My quest to improve chip boxes (1 Viewer)

[XBobdog]

I have decided to make a better chip box. Not a chip case, but just 100 chip storage boxes.

Why would I do this? I have been unsatisfied with the chip box/ rack options that are available for a while. Sure, Paulson racks and a birdcage work very well for many things, but all of the plastic options just don't feel as solid as I would like for my $500 + / rack chips. The chip boxes I've been buying, which have been $4-5 dollars apiece, when I can even find them, remind me of disposable packaging. I have the same problem with Matsui racks. They work fine, but feel very fragile and insignificant when handled. I am a wood worker (as a hobby) and just feel that a wooden option would be better. Feel better, look better and last longer. Like a whole series of miniature chip cases.

I have a unique storage system that utilizes old card catalogs for chip storage. The problem with this system is 5 barrel boxes (Paulson boxes, standard racks) can only fit 2 racks per drawer. 4 barrel boxes (chip boxes, TRK boxes) fit 4 per drawer... Space for MOAR CHIPS!!! My plan is to make a 4 barrel box.

This is my first prototype. Pine. I'm remaking with some tightening of the dimensions so the chips stay tighter. What do you think?

This is the case i am presently rehabbing into chip storage. This beast could hold 25,000 chips with enough of the correct sized boxes.

 

[Tonysquander]

I love the way that box looks, but is it easy to retrieve chips out of it?

 

[Colquhoun]

Does it need to be a box that goes in the drawer or could it be just a wood tray, made to fit each drawer?
I'm only thinking of the weight on that cabinet of all the chips, plus the weight of all those boxes.
Beautiful cabinet, btw!

 

[XBobdog]

I love the way that box looks, but is it easy to retrieve chips out of it?

Very good thought. The second sample has been altered to lower the sides and include half moon cutout to get a good grip on the stack.

 

[Tonysquander]

Very good thought. The second sample has been altered to lower the sides and include half moon cutout to get a good grip on the stack.

That was exactly what I was thinking would work better. Can’t wait to see this project unfold.

 

[XBobdog]

Does it need to be a box that goes in the drawer or could it be just a wood tray, made to fit each drawer?
I'm only thinking of the weight on that cabinet of all the chips, plus the weight of all those boxes.
Beautiful cabinet, btw!

I've done wood trays in a different card catalog, but it limits you to 200 chips per drawer and took a long time to finish.

Card catalogs were full of paper. chips and boxes may be heavier, but I'd be more worried about the floor than the cabinet

 

[Colquhoun]

I've done wood trays in a different card catalog, but it limits you to 200 chips per drawer and took a long time to finish.View attachment 1070583
Card catalogs were full of paper. chips and boxes may be heavier, but I'd be more worried about the floor than the cabinet

Hmmm, I guess I'm not understanding it correctly. The tray I was thinking would be the size of the drawer in the larger cabinet, and would hold all 400+ chips. Maybe a handle built into the middle to lift the whole tray out?
Wouldn't making 1 tray per drawer be less work than 4 boxes per drawer?

 

[Tonysquander]

That looks fantastic. I was really close to finding a barristers book case to repurpose by adding additional shelving and lighting to it. Ultimately decided it was just going to be too big for the space I was going to put it in.

 

[Mike mac]

I have decided to make a better chip box. Not a chip case, but just 100 chip storage boxes.

Why would I do this? I have been unsatisfied with the chip box/ rack options that are available for a while. Sure, Paulson racks and a birdcage work very well for many things, but all of the plastic options just don't feel as solid as I would like for my $500 + / rack chips. The chip boxes I've been buying, which have been $4-5 dollars apiece, when I can even find them, remind me of disposable packaging. I have the same problem with Matsui racks. They work fine, but feel very fragile and insignificant when handled. I am a wood worker (as a hobby) and just feel that a wooden option would be better. Feel better, look better and last longer. Like a whole series of miniature chip cases.

I have a unique storage system that utilizes old card catalogs for chip storage. The problem with this system is 5 barrel boxes (Paulson boxes, standard racks) can only fit 2 racks per drawer. 4 barrel boxes (chip boxes, TRK boxes) fit 4 per drawer... Space for MOAR CHIPS!!! My plan is to make a 4 barrel box.

This is my first prototype. Pine. I'm remaking with some tightening of the dimensions so the chips stay tighter. What do you think?
View attachment 1070573View attachment 1070574

This is the case i am presently rehabbing into chip storage. This beast could hold 25,000 chips with enough of the correct sized boxes.
View attachment 1070249

open open open open

 

[Taghkanic]

Cost of steel beam under floor holding up giant cabinet containing 25,000 chips is…

 

[XBobdog]

Hmmm, I guess I'm not understanding it correctly. The tray I was thinking would be the size of the drawer in the larger cabinet, and would hold all 400+ chips. Maybe a handle built into the middle to lift the whole tray out?
Wouldn't making 1 tray per drawer be less work than 4 boxes per drawer?

What you are not seeing is that the larger cabinet drawers are subdivided to be card catalog size. I don't want to cut the dividers out because they are built into the drawers.

 

[XBobdog]

Cost of steel beam under floor holding up giant cabinet containing 25,000 chips is…

I was just tinkering with this thought...

Let me see if I do the math right.

25,000 chips at say 10 grams a piece (probably an overestimate). 250,000 grams---- 250 kg or 550 pounds approximately. Heavy, but not really as heavy as I would have thought.

 

[XBobdog]

After a bit of thought this is the 2nd prototype.
I thought it would be better to be able to see into the box.
Easy to grab the chips.

I think I am going to tighten up the barrel width a tiny bit.

 

[XBobdog]

I realize I never mentioned it before, but my plan is to get these boxes mass produced. If anyone has any interest in getting any of these after I've finalized the plan, PM me.

 

[ovo]

I've done wood trays in a different card catalog, but it limits you to 200 chips per drawer and took a long time to finish.View attachment 1070583
Card catalogs were full of paper. chips and boxes may be heavier, but I'd be more worried about the floor than the cabinet

I think we need to use the dewy decimal system for this storage

 

[BGinGA]

I realize I never mentioned it before, but my plan is to get these boxes mass produced. If anyone has any interest in getting any of these after I've finalized the plan, PM me.

In that case, I would also make them securely stackable outside of the cabinet storage.

And maybe make an adjustable tote device that could carry 4, 6, or 8 boxes.

 

[XBobdog]

In that case, I would also make them securely stackable outside of the cabinet storage.

And maybe make an adjustable tote device that could carry 4, 6, or 8 boxes.

I am going to work on this.

Unfortunately, to get these mass produced for something reasonable requires staying within a framework the producer already has. It is possible to make alterations, as I did to get the sizing and dividers tuned, but if you want to get a prototype made to test, it is $50 per piece. To really test stackability, you would need at least 2 prototypes.

 

[surfik]

Great job...

 

[XBobdog]

The first order of boxes has arrived In the US and is working it way across the country...

 

[XBobdog]

Just updating:

The boxes came out great. Especially for my purposes.
They hold the chips fairly tightly. Its easy to get the chips out and you can see the chips from above.
The box is latchable, stays open by itself and stack great.

I got to do an entire breakdown of the collection...

But the end result is harmony... They fit like a glove

 

[chipinla]

Just updating:

The boxes came out great. Especially for my purposes.
They hold the chips fairly tightly. Its easy to get the chips out and you can see the chips from above.
The box is latchable, stays open by itself and stack great.
View attachment 1110445

I got to do an entire breakdown of the collection...
View attachment 1110447

But the end result is harmony... They fit like a glove
View attachment 1110446

 

[chippitydoodah]

After a bit of thought this is the 2nd prototype.
I thought it would be better to be able to see into the box.
Easy to grab the chips.

I think I am going to tighten up the barrel width a tiny bit.

View attachment 1072574View attachment 1072575

Add 45° wedges like this maybe?

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

Just updating:

The boxes came out great. Especially for my purposes.
They hold the chips fairly tightly. Its easy to get the chips out and you can see the chips from above.
The box is latchable, stays open by itself and stack great.
View attachment 1110445

I got to do an entire breakdown of the collection...
View attachment 1110447

But the end result is harmony... They fit like a glove
View attachment 1110446

Awesome cabinet! What a great find. I'm late to the party, but wondering why you wanted lids on the boxes since they are going into an enclosed cabinet? Why didn't you want to just have an open topped tray on each side of the drawers that held 200 chips each?