Okay, so I got this crazy idea the other day. I was cleaning out my garage and found a box of old poker chips. Not just any chips, mind you, these were heavy-duty casino-style ones. And then it hit me: could I make a giant, ridiculously oversized 20k chip? Here’s how the whole mess went down.
Finding the Base
First, I needed something BIG and round. I thought about using a frisbee, but it was too flimsy. Then I remembered I had an old, scratched-up clock face – you know, the kind you hang on the wall. Perfect! I ripped out the clock mechanism, leaving just the round wooden base. It was about 12 inches across, which felt about right for a monstrous chip.
Prepping the Surface
The clock face had some old, faded numbers and a glossy finish. I sanded the whole thing down with some rough sandpaper to give it a good “tooth” for the paint to stick to. This took a while, and my arms were pretty tired afterward, I gotta be honest!
Painting the Base Color
I wanted this chip to be a classic, deep blue. I went to the hardware store and picked up a can of spray paint – the kind that’s good for wood and plastic. I gave the base a couple of good, even coats, letting it dry completely between each one. It looked pretty good, even at this stage.
Creating the “20k”
This was the tricky part. I’m no artist, so I decided to make a stencil. I printed out a big “20k” from my computer, using a bold, chunky font. Then, I carefully cut it out with an X-Acto knife (almost sliced my finger a couple of times, not gonna lie!).
used masking tape to hold the stencil,Then sprayed with white.
Adding the Details
Real casino chips have those little edge spots, right? I wanted to replicate that. I found some white paint and a small, round paintbrush. I carefully dabbed little dots around the edge of the chip, trying to make them evenly spaced. It wasn’t perfect, but it definitely gave it that authentic feel.
The Final Touches
After everything was dry, I sprayed the whole thing with a clear sealant. This would protect the paint and give it a nice, glossy finish, like a real chip. I let it dry overnight, and… boom! My giant 20k casino chip was complete.
It’s totally useless, of course, but it looks awesome! It’s sitting on my shelf now, a testament to my random crafting urges. Maybe I’ll make a whole set someday… a 100k chip? Now that would be something!
