Portfolio / Laser Engraved Poker Chips for Core77

For their inaugural design conference “Object Culture” held in Brooklyn, we were asked by Core77 to fabricate a small item that would be given out to conference attendees. Given the rough outline of some sort of small token or poker chip incorporating the Core77 logo, we set about producing prototypes using a variety of techniques and materials.

For small giveaway items, there is a need to balance the design with the costs of production. The samples in the images below are a good demonstration of the wide variety of design, fabrication and finishing techniques that can be used to produce a similar item. The choice of technique, material and even the layout of the artwork in the production files may provide efficiency gains that may not be immediately obvious. In the end, the laser engraved walnut poker chips were chosen. At the scale of the poker chip, laser engraving that particular design was about as efficient as trying to score it as vector outlines, and the lack of much finishing work avoided delays for things like waiting for coats of paint to dry or polishing acrylic.