Page: Guide.PlastifyPage4 - Last Modified : Tue, 23 Jun 09 - 2477 Visits

You got a game for trade, all the tokens are punched out and your don't have the tray. Don't worry, there is hope if your tokens are all squares. The technique below allow you to plastify tokens without having to cut around each individual token which saves some time. You will need:

• Scissors
• Exacto Knife
• Book Plastic
• Cloth
• Bone Folder
• Ruler
• Pen

1. Take measurements: Get a strip of plastic where the height will allow to fit a whole column of tokens. I find it easier to work with a shorter roll. In my case, the roll I used was some excess plastic from a previous plastification. If you happen to make very long strips of token, you will eventually have to cut them in smaller strips to easily stick the back side later.
2. Stick the tokens: Peel of the plastic and stick your first token in the corner of the plastic. Leave some space at the bottom to make sure that if your strip does not go straight, it does not go off the plastic. Then stick the second token, make sure one side of the token touch the first token. Start by sticking 1 side than stick the rest. You want to make sure there is no space between tokens. Continue until your strip is complete.
3. Start a new row: Start another row of tokens. Leave some space between your two strips to make sure that if it does not go straight, you will still be able to place all your tokens. To maximize your chances that the strips go straight, place your tokens facing all in the same direction. Do not create grids of tokens since the tokens will never match with each other leaving much more space between tokens.
4. Press with a cloth: Turn over the plastic and press with a cloth to stick all the tokens to the plastic.
5. Use the bone folder: Use the bone folder to press the plastic over all the tokens. In my case, I cut first any extra unused plastic I had.
6. Let it rest: Leave the tokens somewhere and make it rest for at least 3 hours. You can place them under a press if you want.
7. Cut the strips: Now you want to end up with individual loose strips of token. Use and Exacto knife to cut 1 side of the strip. Repeat with all the strips and you will end up with strips that all have, except one of them, plastic on 3 sides.
8. Remove extra plastic: Since every strip has 3 side of extra plastic, remove this plastic using either a scissor or an Exacto knife.
9. Do the back: When you have clean token strips, you now have to put plastic on the back. This time it is easier because the strip of token holds together so you just need to place the strips on the plastic and make sure they don't touch each other. I generally place first 1 side of the strip and when every thing is aligned I stick the rest. When all strips are done, turn over and repeat step 4 to 8.
10. Separate the tokens: Now you should end up with double sided plastified token strips. So the only thing you need to do is to cut each token. Use an Exacto Knife and cut between the tokens to separate them from the strip. Your tokens are now plastified.

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