HUGE issue with trying to label Nexgen Pro Classic chips

[Luv2Camp]

So, on my quest to try to find a reasonable price chip to put some custom labels on, I decided on going with a 1000 set of the Nexgen Pro Classic. They are the same mold as the Dunes Commemorative chip. I settled on this chip after getting multiple samples of other composite/china clay chips because they were around 9 grams and felt they looked better than the Progen chinese clay chips.

I ordered 2000 labels from SlamDunk (SUPER GREAT EXPERIENCE) These guys had the fasted turnaround time and great communication. They were also willing to refund me my FULL proce with shipping when I had issues with getting the labels to stick (was not their fault at all !)

I had ordered a sample pack of the Nexgen pro classic and the ones I received had the cheesy labels on them. I removed the labels on the sample chips and the Slamdunk labels looked great and also adhered like glue.

NOW comes the fun part. I purchased a 1000 set of the Nexgen Pro Classic and when I received them, they were shrink wrapped in 100 stack rolls. I noticed that the darker colors had been rolled in some type of mineral oil on the edges before they were wrapped. I tried EVERYTHING and could not get the labels to stick to these chips at first. Below is what I had tried.

1.) Rubbing alcohol
2.) Washing each chip twice in with dish soap.
3.) Heating the chips in an oven to 215 degrees (thinking maybe there was some mold release agent that needed to still be worked out of the chip)
4.) Using oven cleaner on the chip and than washing with soap and water
5.) running some of the chips int he dishwasher.

NOTHING worked. Within a day of installing the labels, they would be peeling off of the chip. I had 1000 labels that I had to remove. THIS SUCKED!

As I had already spent almost $200 on the chips, there was no way I was going to just give up.

I was searching in the garage when I found my can of Oatey clear ABS/PVC cleaner and thought I would give it a shot. I used a q-tip and dipped the tip into the can. Some light pressure and wiped the inset edge with the q-tip (only once per tip as ti did take some of the color off of the insert. Using it more than once caused the edge outside of the inlay to get some discoloration. FLip over, do the other side and put the label on. I now have 1000 labels and they all appear to be sticking GREAT. This was not worth the effort but I was not going to give up.

Take this as an FYI in case you are also looking at these chips. Maybe I got a bad batch??? Again, I know it was the chip and not the adhesive on the labels from SlamDunk as the labels that I placed on the sample chip that had a previous factory label stuck great.

I am attaching pics of the labels as well as a pic of one of the labels lifting the day after applied on a chip that I did not use the PVC/ABS cleaner on.

By luv2camp at 2011-05-10

By luv2camp at 2011-05-10



By luv2camp at 2011-05-10

[BGinGA]

GSTBCC.

Nice labels; would have looked even nicer on better chips. Sorry, but slick plastic just doesn't do it for me, at any price.

Btw, that's NOT the same mold as the Dunes Commemoratives. Same colors/spots, but the Dunes mold is actually a mockup of the real Dunes house mold, versus a funky P on the Nexgen Pro mold.

[beekeeper]

Great information. Your troubles sound like a nightmare, but the chips look good.

[mtl mile end]

ABS cleaner worked probably cause these are ABS chips - or something very close. Glad it finally worked out for you, but did you try Oxy Clean, Resolve, or Diamond Chip Cleaner (TSP)? It seems like the issue was oil on the chips. A good grease cutter that isn't harmful to plastic would be my weapon of choice. And I would hesitate to oil any plastic chip (including China Clays) because most oils are solvents to most plastics.

I love the labels BTW. Always loved flames! And I think the discolouration on the 25 makes it match the label even better.

[Luv2Camp]

Originally Posted by BGinGA

GSTBCC.

Nice labels; would have looked even nicer on better chips. Sorry, but slick plastic just doesn't do it for me, at any price.

Btw, that's NOT the same mold as the Dunes Commemoratives. Same colors/spots, but the Dunes mold is actually a mockup of the real Dunes house mold, versus a funky P on the Nexgen Pro mold.

Thanks! I struggled with ABS/vs the "china" clay. At 42 ,I played my first poker game in November so this is my first set of chips. Got so hooked that within a week of my first game I built a poker room. Check out my pics and you can see what I have done/where I am at with the project! (link at bottom)

My criteria was that I wanted to spend less than $200 for 1000 chips and have them not have the metal inserts.

I am thinking that next year I will have ceramics made up and throw these into my camper. The thing I did not like about the clays that were in my budget was that they seemed to transfer quite a bit of the color when the chips were shuffled together.

I agree on the edge spot of the "dunes" vs the Progen. Just was pointing that out as maybe the issue with the labels sticking to these progens is due to them not being made by the same company that makes the other progen/nexgen chips?? Maybe it is the same company anyway??? It is obvious though that it is the same company that made both chips.

The other ABS/composite (not sure why they even use the word "composite") appear not to have the same issue with labels adhering to them.

[palmimports]

the key thing is: the adhesive used on the label
theyre NOT all the same

Weve been through this many years ago and had to specify what adhesive we need on our vinyl in order to BITE into the abs

Not all adhesives will produce a good bond to abs/polystyrene, calcium carbonate based chips etc

[Luv2Camp]

Originally Posted by palmimports

the key thing is: the adhesive used on the label
theyre NOT all the same

Weve been through this many years ago and had to specify what adhesive we need on our vinyl in order to BITE into the abs

Not all adhesives will produce a good bond to abs/polystyrene, calcium carbonate based chips etc

What I am wondering though is that there must be something on these chips that have nothing to do with them being ABS causing the initial label application not to stick. My reasoning is that my sample set I had ordered had the progen labels on them I peeled the existing labels off and my labels stuck like crazy glue. On my "ready to label" set, the same labels would not stick.

Either there is a cleaning process that Progen should be disclosing for these chips before placing labels on them OR I had a batch that was contaminated. I am a former autbody tech and painter and am familiar with release agents in plastic and rubber parts. I tried quite a few different methods that should have removed anything from the molding process.

I have not been able to find any other posts with success/issue stories on trying to place labels on this chip. Have you had any experience with this chip?

[pltrgyst]

Originally Posted by Luv2Camp

What I am wondering though is that there must be something on these chips that have nothing to do with them being ABS causing the initial label application not to stick. My reasoning is that my sample set I had ordered had the progen labels on them I peeled the existing labels off and my labels stuck like crazy glue. On my "ready to label" set, the same labels would not stick.

Or your sample chips had been "treated" already by the adhesive or the process of applying the original labels, and this was why your new labels stuck to them.

[ttttubby]

I'm really curious as to the quality of the labels offered by Slam dunk. I gather that they are paper labels correct? I wonder how thick they are, how the print quality is. Are they the equivelent of the labels on the new Pharaoh/Desert Palms/Dunes compression chips at the chip room? Are they better than those?

I ask because at 3c a piece they're really affordable, but I wouldn't want to waste $30 on a crap product.

[Luv2Camp]

Originally Posted by ttttubby

I'm really curious as to the quality of the labels offered by Slam dunk. I gather that they are paper labels correct? I wonder how thick they are, how the print quality is. Are they the equivelent of the labels on the new Pharaoh/Desert Palms/Dunes compression chips at the chip room? Are they better than those?

I ask because at 3c a piece they're really affordable, but I wouldn't want to waste $30 on a crap product.

Yes, they are paper. I have some Dunes samples and they are nothing like the labels on those chips. Don't think the Dunes are paper and appear to have a laminate coating over them. I would say the print quality is more than I expected for the price. On a few of them, you can make out some faint line marks from the print head. They appear to be pretty smudge resistant. The first half I coated in Krylon and it did give it a better"texture". I decided to just use the rest of the labels as they came for the second half of my chips. The paper is thin enough that it sits 100% under the inlay and I have zero issues with stacking or the label edge getting caught when the chips are shuffled. They fit 100% perfect within the 1" circle inlay on my chips.

I know that I am a newbie and have zero other interactions with other chip label outfits out there but I cannot say enough on how fast these guys designed, responded, mailed, and were willing to refund me 100% PLUS shipping if I sent back the labels when I was having an issue with them adhering to the chip. Again, because I have other sample chips that these labels stuck to 100%, I am sure that the issue was with my set of chips and not the adhesive from Slamdunk. I know that he said they were also going to get their hands on some of these Pro Classic chips as well so they can also do some investigating.