Rojo0747
High Hand
Been trying to find the best item to store my poker chips in and I need some recommendations.
What Is Best storage For Poker Chips. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Rojo0747
- Start date
There are all sorts of options, all with positives and negatives, and all discussed (and sometimes debated!) heavily in past threads.
Some terms to search the forums for:
Apache Case
Pellican Case
Versa Games Case
Birdcage
If you’re strictly talking home storage, people use:
Toolboxes
Cigar Boxes
Racks on Shelves
Various other creative solutions!
Hope that helps get you started!
Some terms to search the forums for:
Apache Case
Pellican Case
Versa Games Case
Birdcage
If you’re strictly talking home storage, people use:
Toolboxes
Cigar Boxes
Racks on Shelves
Various other creative solutions!
Hope that helps get you started!
Rojo, there are a lot of chip storage options out there. To get really good advice, tell us more about your needs. Here are some thoughts on how you can figure out what you need and some things to consider. These are in no particular order, but answering most of these questions and telling us what your needs are will allow us to give you advice based on YOUR needs, not our own needs a preferences.
Most of the time, I’m carrying my chips 10-20 feet to my main table. Then I carry part of the chips (not more than 600) to a table less than 60 feet away. I used to play at other venues more often where I had to carry chips much further, and I’m prepared for having to park blocks away and cart my chips and other stuff to someone else's home.
Most of the time, I’m carrying my chips 10-20 feet to my main table. Then I carry part of the chips (not more than 600) to a table less than 60 feet away. I used to play at other venues more often where I had to carry chips much further, and I’m prepared for having to park blocks away and cart my chips and other stuff to someone else's home.
- Do you need to be able to take them on the road with you?
- Or, will you keep them in one room and transport to where you play poker in your house, or will they be stored in your poker area?
- Do you need a case for storage, display, or both? This is partially a taste thing.
- How many chips? The smaller the number of chips, the more options you will have. There are plenty of good options for 1,000 chips.
- How much do your chips weigh? There is a big difference between chip weights even if chips are the same size. The more chips you are carrying, the bigger a consideration the weight of them will be. Remember that 800 15-gram chips weighs as much as 1,500 8-gram chips. Consider both the weight of individual chips and number of chips.
- Do you need a case that holds things other than chips -- like cards, card protectors, timers, buttons, etc., or is it strictly for chips?
- Do you need to travel with your case? If traveling…
- If you are transporting your chips, you will have an uninvited guest going with you. Whether it’s Mr. Murphy (from Murphy’s law fame) or Mayhem from All-State, eventually something will go wrong. And while you might be in good hands with All-State, your chips will not be. So don’t ignore this issue.
- If you are carrying 800 or more chips, at least consider getting a rolling case, or maybe a dolly where you could carry non-rolling cases. Even if you are strong enough to carry a heavy case with a lot of heavy chips, you aren’t Superman. An injury could make carrying them by hand impossible for you, but a rolling case might still work.
- Will chips be on a stable surface like the flat space in a trunk, the floorboard, or a truck bed or trailer? If you think 52 card pick-up is not a fun game, you really don’t want to try hundreds of chips pick-up. If they spill out on the ground, especially on a rainy night, your case is poorly suited for your needs. Some chips spilled out on the ground in the rain on a concrete surface might actually much further than you would imagine. Cleaning up muddy chips later isn’t fun.
- If your case tips over, what is going to happen to your chips?
- If not braced, what will keep the case from moving around? If the case could move around, your real need is going to be something that will keep the chips safe and in place when the case bumps into things. If you have cases that must be stacked on top of something else, keeping the chips inside safe and in place should be a huge consideration.
- Once at the playing location, how far do you have to transport them? The further away, the more you will appreciate a rolling case.
- What kind of surface will you be transporting them over? Rolling cases are best if you are on a surface that lends itself to that. Grass, dirt (mud), sand, and gravel don’t lend themselves to cases that roll.
- What do you need to carry? This is less about you answering questions specifically but things you might consider.
- Chip options:
- Boxes with lids -- I prefer boxes with lids. If I tripped over the rug or dog carrying chips to the other table, picking up 6 boxes is a lot easier than picking up hundreds of chips. And if it happened, the chips are still organized the way I need. The boxes are not acrylic and will not break as easy.
- Racks – Racks seems to be the preference of most on this site in my experience.
- Racks with lids – I’m not sure how well racks with lids would survive a fall and still keep the chips in place.
- Cards, and if so, how many decks?
- Dealer buttons
- Card protectors (cappers)
- Timers (and possibly extra batteries)
- Flashlight – If you are transporting your setup back home at night, a small flashlight can come in handy.
- If you need to carry something like neoprene toppers too, those either come in their own carrying case or you could get a carrying case for them.
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Depends on what you like and what you need. I like using these briefcase style cases, like this vintage one or the cheap aluminum case behind it. They’re cheap, easy, and low profile.
I like low profile because I can just slide them under the couch or a chair.
The disadvantage to cases like this is you’re usually limited to around 500 chips. They do make them in sizes up to 750 or even 1,000, but when those are filled, the tend to be heavier than their construction can reasonably handle. And construction is the other main criticism - usually these things are cheap and will eventually fall apart if you’re carrying them around town every week.
The pelican and Apache style cases have grown in popularity here I don’t care for them because you’re paying more for overkill protection (do you really need a waterproof case that can survive falling out the window?) and because they tend to be big and bulky and I imagine they just take up a corner of a room.
I like low profile because I can just slide them under the couch or a chair.
The disadvantage to cases like this is you’re usually limited to around 500 chips. They do make them in sizes up to 750 or even 1,000, but when those are filled, the tend to be heavier than their construction can reasonably handle. And construction is the other main criticism - usually these things are cheap and will eventually fall apart if you’re carrying them around town every week.
The pelican and Apache style cases have grown in popularity here I don’t care for them because you’re paying more for overkill protection (do you really need a waterproof case that can survive falling out the window?) and because they tend to be big and bulky and I imagine they just take up a corner of a room.
Jambine
Full House
^that^
OP
OP
Rojo0747
High Hand
thank I was thinking of getting a pelican case or a Apache style case but I wasn't really sure how big they were since I wanted something small.
I use a Seville Classics tool cart to store chips and cards. Each drawer can hold 1200 chips, and I store cards and DBs in the bottom drawer.
I ran out of room and had to add some Poker stars wooden cases to store more chips on top.
Then I have a Pelican case and an Apache case to transport chips.
I got a PM about my Pelican case. I have a 1400 which has a piece of acrylic under the chips to store cards and DBs in transport. The 1400 perfectly fits 800 chips.
I ran out of room and had to add some Poker stars wooden cases to store more chips on top.
Then I have a Pelican case and an Apache case to transport chips.
I got a PM about my Pelican case. I have a 1400 which has a piece of acrylic under the chips to store cards and DBs in transport. The 1400 perfectly fits 800 chips.
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Whatever your storage solution is, also take some time to consider the environment.
Controlled temperature.
Controlled humidity.
Away from direct sunlight.
Controlled temperature.
Controlled humidity.
Away from direct sunlight.
Jeevansluck
Royal Flush
Buy a safe.
Easy peasy. No need for any extraneous furniture. Just my opinion.
I am so happy I bought one. I've got 5000 chips stored inside of it.
No light gets in. It's in a dedicated temperature controlled room.
I know furniture is nice and all, but my collection is at a point where I felt it needs to be protected while I'm not home.
Yes, I've been robbed in my life, twice. It changes you and makes you paranoid.
Easy peasy. No need for any extraneous furniture. Just my opinion.
I am so happy I bought one. I've got 5000 chips stored inside of it.
No light gets in. It's in a dedicated temperature controlled room.
I know furniture is nice and all, but my collection is at a point where I felt it needs to be protected while I'm not home.
Yes, I've been robbed in my life, twice. It changes you and makes you paranoid.
I use 3 different methods. I have an Apache case for the set that I travel with. I have a birdcage for my largest set which only travels within my house and looks great on display. And I have a FB marketplace find that holds/displays everything else that is less frequently used. Not including the wall display for singles/sample sets since I think you're asking about bulk storage.
You got that Facebook rack?! YES! I posted about it in the Craigslist area.
How many chips does it hold per row? It looked MASSIVE.
90 per row. Unfortunately most of the slots at the top are sized for lammers and not 39mm chips. One day I'll get around to replacing it with a piece drilled for all 39mm and get 90 per row and the other 10 slotted right above them for an even rack per row. But then I'd have to refinish the whole thing for the color to match and that's a lot more work haha
markleteenie
4 of a Kind
Yes it does have a lock, it's the 43mm version @ABC Gifts and Awards recently sold, love it.
I do use lammers for craps, but they only take 2 out of the 20 lammer slots in my case
It's pretty old, I'm guessing it was designed to hold coins, quarters or tokens maybe?HaRDHouSeiNC
Straight Flush
- Joined
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I carry mine around like this in a dufflebag XD
StatTracker
Two Pair
Do they not get chipped?
That was a joke....please don't use a dufflebag
Esp. when transporting Binions club LV chips
HaRDHouSeiNC
Straight Flush
- Joined
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Alot of those are already chipped tires from what Ive foundThat was a joke....please don't use a dufflebag
Esp. when transporting Binions club LV chips
50 cal ammo cans for the majestic china clays. only thing that can contain the smell.
I had cases with custom foam built at mycasebuilder. I also just ordered a custom cabinet from @alecnetwoodworks.
Id say, the only draw back to the custom cases other than weight, is that when the cases are out, some people think they literally have rifles in them.
Id say, the only draw back to the custom cases other than weight, is that when the cases are out, some people think they literally have rifles in them.
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philhut
Flush
I have looked at these and similar designs....they must have discontinued or at least I can't find one that I would say would hold all of my chips in one system, or that each drawer could hold racks as many are too short only 1.5 inches.
Where did you find yours?
I highly recommend site vendor @alecnetwoodworks for chip storage. He made these custom trays for me, could not be happier with the process and the results! Got the cabinett at Ikea.
The pictures of his work, with his cabinets and racks, is literally furniture porn. Phenomenal work.
Yes, Alec’s work is amazing!
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