SHUFFLE TECH News (2 Viewers)

[boltonguy]

Interesting idea. Any tips on what type of “suitcase?”

 

[Dix]

Sounds like it would be too noisy without being flush mounted.

In all reality, it's not THAT noisy. As I mentioned before, at a distance of 2 feet (about the distance the closest pair of ears would be from it on a side cart) the stock shuffler, no muffling & sitting on a table, averaged just 60 dBA for the whole process with a few short peaks of just under 75 dBA.

You can literally have a conversation with the player across the table from you & pretty much ignore it as brief background noise. The standard 3 riffle sequence will be over before the flop hits the table.

& really, the "muffling" I'm working on isn't so much about lowering the overall noise level so much as it is reducing the part of it that some find mildly annoying. That being the "click/clack" with frequencies dominated by the 2kHz & up range.

60dBA of noise from 150-600Hz is way less annoying & even sounds less loud than 60dBA of noise from 1.5k-6kHz. Even though technically they're both 2 octaves of noise at the same level.

I'm taking pictures of my attempts as they progress & I'll stick 'em up when I have a final version. It's not really all that difficult if you have any mechanical ability, some attention to detail, & know which is the business end of a screwdriver.

The bad news is, of course, if you have any warranty left on a newly purchased machine, opening it up will void that warranty. & it's not a process for the faint of heart or those with a lack of at least some modicum of patience.

 

[johnnycnote]

We used a Shuffle Tech for the first time yesterday. The shuffler will eventually end up flush mounted in a cart, but for now it sits on top of the cart. Some quick initial thoughts:

• Between the music and the regular table talk, the noise from the shuffler quickly became a non-issue
• We played for approx 5 hours and it only jammed once
• Our game did speed up. Mostly because players could not forget to shuffle or because the slower shufflers didn't have to shuffle
• Some people just don't know how to shuffle and this eliminated playing barely shuffled hands
• Without having to worry about dealing, it allowed people to focus on the game more (unless you are the one responsible for feeding the machine). In future games, we should "pass the deal" every time the blinds go up

This is prob the next best thing to a dedicated dealer and the best part is that you don't have to tip it

 

[tabletalker7]

We used a Shuffle Tech for the first time yesterday. The shuffler will eventually end up flush mounted in a cart, but for now it sits on top of the cart. Some quick initial thoughts:

• Between the music and the regular table talk, the noise from the shuffler quickly became a non-issue
• We played for approx 5 hours and it only jammed once
• Our game did speed up. Mostly because players could not forget to shuffle or because the slower shufflers didn't have to shuffle
• Some people just don't know how to shuffle and this eliminated playing barely shuffled hands
• Without having to worry about dealing, it allowed people to focus on the game more (unless you are the one responsible for feeding the machine). In future games, we should "pass the deal" every time the blinds go up

This is prob the next best thing to a dedicated dealer and the best part is that you don't have to tip it

I will give youy step by step so you can see how this machine can easily let you keep passing the deal.

1. Assign your seat in the middle somewhere so you can reach the whole table. Put the machine right by you.
2. After someone deals a hand, they pass the cards to you and they keep the cut card.
3. You give the shuffled deck from the machine to the person with the cut card and drop the used deck in the machine.
4. Person who kept the cut card cuts the deck, and then passes it to the person next to them, who is the new hand's dealer.

I have been doing this and it works. If my alcohol driven group can get this right anybody can

 

[BGinGA]

Interesting idea. Any tips on what type of “suitcase?”

Any of these in a deep style model should work fine.

 

[Dix]

If you're going to mount it in a case, here's some potential semi-useful info.....

While the unit is only a little over 6" wide, the mount plate is nearly 8". Plus the brackets that hold the plate in place need another 2-1/2" on each side as delivered. You could cut those down about 1-1/2" or so & drill another hole though if you wanted.

If you're going to mount it on a side of the case other than the lid you need to plan for room enough on the ends length-wise to access the turnbuckles to tighten the unit in place. 15" would work for mounting length-wise but you better have tiny hands if that's your case's inside dimension.

To get an idea.... here's a video of the flush-mount install process....

Some dimensions ShuffleTech doesn't list on the website or in documentation....

Unit at the base: 7-3/4" x 11-1/8"
Unit height: 6-1/4"

Flush mount top plate: 10-1/2" x 8-1/8"

Minimum below surface mount space using hardware as delivered & as per instructions: L = 15" / W = 13" / D = 7"

You could get away with only 13" for the inside length if you flip the "picture hanger" anchors for the mount bar around & face them toward the unit.

& as I mentioned above, you could cut down the bendable brackets that mount the faceplate & maybe get away with only 10" for a mounting width. But I suspect you'll have have issues swinging the lid closed if you go that tight & are trying to mount it in the lid.

 

[BonScot]

Thanks for all of the tips and advice guys. I know that when I get mine I’m just gonna sit it on a side table and hand out industrial earmuffs to my players

 

[Nuhockey]

I know Multi Deck Shufflers are used primarily for Black Jack, but could something like this be used for Poker and will it do Poker and Bridge Size cards. They don't have much info on it yet..

 

[WedgeRock]

 

[davethesave]

Have shuffletechs been sold on PCF with good feedback after the purchase? I’ve been looking through threads....

I hope I don’t get in trouble for asking but I wanted to avoid creating an “interest post”.... I gotta ask... if I were to put my used shuffletech on auction on PCF - would I get bites? I’m having a hard time reading the audience.... 4 more pages to read!

 

[sheikh617]

Have shuffletechs been sold on PCF with good feedback after the purchase? I’ve been looking through threads....

I hope I don’t get in trouble for asking but I wanted to avoid creating an “interest post”.... I gotta ask... if I were to put my used shuffletech on auction on PCF - would I get bites? I’m having a hard time reading the audience.... 4 more pages to read!

How's it working? I might be interested in a second unit.

 

[tabletalker7]

Have shuffletechs been sold on PCF with good feedback after the purchase? I’ve been looking through threads....

I hope I don’t get in trouble for asking but I wanted to avoid creating an “interest post”.... I gotta ask... if I were to put my used shuffletech on auction on PCF - would I get bites? I’m having a hard time reading the audience.... 4 more pages to read!

I have no doubt you would get interest - how much interest depends on the price point. A lot of people want to get this thing, but don't like the price tag for a machine when the reviews show it to be hit and miss.

 

[Dix]

Condition will mean everything. (both cosmetic & operational) & the more complete & accurate you can be with a description, the better. Good pictures (note: pictureS - plural - & good ones) will also be a huge plus. How much you can potentially get for it will depend on all that, plus what any potential buyer is willing to shell out.

Not to pour any cold water on your potential expectations, but go back to page 3 here & you'll find that I picked up what I'd call a "near mint" barely/rarely used unit for effectively $340 (subtracting $130 from the actual price as it included an unused flush mount kit).

Had the seller been more detailed in his description he'd have likely gotten more for it, as I kind of took a gamble that it was a fairly lightly used unit based on the detailed pictures. If he'd actually described how much (or, more correctly, how little) use it actually had on it I'd have likely just paid the $500 asking price & he'd have gotten an extra $30 for it.

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/shuffle-tech-news.38222/post-970384

​

 

[ludwig1971]

I have had a Shuffletech for years. I would suggest buying from a dealer that has them in stock, like American Gaming Supplies. It is a little expensive, however we collected $5 per player per game and raised the money in no time. We normally play a nine handed game that last about 8 hours and the machine is much appreciated. Sure it's a little loud, but after a while it just blends into the background noise. It will jam once or twice a night but it is no big deal to unjam. Allows players to focus on their games and not have to worry about who is going to shuffle the next hand. Finally we also cut the cards after the shuffle. One of my best buys ever.

 

[TheDuke]

My original unit that was like 11+ years old died recently. I sent it to Shuffletech for repair. After inspecting it Rick then called to tell me it was too old to repair - at some point the internals has been redesigned and they no longer had any parts for the older model. So he offered a brand new unit at reduced price of $450 (vs $600).

I don't really host games anymore so I have a brand new in box shuffler sitting in a closet.

 

[TheDuke]

Only difference is an update to the software giving the the "auto" & "diagnostics" modes, & adding another strip to the sequence.

Exactly how long that's been around I'm not sure, but I think it's been a while. (as in years)

Mechanically, it's still the exact same shuffler it's always been.

According to Rick at Shuffletech that last part is not true. I recently sent in a ~2008 model for repair. After they received it they told me it couldn't be repaired as they no longer had parts for my model.

 

[TheDuke]

Finally read thru this thread and all of the arguments back and forth about how useful or useless it is to have one.

My takeaway, it's crazy how there are many people on this site who wouldn't hesitate to spend a few grand on chips (that quite often sit on a shelf on display and never used) are the same folks who balk at spending a fraction of that on poker equipment.

 

[tabletalker7]

Finally read thru this thread and all of the arguments back and forth about how useful or useless it is to have one.

My takeaway, it's crazy how there are many people on this site who wouldn't hesitate to spend a few grand on chips (that quite often sit on a shelf on display and never used) are the same folks who balk at spending a fraction of that on poker equipment.

The problem is not whether or not it is useful. The problem is whether you paid $600 for a machine that works or doesn't. Mine works great, but others never did

 

[Dix]

According to Rick at Shuffletech that last part is not true. I recently sent in a ~2008 model for repair. After they received it they told me it couldn't be repaired as they no longer had parts for my model.

Good to know. But now I'm curious as to the crossover date & exactly what the mechanical difference is, or if it was more a case of a certain parts supplier bailing & forcing a minor redesign with different sourced part(s) that weren't 100% compatible.

The problem is not whether or not it is useful. The problem is whether you paid $600 for a machine that works or doesn't. Mine works great, but others never did

& the above may, at least in part, explain that.

 

[davethesave]

Condition will mean everything. (both cosmetic & operational) & the more complete & accurate you can be with a description, the better. Good pictures (note: pictureS - plural - & good ones) will also be a huge plus. How much you can potentially get for it will depend on all that, plus what any potential buyer is willing to shell out.

Not to pour any cold water on your potential expectations, but go back to page 3 here & you'll find that I picked up what I'd call a "near mint" barely/rarely used unit for effectively $340 (subtracting $130 from the actual price as it included an unused flush mount kit).

Had the seller been more detailed in his description he'd have likely gotten more for it, as I kind of took a gamble that it was a fairly lightly used unit based on the detailed pictures. If he'd actually described how much (or, more correctly, how little) use it actually had on it I'd have likely just paid the $500 asking price & he'd have gotten an extra $30 for it.

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/shuffle-tech-news.38222/post-970384

View attachment 485921​

Posting pics is no problem, but giving life details on a machine may prove to be difficult given the use/lack of use etc.

Are you saying that had the seller given you a fantastical story of how underused and peerty the unit is and how it’s been waxed and shined twice a day everyday since it’s birth you would’ve paid full pop?

Unless a unit is brand new in the box, I think the seller must be realistic about the sale.

 

[Dix]

Are you saying that had the seller given you a fantastical story of how underused and peerty the unit is and how it’s been waxed and shined twice a day everyday since it’s birth you would’ve paid full pop?

Actually it was the lack of any real description with regard to the condition and/or age/amount of use. The description section of the eBay listing was next to nothing other than stating the obvious... that it was a Shuffletech card shuffler.

There were a number of very good pictures taken with what had to be a decent camera that showed there was hardly even a mark on it that caught my attention.

Since pictures don't always tell the whole story, I kind of felt I was gambling a little. But when the unit arrived it was obviously barely used at all.

Point being, if the description had mentioned the condition it was in, which in turn would have matched what the pictures showed, I'd likely have just paid the asking price as it would have been essentially $130 off what a new one would have gone for, for what was a near-new barely used unit.

 

[davethesave]

Actually it was the lack of any real description with regard to the condition and/or age/amount of use. The description section of the eBay listing was next to nothing other than stating the obvious... that it was a Shuffletech card shuffler.

There were a number of very good pictures taken with what had to be a decent camera that showed there was hardly even a mark on it that caught my attention.

Since pictures don't always tell the whole story, I kind of felt I was gambling a little. But when the unit arrived it was obviously barely used at all.

Point being, if the description had mentioned the condition it was in, which in turn would have matched what the pictures showed, I'd likely have just paid the asking price as it would have been essentially $130 off what a new one would have gone for, for what was a near-new barely used unit.

So I have been troubleshooting this dang AC/DC adapter to my shuffletech (I have an aftermarket cord that works, however the TIP is not a 90degree tip (which is fine for table mounted shufflers/not for table top shufflers) … nonetheless today is a happy day!

Side story... I was playing with different decks today and basically the most agreeable (of the decks I used) with my shuffletech is COPAG POKER sized which is not a secret, but I would say Bridge sized just doesn't cut it for the shuffletech (KEM anyway).. the jam ups would be a nightmare for a home game. I have tried multiple times to run tests and the copag POKER always are great with no jams.

All those interested in a shuffletech... keep an eye in the classifieds..... I have a feeling something will turn up soon...

 

[tabletalker7]

So I have been troubleshooting this dang AC/DC adapter to my shuffletech (I have an aftermarket cord that works, however the TIP is not a 90degree tip (which is fine for table mounted shufflers/not for table top shufflers) … nonetheless today is a happy day!

Side story... I was playing with different decks today and basically the most agreeable (of the decks I used) with my shuffletech is COPAG POKER sized which is not a secret, but I would say Bridge sized just doesn't cut it for the shuffletech (KEM anyway).. the jam ups would be a nightmare for a home game. I have tried multiple times to run tests and the copag POKER always are great with no jams.

All those interested in a shuffletech... keep an eye in the classifieds..... I have a feeling something will turn up soon...

I don't know if you have any to try, but as much as my shuffle tech loves the Copag poker size cards, it loves my Fournier 2818 a bit more.

 

[davethesave]

I don't know if you have any to try, but as much as my shuffle tech loves the Copag poker size cards, it loves my Fournier 2818 a bit more.

Really? That is great to know!

I may have to scroll back through the threads, but is there a list or message that ranks the shuffletechs preferred cards of choice anywhere?

 

[tabletalker7]

I don't think so. The Redneck Poker Card database is nice, but has nothing for the shuffle tech in it. To be honest, my machine didn't like Fournier at first. Then I cleaned everything inside I could reach with alcohol wipes (damn virus made the OCD people buy all the alcohol bottles in every store near me that was the best I could do) and since then the machine has LOVED Fournier. Maybe @Dix could add a column to the redneck poker card database for how much each card jams per 100 shuffles in the machine since he is active in this posting too.

 

[JoeBGo]

I’d like to know the jam rate per 100 with bridge size cards?
I refuse to play with poker size, but I’d really like a shuffler.

 

[davethesave]

I don't think so. The Redneck Poker Card database is nice, but has nothing for the shuffle tech in it. To be honest, my machine didn't like Fournier at first. Then I cleaned everything inside I could reach with alcohol wipes (damn virus made the OCD people buy all the alcohol bottles in every store near me that was the best I could do) and since then the machine has LOVED Fournier. Maybe @Dix could add a column to the redneck poker card database for how much each card jams per 100 shuffles in the machine since he is active in this posting too.

This may be something I am willing to run with my time! Perhaps we can get people to run their decks and return feedback to @Dix can use all the sample experiments around the globe. Taking each sample, lets say I do 100 runs of Kems and I right down my findings.... kinda like a time consuming experiment so I can feel like I am killing time. If only we had more time on our hands nowadays....

 

[tabletalker7]

I’d like to know the jam rate per 100 with bridge size cards?
I refuse to play with poker size, but I’d really like a shuffler.

Someone ran that experiment in another posting - jam rate for bridge was 400% higher compared to poker. If you demand bridge then avoid shuffle tech.

 

[davethesave]

Someone ran that experiment in another posting - jam rate for bridge was 400% higher compared to poker. If you demand bridge then avoid shuffle tech.

I think we all agree with the bridge vs poker debate with ashuffletech… but for fun we should run different brands of cards for ish and giggles!

 

[tabletalker7]

This may be something I am willing to run with my time! Perhaps we can get people to run their decks and return feedback to @Dix can use all the sample experiments around the globe. Taking each sample, lets say I do 100 runs of Kems and I right down my findings.... kinda like a time consuming experiment so I can feel like I am killing time. If only we had more time on our hands nowadays....

Let's wait til we hear from @Dix before we start anything. First off we need to have a set standard that we all run (I would be happy to help with my Bicycle Prestige, Fournier 2818, and Copag 1546) but without a set standard procedure we can easily come up with different numbers for the same decks. Let's just wait on him - it is his database after all