Poker Chip Mold from Poop-One mold for all values

If you like the idea of turning poop into something interesting, check out this model: Gonggi Poop Mold - fast production from waste

Poker Chips Mold – Fast Production from 3D Printing Waste - One mold for all values

Turn your 3D printing waste into custom poker chips! Create unique designs and colorful combinations using leftover filament.

Use scrap poops, supports, filament remnants, failed small prints, calibration lines, and small discarded objects. You can create a simple poker chip without a white edge and without a numerical value. Use inserts to make a multicolored chip with square-patterned edges and values ranging from 1 to 5000. The chip has a standard size of 39 mm.

The production is simple and requires only common tools that can be found in almost every DIY household :-)

Production Process (Quick setup)

1. Weigh approx. 5.5 grams of PLA.
2. Melt it using heat gun
3. Shape the melted material into a ball
4. Place the melted material into the mold that you previously coated with Vaseline on the inside.
5. Press the mold parts together and apply as much force as possible. Wait at least 2 minutes, then carefully remove the chip from the mold. 
6. Want a more detailed description? You can find the detailed step-by-step process below. 😊

What You’ll Need:

• Heat gun
• Precise digital scale
• Silicone mat
• PLA filament waste
• Empty yogurt jar
• Pliers
• White petroleum jelly (Vaseline) + cotton swabs (you can try coconut or cooking oil – untested)
• Personal protective gear: respirator, gloves, safety glasses

About the Mold:

Print the mold from a heat-resistant material such as ASA, ABS, PC. I strongly recommend not using PETG for this model.
Avoid carbon/glass fiber-filled materials – the inner surface of the mold must be smooth. Avoid carbon/glass fiber-filled materials – the inner surface of the mold must be smooth. The texture of carbon-filled material may prevent easy removal of the finished chip.

Recommended print settings for the mold:

Why Use a Heat Gun Instead of an Oven / Microwave oven / Toaster oven?

Sure, a hot air / microwave / air fryer / toast oven is also an option. But it’s usually in the kitchen – and melting plastic in it may release unpleasant odors and potentially harmful fumes. Using a heat gun outside (balcony, garage, workshop, garden,…) is simpler, safer, and faster.

Material Compatibility

Matching the right mold and waste materials is essential. Here are the reference temperatures:

PLA waste can be safely pressed into molds made of ASA, PC, or ABS. I strongly recommend not using PETG for this model – be cautious. Recommended combo: PLA waste + PC, ASA or ABS mold.

Chip production versions

I created several prototypes and tested many variations to ensure that the mold is easy to use and that beautiful poker chips can be made from waste at home. I also experimented with a version where the chip's value would be engraved into the mold and then imprinted onto the chip. However, I abandoned this idea, as producing a full set of poker chips would require too many molds. That defeats the purpose of upcycling if we generate excessive waste just for mold production.

I also tested different edge designs and combinations to make the process as simple as possible. And here are the results: With this mold, you can create the following types of chips:

1. Simple chip, without edge or value (difficulty 3)
2. More complex chip, with ring edge but no value (difficulty 5)
3. More complex chip, disc with value but no edge (difficulty 8)
4. Complete chip, with both edge and value (difficulty 4)

(Numbers in parentheses represent production difficulty – 1 being the easiest and 10 the hardest).
Yes, surprisingly, the complete version is almost as easy to make as the simple one

Production Process (Quick setup)

1. Weigh approx. 5.5 grams of PLA.
2. Melt it using heat gun
3. Shape the melted material into a ball
4. Place the melted material into the mold that you previously coated with Vaseline on the inside.
5. Press the mold parts together and apply as much force as possible. Wait at least 2 minutes, then carefully remove the chip from the mold. 

Production Process (Detailed Step-by-Step Process)

1. Weigh approx. 5.5 grams of PLA.
   1. The total weight of one chip is approximately 5.5 grams of PLA filament waste. If you're using inserts, the 5.5 grams includes both the chip and the inserts. For example – if your inserts weigh 1.2 grams, you will need 4.3 grams of PLA waste for the rest of the chip.
2. Join the bottom and middle part of the mold by pressing them together firmly until fully seated.
   1. If you forget this step and later accidentally swap the top and bottom parts, the result will be a ruined chip. Yes, I forget this step myself all the time!
3. Coat all parts the inside of the mold with Vaseline.
4. (Optional) Insert the pieces into the mold – the edge parts, the value disc, a combination of both, or the complete insert. Align text with center part.
5. Put the PLA waste into a yogurt jar.
6. Heat it quickly (within 10 seconds) using a heat gun on Level 1. Shake the jar to prevent sticking. Once it forms a ball, pour it from jar onto a silicone mat.
7. Lift and fold the silicone mat to heat and shape the material. It should stay semi-solid – not fully melted. Using a circular motion with the silicone mat, shape the melted material into a ball. Yes, it’s more difficult than forming a cylinder, but only a ball will ensure the correct result
8. Place the warm material into the center of the mold, press hard with the top part.
   1. Try to place the ball precisely in the center of the mold. Once you place the melted material inside, do not move it. The inserts will immediately stick to the material, and if you shift it afterward, the chip will no longer look good.
9. Apply strong pressure
   1. Press the mold with as much force as possible. To shape the chip properly, you need pressure equivalent to approximately 80 kg.
      1. Here are several ways to achieve that:
         1. Stand on it - Place the mold on a silicone mat and carefully stand on it with one foot. (Don’t worry – the mold is strong enough to handle it!)
         2. Use a vise - Place the mold in a workshop vise and tighten firmly.
         3. Use a clamp - A woodworking clamp or C-clamp works great to apply steady pressure.
         4. Use a press
            If you have access to a manual or hydraulic press, it’s an ideal option.
10. Do not open the mold for more than 2 minutes.
11. Open the mold carefully from both sides.
12. If the chip stays inside, let it cool open for another 2 minutes.
13. Now you can carefully remove the chip from the mold. Do not apply any pressure to it until it has fully hardened by cooling.

Printing Instructions:

1. Mold: ASA, ABS, PC
   1. 6 wall layers
   2. 7 top and bottom layers
   3. Layer height: 0.2 mm
   4. Infill 40%
2.  Inserts: PLA (Two color combination - transparent + White)
   1. default 0.2mm profile
   2.  

Tips & Tricks

• Expect that the first chip might not turn out well. Maybe not even the second one. You need to get some practice. However, once you master the process, you'll be able to produce flawless chips with no problem!
• The combination of transparent filament on the inserts and metallic poops creates a beautiful deep 3D effect.
• I used only white for the numbers and the edge squares in the inserts, and transparent for the rest of the insert body. I can imagine that the disk around the number could have a color scheme that matches standard poker chips.
• I recommend combining the colors of the base (poop) and the inserts in a way that ensures sufficient contrast. If the base has too much white in it and the inserts are also white, the numbers won’t be readable enough.
• Multicolor silky filaments often look muddy after melting – brownish and not attractive.
• Some silk materials melt too fast and stick to the silicone mat – be prepared.
• Always clean your silicone mat and workspace before starting. Melted plastic will pick up any dirt it touches.
• If you want the transparent material to be as clear as possible, reduce the print speed to 30 mm/s
• Insert the molten PLA on the first try – repositioning might move the shape.
• This can be a fun project with kids! My 10-year-old daughter helped insert shapes and remove finished chips while I handled the heat gun. Great teamwork!

Final Notes

This process is fast, fun, and efficient. With three molds, you can produce 1 chip every 3 minutes. My ABS molds survived dozens of chips without warping or damage.

🧡 Happy printing and upcycling!