I'm getting too old to clean chips (2 Viewers)

[DrStrange]

I got up this morning to look at six racks of 'fresh caught' casino chips, 200 Empress $5s and 400 Aztar $5s.

Started cleaning the Empress chips since they are headed to the table next week and the Aztars are part of a 'work in progress' that might well take a year+ to complete. I am doing the last of the Empress chips while typing this but my back hurts, fingers are a little touchy and I swear the cleaning water is toxic to the touch. All that after only 200 chips?

I decide to put the Aztar chips back in their cases and wait - there was a day not too long ago when those would be cleaned and oiled ASAP rather than stuck in the drawer for another long wait.

DrStrange

 

[dammitjim]

This is a symptom of having too many chips. You'll feel better if you sell some to me.

 

[atomiktoaster]

I don't think I've ever grabbed more than two racks of dirty chips at once, which helps some. Six would wear me out. The ultrasonic'd chips I've gotten seem very nice though. In the quantities you're dealing with, I think it would pay off.

 

[detroitdad]

This is a symptom of having too many chips. You'll feel better if you donate some to detroitdad.

I cleaned 900 chips one by one a few years ago. I didn't think my back would work right for days.

Good Luck sir.

B

 

[12thMan]

First time ever cleaning chips for me is upcoming at some point, I have 600 Pointe Defiance chips that are begging for cleaning and oiling. I do look forward to it though, I am so excited to have these chips.

I've been reading a bunch of threads about cleaning chips to prepare, but if you don't mind me asking what is your cleaning method DrStrange? To get more to the point, let's say you had, ohhhhh, about 600 hotstamped chips, what would your method be?? Obviously I would appreciate any advice a grizzled old chip vet like your self could give me.

I can't believe my first ever set of Paulson chips are still sitting uncleaned, I would have thought I would have started on them straight out of the box...shame shame shame.


Also, pics???

 

[BGinGA]

The ultrasonic'd chips I've gotten seem very nice though. In the quantities you're dealing with, I think it would pay off.

^^ This. I've pretty much given up on buying/cleaning/using used chips altogether, but if I were to be in the position of needing to clean a bunch, I'd definitely invest in the ultrasonic method. Or ship 'em out to have them cleaned by somebody who already had a set up - well worth whatever it is they'd charge me.

 

[12thMan]

I've pretty much given up on buying/cleaning/using used chips altogether,

Nice humble brag, because I know that means that you only buy new/mint now. That's awesome, I hope to reach your level one day BG. Seriously, that has to be the best feeling ever. Mint Paulsons begging for oil....hell yes please.

 

[Shaggy]

Here is ski_ex's Ultrasonic Cleaning thread. Its a great investment. Even if these are the last chips you will ever clean, it is worth it to buy the machine, clean your chips, and then resell it.

http://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/ultrasonic-chip-cleaning.1691/

 

[DrStrange]

Well I wouldn't use my brute force method on anything with a hot stamp. I didn't chase the Pointe Defiance chips in large part because how careful you need to be cleaning the hot stamp.

My method?
TEST ONE YOU DON"T LOVE FIRST!
Soak in hot water / oxiclean for 10 minutes - I do batches of 25 in a pyrex baking dish. You'll see bubbly rings rising from each chip
scrub individually with an old tooth brush
If needed clean out the gunk in the groves with a toothpick or finger nail.
rinse the batch with hot water
lay out to dry on a towel.
add a dab of oxiclean after 50 chips
add a half cup boiling water every 25 chips to keep the water warm (important - cool water doesn't dissolve the gunk nearly as well)
start with new water every 100 chips

Oiling - a dab of mineral oil on the edges many times is enough. Occasionally a 1/10 of a dab on the face of the chip for chip sets that need it.

I wouldn't do any of this with a hot stamped chip. I have never cleaned hot stamped chips in bulk, for a handful of display chips I used a damp towel and a v e r y careful selected use of a Mr Clean magic eraser.

Listen to the guys with the ultra sonic cleaner method - that seems to be the ticket.

DrStrange

PS really - TEST ONE FIRST. Things can go really wrong, like the inlay gets waterlogged or you find out those aren't inlays they are stickers or the whole chip falls apart.

PPS my first cleaning job was 1,000 outpost chips in a single session. Oh My God - I suffered for that, but I finished.

 

[Shaggy]

ski's thread hits it home when he states "clean 1000 chips in an hour."

 

[12thMan]

I guess I just assumed the ultrasonic method that I had heard about was going to be a no-no for hotstamps, reading a little into his post and he says he had success with hotstamps... That's definitely good news.

 

[Shaggy]

Its only a no-no for ASM-CPC chips. I still have some testing in the queue for that solution. I have 200 filthy ASM Kenmore lanes dollars that I plan to test various cleansers with. Just haven't found the time.

 

[MaxB]

Oiling - a dab of mineral oil on the edges many times is enough. Occasionally a 1/10 of a dab on the face of the chip for chip sets that need it.

I have to start doing this tonight ..... I have 350 chips to relabel and 1800 chips total to oil

Still need to finish cleaning the chips .... about 500 left of that

 

[detroitdad]

I have to start doing this tonight ..... I have 350 chips to relabel and 1800 chips total to oil

Still need to finish cleaning the chips .... about 500 left of that

have a cash game. Put out pizza and potato chips. Your chips will be oiled by the end of the night.

 

[catalyzeme]

I'm thinking I'm going to invest in a sonicator. These Point Defiance chips are rough man, I cleaned like 40 and it took 3 episodes of Futurama

 

[NiceShot]

Ultrasonic worked great on the garden city hotstamped quarters. Follow the guidelines shaggy posted from ski... do a test on a chip or 2 first.