amazing or to do it right you need 2.55 a chip and buy in stages lol.....i really need the crash course....i think ill want different sets but i like my avatar and wanted it to be my base design and go from there...its my initials and if thats too much ego i can change it but thought process was guys would learn my chip design and know if they "came up missing"....im rambling....im in sales so easy to do...i thought i could do this on my own and when i heard guys complaining bout chips not flat and chips breaking and needing oiled (didn't even know)..list goes on....i was overwhelmed so thank you thank you thank you.....i know you guys will get me up to speed......if anyone likes to tinker with designing tell me what you would do with this

 

[ihavesnowmen]

Any thoughts

 

[acl1904]

Get samples...

 

[ihavesnowmen]

I like elaborate schemes.....i know simple is sometimes better....here is another concern i like the chips that look like a full blown pic from end to end and very fancy but i also like the chips with scrolls around edges and absolutely love the colorful hash marks (what do you guys call them) i call the brush strokes like rounders chips have 4 or 5....they usually have 2 or 3 colors together they look sweet im so new sorry that i dont know the lingo.....oh yeah feel sound and weight matter to me......what do you guys like and why?

Get samples...

I bought samples thats how i ended up here hated them and decided not to do business with them....chiplab?

Oops i probably shouldnt say stuff like that people at chiplab were fast and courteous. ...very nice i just didnt solve anything with the samples......sorry chiplab if last post sounded harsh....

Get samples...

Who has best samples

 

[spikeithard]

What are your most specific questions you may have?

as for samples, get a full custom color and mold set from CPC (classic poker chips)

or if your going ceramic route, get a sample set from PGI. They are both vendors on here

 

[ihavesnowmen]

I'd start with the chip design tool from the top menu here

Thank you...on my phone i didnt even know there was a tool

First, you are 100% in the right place! Welcome. Now get ready.

Do you have a budget? Customs can run up there depending on what you want to do.

Also I think the first step is to determine a medium. Ceramic or clay chips? Once you figure that out you can begin work on what you want to do.

I think clay is fine can you tell me an advantage to ceramic i havent done ceramic homework

My first decisions were choosing a type of chip (clay) and a manufacturer (CPC is the best and only choice today). Then I spent hours, seriously, pouring through photos of custom chips and making notes about which elements appealed to me and which elements I was unlikely to want in my custom set. After I had developed a good sense of what I wanted, I spent even more hours (probably by a factor of 100) with the chip design tool, while working with a designer (J5). Selecting a theme occurred early in the design process. I also ordered a color sample set from the manufacturer -- don't skip this step because colors on a screen don't look the same in real life. As I developed my ideas, I posted my drafts and received many helpful suggestions from fellow members.

Wow...thank you great response ill dive into these ideas when not at work...

What are your most specific questions you may have?

as for samples, get a full custom color and mold set from CPC (classic poker chips)

or if your going ceramic route, get a sample set from PGI. They are both vendors on here

Ok you guys are helping already will order set maybe tonight.....side note playing pittsburgh poker open sunday tues and sunday...anyone else?...is that ok for me to ask?

 

[ihavesnowmen]

I must sound like a real amatuer but what diameter is best and why? I thought they were all the same....what abiut fitting in a chip tray?

 

[atomiktoaster]

I must sound like a real amatuer but what diameter is best and why? I thought they were all the same....what abiut fitting in a chip tray?

Standard trays hold 39 mm chips. Larger diameters are less common, but can make for baller large denom chips.

 

[ihavesnowmen]

Standard trays hold 39 mm chips. Larger diameters are less common, but can make for baller large denom chips.

Ok that makes sense thank you....i wish i was an artist....ive come up with this open diamond north... open heart south.....open club west and open spade east and a king queen jack and something inside the open part of the suit outline maybe very medevil type look black white gray most likely have to be on ceramic .....off to the side it would be NE $1....SE ONE...... SW...my initials BK...the bases of each suit touch? Interlock? Come close but small gap for small raven? Cross? Sword? Just thinking out loud.....anyone see in there head where im going with this ? Too much? Help? I take all advice

 

[BNM]

Once you have a general concept in mind, or even a specific one, hire one of the fantastic art designers on here to bring your vision fully to life. The money you spend will be a small percent of the overall cost of your entire set and well worth it.

I chose clay (CPC) because that's the closest to the look, feel and sound I associate with poker. I almost went with ceramic when CPC was under previous ownership, and the artwork options for ceramic are pretty impressive. But, I waited and CPC was re-born and produces the top-notch product I wanted. For me, there's only clay (CPC), but it's your custom set so the broader artwork options associated with ceramics may be your thing.

Oh, yeah, get samples.

Best of luck.

 

[David O]

Good Luck with your design

 

[Mr Tree]

Ok that makes sense thank you....i wish i was an artist....ive come up with this open diamond north... open heart south.....open club west and open spade east and a king queen jack and something inside the open part of the suit outline maybe very medevil type look black white gray most likely have to be on ceramic .....off to the side it would be NE $1....SE ONE...... SW...my initials BK...the bases of each suit touch? Interlock? Come close but small gap for small raven? Cross? Sword? Just thinking out loud.....anyone see in there head where im going with this ? Too much? Help? I take all advice

Email johnny5. He's the chip making Michaelangelo

 

[ihavesnowmen]

Good Luck with your design

Thank you

 

[chipjoker]

Welcome, and best of luck on your design.

I like CPC chips as they are similar to Real Casino Clay chips, Also known as Top Hat and Cane or Paulson.
J5 is the guy to contact for Really Awesome advice, design and art, He maybe pretty busy though.

I do recommend samples as the colors and Molds look and feel different in your hand sometimes.....

 

[ihavesnowmen]

Ok thanks im going to order my samples soon im little busy with kids getting back to school but thats the plan....im constantly thinking about it so not on back burner

 

[BGinGA]

1. Get samples FIRST.

And get them before you put much effort into your design/theme -- because what you find in chip samples may sway or alter your design direction. For your purposes, I'd order at least two sample chips (one weighted, one unweighted) of each CPC clay mold that appeals to you (there are at least 10). In addition, I'd order ceramic samples from GOCC, PGI, OWPS, and ABC -- at least 2 per vendor, so you can check both feel and sound when adjacent. To do it really right, you need at least 8-10 of every combination. Smart money is that you will select one of the many clay molds offered by CPC, but it's not a given.


2. Get ideas from existing chips and sets.

Spend many hours (literally) viewing different chip sets and designs in the photo galleries here and on ChipTalk. Make note of what appeals to you (and why), and what doesn't (and why). You will find these notes to be most valuable during the next steps.


3. Hire a chip designer.

Take your rough ideas for chip face/inlay artwork to an accomplished and proven chip designer. The cost is minimal when compared to what you'll spend on the chips, and the positive results of doing so cannot be overemphasized. There are several excellent designers here to choose from.


4. Select your chip colors and edge spot configurations.

Spend many hours in the Chip Design Tool, trying different combinations that match your theme/ideas/tastes. Get feedback from users here. Fine-tune. Rinse, repeat.


5. Don't rush it, get it perfectly right. No bonuses for speed or shortcuts.

Designing and building a once-in-a-lifetime chip set (lol @ that concept around here) takes time. Done properly, it takes a LOT of time, AND patience. Speed kills.


Somewhere along the line, you will likely be forced to make some tough budget choices. Spreading the costs of a high-end set over the lifetime(s) that it is used and treasured makes it easier to spend additional monies to get what you really want. Rare is the person with buyer's remorse for spending too much. More common is the person who "wishes I had done xxx for the extra $$". Don't be that guy.

 

[ihavesnowmen]

1. Get samples FIRST.

And get them before you put much effort into your design/theme -- because what you find in chip samples may sway or alter your design direction. For your purposes, I'd order at least two sample chips (one weighted, one unweighted) of each CPC clay mold that appeals to you (there are at least 10). In addition, I'd order ceramic samples from GOCC, PGI, OWPS, and ABC -- at least 2 per vendor, so you can check both feel and sound when adjacent. To do it really right, you need at least 8-10 of every combination. Smart money is that you will select one of the many clay molds offered by CPC, but it's not a given.


2. Get ideas from existing chips and sets.

Spend many hours (literally) viewing different chip sets and designs in the photo galleries here and on ChipTalk. Make note of what appeals to you (and why), and what doesn't (and why). You will find these notes to be most valuable during the next steps.


3. Hire a chip designer.

Take your rough ideas for chip face/inlay artwork to an accomplished and proven chip designer. The cost is minimal when compared to what you'll spend on the chips, and the positive results of doing so cannot be overemphasized. There are several excellent designers here to choose from.


4. Select your chip colors and edge spot configurations.

Spend many hours in the Chip Design Tool, trying different combinations that match your theme/ideas/tastes. Get feedback from users here. Fine-tune. Rinse, repeat.


5. Don't rush it, get it perfectly right. No bonuses for speed or shortcuts.

Designing and building a once-in-a-lifetime chip set (lol @ that concept around here) takes time. Done properly, it takes a LOT of time, AND patience. Speed kills.


Somewhere along the line, you will likely be forced to make some tough budget choices. Spreading the costs of a high-end set over the lifetime(s) that it is used and treasured makes it easier to spend additional monies to get what you really want. Rare is the person with buyer's remorse for spending too much. More common is the person who "wishes I had done xxx for the extra $$". Don't be that guy.

Wow it was awesome for you to take the time to outline my approach. Thank you i am absorbing all these hreat ideas....i am more than willing to 'do it right'. You guys all seem to be mega pro cpc....almost to the point of worship....i hope it is the right church.....im starting to think you are all related to him...can you or someone else give me one liners or a few small reasons you like him so much. His chips....oh yeah i tried seaching this johnny5 guy and i musta did something wrong cause i didnt find him. Heard alot about him. Thanks guys PLEASE KEEP BRINGING THE SUGGESTIONS...THIS SET WILLL BE AWESOME

 

[atomiktoaster]

Here's some reasons for CPC+J5:

http://www.pokerchipforum.com/resources/black-cat-club.6/
http://www.pokerchipforum.com/resources/the-hitching-post-cash-set.10/
http://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/the-iron-bank-tournament-set.5631/

 

[Mr Tree]

Wow it was awesome for you to take the time to outline my approach. Thank you i am absorbing all these hreat ideas....i am more than willing to 'do it right'. You guys all seem to be mega pro cpc....almost to the point of worship....i hope it is the right church.....im starting to think you are all related to him...can you or someone else give me one liners or a few small reasons you like him so much. His chips....oh yeah i tried seaching this johnny5 guy and i musta did something wrong cause i didnt find him. Heard alot about him. Thanks guys PLEASE KEEP BRINGING THE SUGGESTIONS...THIS SET WILLL BE AWESOME

CPC is the only company that still makes "true" clay custom chips for the home market. So if you want to get something in the classic casino style that is completely custom they are your only option. Fortunately they are a good option!

Other clay manufacturers include (but are not limited to) Paulson, TRK, and BCC. If you don't want customs there are Paulson and TRK casino sets out there as well as some fantasy sets. All of the makers use their own clay formulas resulting in different feels to the chips as well as having unique molds and color palats.

But if you want true custom clays then CPC is your only option. Your cost per chip might run anywhere from a little over a dollar to around $4 a chip depending on the complexity of edge spots and number of colors used.

Also follow every single piece of advice BGinGA just gave you. He is steering you right.

 

[Mr Tree]

Johnny5 is a member here. You can start a conversation and send him a request. He is very busy so you will have to be patient waiting for a response but his work is top notch.

 

[manamongkids]

J5 Design

J5 Execution

 

[ihavesnowmen]

Johnny5 is a member here. You can start a conversation and send him a request. He is very busy so you will have to be patient waiting for a response but his work is top notch.

Not in a hurry at moment so i can be patient

 

[ihavesnowmen]

J5 Design

J5 Execution
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Love the donkwoods....goodstuff

 

[inca911]

Welcome! I'd suggest no initials, in case you do decide you need to sell someday. Initials may limit potential buyers. A cool theme can certainly be done without them. $0.02

 

[ihavesnowmen]

Welcome! I'd suggest no initials, in case you do decide you need to sell someday. Initials may limit potential buyers. A cool theme can certainly be done without them. $0.02

Appreciate it....i totally understand about the initials but my op was about a set i could hand down to my son...i think i will design a couple sets before the hand me down set