Composition of Costco Chips? |
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Posted Tue Nov 30, 2004 2:11 pm GMT by BayouBonz
Hi All:
Please settle a bet for me. A buddy recently purchased a set of the Costco "composite" chips, which are decent for a set of inexpensive chips. He swore up and down that the chips were a clay composite, but I guaranteed him that they were some kind of plastic combination (especially for the price).
I am dead certain that they are plastic, and would have bet good money that there is a metal slug in the plastic. However, the chips would not stick to a magnet. Has anyone out there cut into one of these chips to see what gives them their weight? A lead (non-magnetic) insert perhaps?
Let me know if you have any info!
Bayou Bonz
Folsom, CA
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Posted Tue Nov 30, 2004 2:38 pm GMT by Lizard
Should have made part of the bet that you were going to cut one open.
Posted Tue Nov 30, 2004 3:02 pm GMT by stringbet
I saw a set there last weekend. The set I saw had ABS written on the side of the box...
Posted Tue Nov 30, 2004 3:25 pm GMT by theywood
When you say "chips would not stick to a magnet" - what kind of magnet did you use? If it was one of those weak refrigerator magnets I am not surprise the chip didn't stick. Try the test again with a real magnet.
Posted Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:43 pm GMT by Guest
Call off the bet and be friends, you're probably both right. I've got a set as well. For the most part, I think the weight of 11.5 grams is not correct, and they probably weigh more. They are definitely a plastic composite, which very well may include clay or silica content. But then don't get too hung up on the 'clay' business. The casino chips are made from composite mixtures as well, just a different type of composite and they may use compression rather than an injection method of production.
Getting back to the Costco chips, they have a very nice feel and sound very good, though if you listen real close you can sometimes catch the a ever so slight metallic ring, but for the most part they have a nice 'clack' rather than a 'clink' I don't like the design on the chip, I think it is butt ugly, but the chip itself is very nice and resembles those chips that are marketed as 13.5g 'clay' (not the Casino design) and also sound a lot like them. Nice square edge like a new real casino chip before it gets worn down.
Don't get too hung up on the metal slug either. In addition to the coin inlays that the Bud Jones company is noted for, many of the other Bud Jones chips that are currently used in casinos are also injection molded around a metal slug, and use a vinyl label instead of a plastic inlay. The difference is in the materials, construction, and quality of the finished product. The Bud Jones chips probably cost more than a fraction of a penny apiece to produce. They too do not respond to a magnet. I haven't tried a magnet to the Costco chips yet, but I knew there was a slug from the sound, but maybe they used a non-magnetic slug in the Costco chips?
| BayouBonz wrote: | Hi All:
Please settle a bet for me. A buddy recently purchased a set of the Costco "composite" chips, which are decent for a set of inexpensive chips. He swore up and down that the chips were a clay composite, but I guaranteed him that they were some kind of plastic combination (especially for the price).
I am dead certain that they are plastic, and would have bet good money that there is a metal slug in the plastic. However, the chips would not stick to a magnet. Has anyone out there cut into one of these chips to see what gives them their weight? A lead (non-magnetic) insert perhaps?
Let me know if you have any info!
Bayou Bonz
Folsom, CA |
Posted Tue Nov 30, 2004 4:54 pm GMT by slowplayray
| BayouBonz wrote: |
I am dead certain that they are plastic, and would have bet good money that there is a metal slug in the plastic. However, the chips would not stick to a magnet. Has anyone out there cut into one of these chips to see what gives them their weight? A lead (non-magnetic) insert perhaps?
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Any non-ferritic metal slug would not respond well (if at all) to a magnet. Some very common stainless steels fall into this category.
Just cut one open and find out! 
Posted Wed Dec 01, 2004 11:39 am GMT by Bravo Poker
| slowplayray wrote: | | BayouBonz wrote: |
I am dead certain that they are plastic, and would have bet good money that there is a metal slug in the plastic. However, the chips would not stick to a magnet. Has anyone out there cut into one of these chips to see what gives them their weight? A lead (non-magnetic) insert perhaps?
|
Any non-ferritic metal slug would not respond well (if at all) to a magnet. Some very common stainless steels fall into this category.
Just cut one open and find out! |
There is no metal slug in it. I will show you guys a photo later.
Posted Wed Dec 01, 2004 2:04 pm GMT by Always_Bored
I have a set of chips that look and feel like the costo chips and they do not have the metal slug, yet a friend of mine has almost the exact same looking chips and his do have them. (mine are a bit more dull in color and have slightly more rounded edges, other than that they are the same) Neither of ours were purchased at costco though. So the only way to tell for sure is cut one open.
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