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This is a Poker sign I made for my uncle-in-law's poker house. On Saturday our family gathers there to visit and play poker. It's a real fun time for adults and kids alike and I wanted to make something to say thanks for allowing all of us to come over and eat and enjoy each other's company.

I used a 1/4" router bit in a plunge router to recess 1/16" for the cards and 1/8" for the chips. The lettering is hand engraved and then painted black. As for the "antique" look, I first sealed the project in a clear poly. then i beat on it with a small chain, hammered in some nail heads, and basically just dented it randomly. Then I took some ebony stain and rubbed it into the dents, which created the black spots.

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Hey HM
Super great job looks good
 

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Cool sign! Did you use a jig to route the depression for the cards and chips? Must have hurt to beat it with a chain.
 

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Hi Blondewood,

I just clamped a straightedge to the table to rout the straight sides of the depressions. Then rounded out the corners freehand. My uncle-in-law loves antique items so it was actually kind of fun to beat it up, since I knew the "worse" it looked the better it would be received. :)
 

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This is nice. This may be my holiday project. How did you keep the cards from bending when adding glue or tape? Or did you cover it in the bar shelac?
 

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Hi JPKnapp-

Thanks!

I used glue, and cut scrap blocks a little smaller than the cards and set a heavy cinder block on them to keep them flat. Since it was to be antiqued, I then just wiped on some coats of poly, not caring if it got in there and stained the cards up a little bit.
 

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HM

Looks nice. One idea to give it an aged look is to use Sassafras wood.
Also to add some intrigue to it you could leave the last card face down.
 
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