Techniques for Physically Making Fluxx Blanxx
From RabbitWiki
Ways to create your own cards:
- First, you need to get a supply of blank FLUXX cards.
- There are a lot of suggested new cards, or you might have an idea for one of your own. What if you aren't sure if it will work, or you are not sure if you will like it?
- Harold Tessman suggests using one of your blank cards for a playtest by taking a mechanical pencil and lightly write the text in. If you don't press real hard, you can erase and reuse the blank. And if you print onto labels, as someone mentioned, you can even make nice-looking final "new cards."
- Ryan McGuire's technique (related by Dan Isaac):
- Ryan had quite a bit of luck using the following method to run the cards through a color printer:
- He used Word to set up the card layouts - 6 to a page - with icons scanned in from the basic cards. And he recommends just using the standard colors (Magenta, Yellow, etc) rather then trying to match it up with your monitor.
- After printing a standard sheet of paper with the card design to determine where they would print on the page, he used a glue stick (3M *Temporary* Glue Stick - kinda like a post-it-note adhesive) to paste the blanks to those spots on the sheet and ran it back through the printer.
- Some tricky points to keep in mind with this however:
- His printer is one of the feed-from-the-back variety (Epson 440C) which only require the paper to go through about a 75 degree bend.
- The glue on the back of the card will come off, but sometimes it takes a bit of rubbing.
- Some ink may run more then others. Possibly try spraying the face of the cards with a thin coat of clear sealant (pastel fixative - available at local art supply store) after printing, and try to keep them out of the rain, and away from spills on the tables. (DONT GET THEM WET!!!)
- P.S. He also mentioned using standard Permanent Sharpie markers for handmade cards.
- Ryan had quite a bit of luck using the following method to run the cards through a color printer:
- Sean Bradley has another suggestion:
- I print cards on my Lexmark Z51 Inkjet printer.
- attach card to carrier sheet with Scotch Removable double coated tape. (Available at OfficeMax)
- Sprayed printed cards with Clear Acrylic Sealer Matte. (Available at Wal-Mart)
- the Sealer completely protects from smudges and waterproofs the card.
- Play tested all cards tonight's about 15 games and not a smudge :-).
- Eeyore has this wisdom to share about printing new cards:
- Most printers won't handle anything as small as a FLUXX card, but if your printer can handle something a little bit thick, and the paper path is relatively straight, you can always use a carrier sheet.
- Run a blank sheet to paper through the printer manual feed, and print your design onto that sheet. Then, attach your card to the sheet, using the design to position the card, and run the sheet through again.
- For attaching, I recommend using the "3M Post-It Adhesive Glue Stick" to coat the design portion of the carrier sheet. Wait for the adhesive to dry and then just stick the card in place.
- You can also use Scotch 811 tape (Post-It adhesive again) to tape the card around the edges.
- Note: depending on what kind of printer you have, the printing may not stick to the card very well.
- I use this method to print on a number of unorthoxly-sized sheets. The method I usually use to make cards is to print my design onto a 3" x 5" multi-purpose label, stick that label to a card, and trim around the edges.
- Most printers won't handle anything as small as a FLUXX card, but if your printer can handle something a little bit thick, and the paper path is relatively straight, you can always use a carrier sheet.
