Make-it-yourself chip tube (39mm chips and smaller) (2 Viewers)

[Pony]

You're cheap. At the home games you host, you serve outdated hotdogs on dry buns, while providing various condiment packets you've picked up over the last few years from fast food establishments and gas stations. If your guests are lucky, you might also splurge with some of those dollar store off-brand chips at your home games. Problem you're having is that typically before the game starts, someone manages to bump that expensive card table you found on the corner that you're using for games, and the stacks of those good Anchor plastic interlocking chips have to keep being restacked. You're looking for a solution - but being a cheapskate, you ain't paying a bunch of money for pop-top vials.

Well, you're in luck! I'm gonna show you how to make your own basic chip tube. NOTE: NEED TO ADD, THIS IS GOOD ONLY FOR 39MM CHIPS OR SMALLER

Go to a Lowes or Home Depot, buy yourself a 4' or 8' T12 fluorescent tube bulb protector. An 8' one is just under $9. Next thing you'll need is some Gatorade lids. Go ahead, check your neighbor's recycle bin. I've got kids in sports, so I'm set. Also grab a glue gun. Or some super glue.

Next, cut the tube in about 6" lengths (assuming each player will start with around 35-40 chips). You will also want to cut off the bottom 1/2" from the tube, after removing the plug that comes with the tube, as it flares the end out a smidgen. If you're good, with precise cuts and measurements, and going just under 6", you can end up with 16 tubes.

After you've got a nice section of tube with square cuts, go ahead and take that Gatorade cap, place it open-side down, toss some glue on it and place the tube over the cap. Boom. Done. You've now got a chip tube. You're welcome. Want a lid? Too bad, be glad with what you've got.

 

[Pony]

As this will probably be asked; inside diameter of the chip tube is approx. 41mm.

Also; there are other drink lids that are very close to the same size as the Gatorade lids. Check what you've got around your house. At my house, we actually do have kids in sports, and the wife's a teacher, so she saves lids off of containers for school projects. I tripped over the gallon-size container in the garage this weekend, saw the lids, and came upon this idea.

I've got some tube caps coming in the mail I'm gonna try out as lids (or bases). First set I got are great, but are a hair on the small size - they could be glued in like these Gatorade caps, but am looking for something a bit snugger.

 

[Pony]

Here's a pic of the caps I ordered - they are just a hair loose - they will stay on top kinda. They could be glued on as a base - but I actually like inverting the gatorade cap, as it gives a defined flat platform for the chips to set on. With the black plug, a chip could go sideways and tilt on edge into the plug. Black plugs were about $.50/each for the ones pictured. Will update when the other plugs arrive.

 

[Colquhoun]

Very cool idea!
Now I’m itching to see an 8’ tube filled with chips.
Show up to the game carrying that!

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Very cool idea!
Now I’m itching to see an 8’ tube filled with chips.
Show up to the game carrying that!

Grab a robe, "YOU SHALL, NOT, CALL!" And slam your gandalf staff down, shattering half the chips in the weapon

 

[Silver_Fiend]

Genius!

My favorite part of your post was taking pics of the tubes on your toilet.

 

[Pony]

Genius!

My favorite part of your post was taking pics of the tubes on your toilet.

Ha! Glad someone caught that! Did that on purpose using a bunch of my old bike-tire roulette chips in the pic as well

 

[allforcharity]

Prescription bottles are even cheaper and come ready to use, lids and all.

 

[Pony]

Prescription bottles are even cheaper and come ready to use, lids and all.

Have read mention of people using those, but seems that you can't fit an entire starting stack in a Rx bottle - and all the bottles around me are that brown color. Do you have some Rx bottles in your area that can fit a starting stack? That would be cool if you have a pic.

Easy to see with these being clear and if stacked next to each other, that the chips are all the same quantity/etc.

 

[allforcharity]

These can be ordered in clear (no colour). They do indeed come in tall dimensions, can probably hold about 40 chips.

 

[Pony]

These can be ordered in clear (no colour). They do indeed come in tall dimensions, can probably hold about 40 chips.

Oh, I wonder if you're talking about these......

I've had a set on order for awhile that's supposed to be here Friday, as shown. In lower quantity they end up being a bit over a buck apiece. In a 60+ quantity, they end up being about $.57 apiece. Which is about what I 'made' my own for.

Sometimes it's just fun to make something outta stuff you've got handy, instead of waiting for the slow boat or USPS to sit on your item for a week. Also allows for customization. I like the light tube being much more clear - the vials/bottles are more opaque.