ASM Poker Chip Base Colours - Day-Glo or Weighted? - by StevenH72

[StevenH72]

ASM Base Colours – Day-Glo or Weighted

by StevenH72

Manufacturer: American Standard Molding (ASM)
Retailer(s): www.pokerchipsonline.com
Average Price:$0.40 - $2


There have been many discussions regarding the implications of choosing Day-Glo (DG) colours as Base colours when creating a custom set with ASM. In this article we examine the differences you might find between the ASM chip materials.

Differences in Mass

It is well documented that the DG colours have a smaller mass than that of a standard base colour, and we also know this can be attributed to the existence of brass flakes within the standard Base Colours. CaptLego (2005) found that standard colour ASM chips have a mass of 8.5-8.8g (10 chip mean across molds), whereas Jonah 99 (2008; found DG Base colours had a mean mass of 7.27 grams, whereas Standard Base colours had a mean mass of 7.75g, which is roughly a 0.5g difference. From my own set, I found a mean mass of 7.37g for DG colours, and 7.97 for standard colour, so a difference of 0.6g.

However the mere masses of the chips is not what I am interested in discussing in this article.

There seems to be some confusion/ debate as to whether DG base colours are more brittle than standard Base Colours, and whether the weight difference will be noticeable during normal use, which I feel, are the questions which matter when contemplating whether to go for DG Base colours for your own custom set. After all it is one thing to say “well DG base colours are between 0.5-0.6 g lighter than a standard colour”, but in my opinion it is the qualitative discrepancies or how we interpret these differences which really matter when designing a set.

Firstly, yes, when comparing a DG chip with a standard chip you can notice the weight difference, which some may feel creates a problem when creating a set mixing DG and standard Base colours,

However from my own experience with an ASM set which mixes both DG Base colours, and standard Base colours, the difference between the masses is alleviated when the chips are in stacks. Under normal conditions, where the chips would be in stacks on the table, the difference in mass does not create a problem and is not noticeable when betting/ shuffling/ playing with the chips. Where shuffling is involved the weight difference barely makes a difference, however in my opinion the mold the chips are made with is a much bigger influence (but thats a topic for a separate article).


Differences in Strength

Secondly, are DG Base colours more brittle than standard Base colours? In short the answer is YES. From a rather crude experiment I carried out, DG chips do break easier than standard chips. Although I could only break the DG chip using the “3^rd” stage of my experiment.


The Chips that I could break - DG Green, Peach, DG Orange


Stage 1 – Hold chip between thumb, Index finger and middle finger, with the thumb placed central on top of the chip, and 2 fingers on either side of the bottom of the chip. Apply pressure to the chip using thumb, with fingers as stabilizers.

Stage 2 – Create a fist shape with both hands and position half of the chip on the middle phalanx of the Index finger, placing the thumb on the upper half securing the chip, hold the other half of the chip in the same manner using your other hand, and try to break the chip.

Stage 3 – hold half of the chip in one hand, using the same technique a stage 2, but using the palm of your free hand; apply pressure down on the chip.

Standard colour chips survived all 3 stages of my test; however DG chips broke towards the latter part of stage 3, with “substantial” pressure needing to be applied in order to break them.

Stages 4 & 5 of the DG v Standard base colour testathon looked at the chips brittleability rating when being dropped/ propelled onto a hard surface (Clay tiles).

Stage 4 - hold chip in hand (with edge of chip pointing vertically down), at shoulder height, with arm fully extended, and release chip, with no motion from the arm.

Stage 5 - Hold chip as in stage 4, however when releasing chip, drop arm (still full extended) to the hip and drop chip (propelling chip to floor).

From Stage 4, no chips were damaged, I performed the test with 4 DG ASM HG mold chips and 4 standard ASM Horse Head (HH) mold chips. I also performed the test with 1 standard ASM HG chip (to cross reference for any inter-mold variations).

Stage 5 created interesting results.

Day-Glo chips - 2 chips showing significant damage: Peach; chip off of the edge of the chip & DG Orange; split through the middle of the chip but no separation of the chips. 2 DG Green chips showed slight "wear" on edges but no significant damage. The damage to the DG chips is not easily visible, please see the close ups below, for the specified damage.







Standard chips - 2 chips showing significant damage: 2 chips show crack & complete separation held together only by inlay. 2 chips show slight wear but no significant damage.



These results (whilst erratic) show no relationships between DG & Standard, or even within the chip categories themselves. Of course there are many variables to be taken into account for these results: How the chip landed, at an angle of the edge, straight on the edge or flat on the face of the chip. Human error must also be taken into consideration, I tried to keep the force of Stage 5 consistent but there may have been changes large enough to affect the condition of the chip post-drop. These types of variations could have affected the results.

The most surprising aspect of this test was that the Weighted chips actually fared worse than the Day-glo chips. However being on a different mold and having inserts may have affected this (both chips split from the edge of an insert). I repeated the test with 1 Lt Blue weighted solid HG chip, (had no more extras) which showed a chip from the edge of the chip from stage 5, similar to that of the DG HG chips.



I think this shows that whilst DG chips have a higher “brittlebility” rating, they will not succumb to any more damage than a standard chip under conditions of normal use or even when the accidental spillage of chips. And *touches wood* my DG chips have not chipped/ broken as of yet using them in any of my tournaments. Hence I do not feel the added brittleness of the DG chips should influence your decision on choosing them for your own sets.

Conclusions

In my opinion from what I have read, and from my own experiences, where it matters I do not feel DG colour chips have any disadvantage over a standard colour chip. Yes they are lighter, and Yes they are more brittle, but these facts do not hinder the performance of these chips, and certainly do not detract from the joys of using high end chips at your own games.

I for one would definitely endorse using a full DG Base Colour chip set, or DG base colours in any custom set.

Please find below some links to threads discussing the mass of ASM chips and the implications of DG base colours.

http://www.chiptalk.net/forum/poker-...p-weights.html

http://www.chiptalk.net/forum/custom...-question.html

http://www.chiptalk.net/forum/custom...e-comment.html

Many chips lost their lives through the creation of this article, it would be greatly appreciated if you all could take just 30 seconds out of your day to remember the lives of the chips lost during these times.

[Wooderson]

Nice writeup! I'd like to see Stage 4 and 5 tests though: Dropping the chips from shoulder height (let's call it 5' ish) onto a hard surface and throwing the chips at the same surface.

[StevenH72]

Originally Posted by Wooderson

Nice writeup! I'd like to see Stage 4 and 5 tests though: Dropping the chips from shoulder height (let's call it 5' ish) onto a hard surface and throwing the chips at the same surface.

I could try it (I will check how many extras I have left, that I could afford to "sacrifice" and see what I can create)

*I have a very boring day left ahead of me, so don't be surpried if the article has been edited within the hour"

[detroitdad]

Excellent post. I have been concerning a DG solids cash set (prolly not, but ya never know)

[StevenH72]

Stages 4 & 5 added, with scans of the results.

[StevenH72]

Greg, anything happening with this?

[ipgyst]

Originally Posted by StevenH72

Greg, anything happening with this?

It's on the front page when I log in, so you have been published. Congrats. Nice article too.

[Lottery Larry]

Originally Posted by StevenH72

Many chips lost their lives through the creation of this article, it would be greatly appreciated if you all could take just 30 seconds out of your day to remember the lives of the chips lost during these times.

bowing head, hat off, in memory

At least they gave their lives for a noble cause...

[spamproxy]

Is there any discussion or thinking out about putting inserts into day glow base colors? does this increase any of the potential problems?

[StevenH72]

hmmm good question, I don't actually have any DG chips with edges myself, so I cannot give a definitive answer. All I know is that I am going to have some when I finally get round to ordering my add-on set, I have never heard any problems from other threads, so I would assume that there wouldn't be any issues with using this within you set.

In regards to mass issues, I'd say the Standard inserts would increase the mass (albeit slightly) of the chip, minimising the discrepancies.