[MovingTarget]

I'm getting some of the Group Buy Paulson chips and want to do some custom stickers but I have some questions:

1. Is there anyone out there that can print textured stickers like on the Samuri chips?
2. Do you have to sand the hot stamp prior to applying a sticker? If so with what? What grade sandpaper if that's what you use?
3. What are the steps to apply a sticker for hot stamped chips? (Sand, clean (how), apply sticker, oil chip???)
4. How well do vinyl stickers hold up? I'm not going to be using these every night or anything but I would like to use them maybe once a month.
5. I'm guessing I use a program like Photoshop to make the graphic, what resolution works best?
6. What else should I know or be aware of before doing this?

While I've got a really nice ink jet and laser printer I'm sure I would get better results letting a professional produce the stickers but is that true?

[PocketRocket]

I have no idea of what Paulson group buy you're referring to, but unless you like throwing money away and destroying things, you might want to consider an alternative avenue, perhaps getting inlaid chips from Blue Chip rather than destroying inlaid chips just so that you can put your own sticker on them.

If you want a textured inlay, just do it right the first time and have the inlay put on the chip like on the Samurai's.

It's not the printer so much as the ability to create, align, and then print the stickers. While is really isn't applicable in this instance, if you should have such a need for an appropriately applicable chip in the future, you would probably be best served by having someone else print it for you (e.g. Lynbark or Hog Wild)

[Jambine]

Got to agree there. Labeling a Paulson would be a waste of money (and effort).
Consider doing a custom inlay from Blue Chip Co, or ASM. You will be MUCH happier with the results.

[MovingTarget]

Uh...lots of people that are participating in the Group Buy are talking about doing their own labels. I'm definately going with the Paulsons and I would appreciate some help with that assumption in mind.

Oh, and they're NOT inlaid chips, they have hot stamps as stated above.

Here is the link to the Group Buy:

http://www.chiptalk.net/forum/group-...amp-chips.html

[PocketRocket]

Well ... I don't know who, and really don't care to read through 96 pages of postings to see who might be thinking of sticking a label over a hotstamp. It's your choice, if you want to destroy the center of your chip (and I guarantee that you will entirely destroy several) then so be it. To be perfectly honest, a hot stamped chip with a label on it will look, like crap unless you can sand down to the bottom of the hotstamp so that it doesn't show through. Alternatively you could fill the intentation if the chip is scraped, and then you've got to figure out how much room there is for you to put a label on and whether there will be adequate clearance so that the labels don't rub against each other.

There are too many variables for an exact how-to. The proper way would of course to apply the inlay properly and with heat and pressure. But you should be able to slap the label on the chip without too much effort if you're determined to do that.

Insofar as the textured label is concerned, that's created by the compression mold, not from the "label" as the inlay is pressed into the chip and bonded permanently to the chip material.

If you're just going to print labels, then something like Photoshop will be more than adequate if you're already familiar with it's use. If you're going to design your own label you'd probably be better off with Illustrator, but if you don't already know how to use it, it's not likely that you'll be able to learn it in time to create your labels; it requires time and training.

Though to be perfectly honest, just from reading the questions in your original post, I'd suspect you're already on a path to disappointment and may be jumping into this a little too quickly.

Originally Posted by MovingTarget

Uh...lots of people that are participating in the Group Buy are talking about doing their own labels. I'm definately going with the Paulsons and I would appreciate some help with that assumption in mind.

Oh, and they're NOT inlaid chips, they have hot stamps as stated above.

Here is the link to the Group Buy:

http://www.chiptalk.net/forum/group-...amp-chips.html

[Deuce]

Originally Posted by PocketRocket

Well ... I don't know who, and really don't care to read through 96 pages of postings to see who might be thinking of sticking a label over a hotstamp. It's your choice, if you want to destroy the center of your chip (and I guarantee that you will entirely destroy several) then so be it. To be perfectly honest, a hot stamped chip with a label on it will look, like crap unless you can sand down to the bottom of the hotstamp so that it doesn't show through.

You are wrong my friend, JM... I'll let you take this.

[JT-Bird]

rr

Originally Posted by MovingTarget

Uh...lots of people that are participating in the Group Buy are talking about doing their own labels. I'm definately going with the Paulsons and I would appreciate some help with that assumption in mind.

Oh, and they're NOT inlaid chips, they have hot stamps as stated above.

Here is the link to the Group Buy:

http://www.chiptalk.net/forum/group-...amp-chips.html

Rather than telling you what not to do, I'll tell you what I know and what I think I know.

Firstly, having done some labels myself, on a very nice laser printer, there is only one way to go - Professional Printing of labels. Doing it yourself is really more work than its worth.

What I know about the GB is that we should have enough room to put a thick enough label to cover up the hot stamp.

Palm Imports has the ability to produce labels to the EXACT diameter you want, and they are actually pretty thick and pretty textured. I am quite certain that Joe would send you a couple samples inexpensively (maybe get some now, then get some after you get the GB so you know exactly how big Joe should make them)

I think most people in the GB are hoping that sanding will not be necessary, I have never done and sanding of chips so someone else will have to chime in on that one.

Go for the highest resolution you can put together when making your stickers, most of the manufacturers will be able to tweak your artwork once you send it to optimize for little or no cost.

Unless you are a real good graphics person, its probably worth it to have someone here design your labels... after all they're going on PAULSON! most folks here are very helpful and work fairly inexpensively.

I think you'll find that labels hold up pretty good provided they don't get wet. I only have used samples from Palm, I like the texture and the stickiness, the graphics could probably be a little sharper but I sent small images with a fair amount of detail. Your experience may vary.

Hope this helps a litte. I know it helps a little more than the previous posts

[Poboy]

I haven't labeled any chips, but there are several threads floating around re: removing hotstamps. Try the Chip care forum. I would avoid sanding. If you end up with indentations from the hotstamp, filling them in would be better than sanding down.
Optimal resolution depends a lot on the printer.
As for texture, (can't get link to post properly, so I'll write it out again) - Make a 'stamp' with a textured piece of cloth (like a quarter with a piece of pantyhose glued to it for ex). Coat/spray the label with a clear acrylic. Press in your stamp while the acrylic is still dry. I suggest doing some testing befor doing the actual labels.
Again, though I haven't done it, it seems like a very labor intensive job to do the labels yourself start to finish.

EDIT: The definition thing seems to be interfering with the link I'm trying to post.

[MovingTarget]

Originally Posted by JT-Bird

rr


Rather than telling you what not to do, I'll tell you what I know and what I think I know.

Thank you JT-Bird that is the sort of information I was looking for. I used Photoshop to create the graphics for an arcade machine that I built so I'm now decent at using it and I really enjoyed that process so I'll give it a go creating my own lables and if I can't get something that looks good then I'll see if someone here can help me out.

I actually think the hot stamp is pretty good that's on the Paulsons but I really personally don't care for dem's on chips and thought it might be cool to come up with a sticker design that would tie into some other themes in my finished basement.

Last unanswered question revolves around oiling these chips. Should I oil them or if you apply your own stickers is it not recommended to do so?

I'm honestly really glad you jumped in and helped offer some good advise. I had to re-read to make sure I was posting in the right section, to me "Poker Chip Labeling" would be the place to ask how you lable your poker chips but the "advise" above sounds like labeling is always a bad idea (can't label over hot stamps because that looks bad, don't label over chips that already have labels because you'll destroy them and you're dumb, etc.)

[palmimports]

Originally Posted by PocketRocket

Well ... I don't know who, and really don't care to read through 96 pages of postings to see who might be thinking of sticking a label over a hotstamp. It's your choice, if you want to destroy the center of your chip (and I guarantee that you will entirely destroy several) then so be it. To be perfectly honest, a hot stamped chip with a label on it will look, like crap unless you can sand down to the bottom of the hotstamp so that it doesn't show through. Alternatively you could fill the intentation if the chip is scraped, and then you've got to figure out how much room there is for you to put a label on and whether there will be adequate clearance so that the labels don't rub against each other.

There are too many variables for an exact how-to. The proper way would of course to apply the inlay properly and with heat and pressure. But you should be able to slap the label on the chip without too much effort if you're determined to do that.

Insofar as the textured label is concerned, that's created by the compression mold, not from the "label" as the inlay is pressed into the chip and bonded permanently to the chip material.

If you're just going to print labels, then something like Photoshop will be more than adequate if you're already familiar with it's use. If you're going to design your own label you'd probably be better off with Illustrator, but if you don't already know how to use it, it's not likely that you'll be able to learn it in time to create your labels; it requires time and training.

Though to be perfectly honest, just from reading the questions in your original post, I'd suspect you're already on a path to disappointment and may be jumping into this a little too quickly.

I totally disagree- as long as the recessed depth is sufficient AND you use an image/lamination combination with sufficient regidity ( meaning 2.5-3mil thickness in the vinyl and 3-4 mil on the lamination you will NEVER know the chip was originally hotstamped.

The biggest problem with home labelers is theres no specific sizes available- your stuck with 7/8 or 1 inch which just dont work if your chip diameter is 1.020 ( nexgen) give or take a few clicks...also you cant get any decent quality materials-- mostly paper or glossed paper.

ALso- some printers eliminate the lamination phase- saying the vinyl inks are waterproof and smudgeproof- it is BUT the images wont stand up to any usage- people have a tendency to dig their fingernails into images- and without a hard lamination your chips will end up being gauged over time.

Cost is another factor- to go over preprinted or prehotstamped chips the right way isnt cheap- if you choose cast vinyl and polycarbonate lamination

Forget paper labels or vinyl and NO lam- the material will be too thin and the hotstamp will show through as the images is pressed

Ya need to get samples- mic the diameter AND the depth- then you will have enough information to see if going over the hotstamp will be feasable.

My two cents


this is a Paulson with a cast vinyl image UV bonded to the chip--the new image diameter leaves a SLIGHT reveal of the existing color- but this can be increased to eliminate and reveal
I will find a hotstamped chip here and do the same thing so you can see that no telltale signs of the hotstamp will come through.
The above image is laminated also -- and the entire overlay still rests UNDER the face of the chip- so stackability is not effected