I've been machining custom deck boxes for my MTG decks, take a look at them!

May 12, 2020 2:51 AM

AlumGeek089

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86518

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1330

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Copper variant of the purple prototype.

This is my latest piece and probably my favorite. Two pieces machined out of solid aluminum and then powder coated black. The lid is held on by four powerful neodymium magnets.

This is what the raw aluminum looks like before machining. Pen for scale, no bananas around :P.

Two body pieces after machining but before painting and accent work.

This is the completed prototype, painted "snowmobile purple".

Early work on that prototype showing the magnet lid. I only had two on the prototype. Now there are four so the lid is much more secure.

Unpainted version of the deck boxes.

I ended up calling them my stronghold since the boxes are amusingly heavy even for aluminum.

Stop, I can only get so erect.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Soooo it's a deck in a box.

6 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Holy chit I want the punisher looking one. They are all awesome though. Nice job.

6 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

An inch thick of aluminum is as heavy as I'm assuming a lot of metal is.

6 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

The box weighs about 2lbs with no cards in it.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

@op Do these have enough room to store fully sleeved commander decks (100 cards)?

6 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

These are built to house a standard 60 card deck plus 15 card sideboard. I have thought about making a commander one!

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Please do! Myself and my friends solely play commander and these deck boxes look great!

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

So many questions! Is this made using CNC or by hand? Are these hobbyist tools or a professional shop? Show us more please

6 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Sure! These are CNC made but all the painting, coating is done by hand. They are professional tools. Check @alumgeek (instagram) for more

6 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

I will definitely be posting more tomorrow though so check back then! I have some videos of the machines actually working :).

6 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

How small of an end mill did you use for those hexagonal pockets? I've seen them get down to .040"

6 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I use a .031" endmill and hit the corners with a .015" to finish!

6 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Looks awesome, might be an interesting idea to experiment with a small lip to make it extra secure.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I feel like since its called 'Stronghold' and wont rust,might as well add a rubber seal to no water gets in! ;D

6 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

So*

6 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

You are so right and the one im working on now is a more traditional standing box with a gasket seal! Are you in my head? :)

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I might have to wait for that one, there's a bill being looked at to raise us essential workers pay so I might actually have enough

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

This goes in my fetish folder.

6 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

Follow me @alumgeek on instagram for when products go live. Visit my site Billetgeeks.com where I will be linking the store. Thank you!

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Wait wtf, you made machines nes and sega carts that actually work?

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Why is THAT not on FP instead of this? Imgur you so silly.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Yes I did and still am!

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Billet deck box. Not optimal but so much cooler.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Why not use 3D printer?

6 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Because a 3D printer can't mill aluminum?

6 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Hey OP, key the lid and base together even just a little and it'll be way more secure with no real costs. For added cool you could include/

6 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

an O-Ring to "seal" them. It wouldn't do much with just a magnet sealing them but it'd keep the spiders out.

6 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

If someone showed up for a game with a custom milled deck box I would just put my shit away and call it a loss.

6 years ago | Likes 32 Dislikes 0

Follow me @alumgeek on instagram for when products go live. Visit my site Billetgeeks.com where I will be linking the store. Thank you!

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Sweet. Any thoughts on doing D&D dice boxes? They wouldn't sell as well.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Would * sorry autocorrect got me.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's the online pvp equivalent of facing a player wearing nothing but a loincloth.

6 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

Or matching against an opposing team that has some type of theme (names or icons matching). It's game over man.

6 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

These are dank but you can make them way less chonky and they'll still be solid.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Damn, these are some sexy cases

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Where to buy?

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Follow me @alumgeek on instagram for when products go live. Visit my site Billetgeeks.com where I will be linking the store. Thank you!

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

i like your efforts on the face detailing as you circle out with an endmill from the magnet holes. What did facemilling look like?

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Really silly looking on our cam software. Esprit is really good about letting you play with the tools paths themselves.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Oh my God, did you mill out that cavity from a solid block??? I like what you've done, but I sure as hell can't condone it

6 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

If it's any help, I'm pretty sure he recycled the shavings. I can't assume throwing away the shavings is good for business.

4 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Actually most high end pieces are machined from solid billet. I do it all day! Mountains of chips.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Do those chips get reused? Please tell me they are used for something.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Many magic the gathering players ask the question, will the professor review these deck boxes? because he should they're great!

6 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Was gonna say the same thing.

6 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Enough people have told me so I will be contacting him!

6 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

get a good grade and you can get some commissions good luck!

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Send one to the Professor!!!!

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Love these. Thats some talent right there.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

But can it fit a double sleeved edh deck, if so Ill throw money at you in order to aquire one thanks!

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I am open to commissions. The box can be made larger fairly easily. It is for a standard 60 card deck + 15 card sideboard normally.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I may very well follow up with you on that for my Chandra tribal pioneer deck thanks for responding

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

dope. you play mtgo? I can’t stomach the price of goodstuff in paper.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Yes! I play MTGO, arena, and in paper actually

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Send me your link. I want to purchase one.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Follow me @alumgeek on instagram for when products go live. Visit my site Billetgeeks.com where I will be linking the store. Thank you!

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I'll hop over now. Thanks

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Is that you AvE? Your mill and vice sure Luke similar.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I am not! Kurt vises and Haas machines are really common though!

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

My step son is very into this magic thing do you sell any of these by chance?

6 years ago | Likes 86 Dislikes 0

.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Asking the real questions

6 years ago | Likes 26 Dislikes 0

Pretty interested about that too.

6 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

Follow me @alumgeek on instagram for when products go live. Visit my site Billetgeeks.com where I will be linking the store. Thank you!

6 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

You are the man! I would love to get some custom boxes for my edh decks!

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I am wide open for commissions at the moment if you are interested. let me know!

6 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I am but based on the Etsy price I see I may need to save up a bit.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

. I would love one for my main commander deck.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I, too, am interested in this.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I, too, would be interested

6 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

Interested!

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Also interested. Been playing magic off and on for most of my life.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Hear! Hear!

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

My husband might like one, I'd buy!

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Same

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

.

6 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

Id also like to buy one soon please

6 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Me as well lol

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Would be a great gift for my bf

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

This whole time I thought people were talking about buying one single card, not the box. God I’m dumb.

6 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

The most a single card has sold for is 166,000

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Was that the black lotus or what ever? I used to play MTG years ago

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Yes, it was near mint

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

I too am interested in at least one of these... Breya and Saheeli both would like them.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Teysa for me.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

the question is.... which teysa?

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Karlov

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Not a bad choice, but I've always loved Orzhov Scion more. But as my friends claim, i'm a combo whore.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

If he starts to sell these , then he should look into casting. As mentioned before, in larger quantities, casting becomes cheaper.

6 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

He's selling them as boutique collectibles for $300. Not sure he cares about blowing through $40 of billet since he already has the workflow

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

1) Very nice. 2) Jesus, that's a lot of wasted aluminum. You need to get into castings.

6 years ago | Likes 255 Dislikes 2

Cast aluminum is more brittle and won't have the same finish though

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Someone else can cast my chips

6 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

Cash me out. :)

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Or just recycle

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

The trick is getting clean Al chips out of the machine. If you cut w/o coolant in a machine dedicated to Al, not so bad.

6 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

We always recycle our aluminum!

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

At quantity heck yes you are right! At low volume straight machining is easy and affordable.

6 years ago | Likes 123 Dislikes 0

Naming my first kid Phyrexian this September when I'm due <3 nerd on !

6 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 2

It's a cool name but that poor kid. Really, think about how your kid is going to have to deal with that. Middle name.

6 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

And one can recycle aluminium with relative ease. Steel, not so easy.

6 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

We always recycle our aluminum!

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Well you can just depends on how big a power bill you want. Source: i work in a steel mill melt shop

6 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

How much?

6 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Follow me @alumgeek on instagram for when products go live. Visit my site Billetgeeks.com where I will be linking the store. Thank you!

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Do you sell them?

6 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Follow me @alumgeek on instagram for when products go live. Visit my site Billetgeeks.com where I will be linking the store. Thank you!

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

You can design the six sides as flat machining and save a lot of alluminum.

6 years ago | Likes 29 Dislikes 0

Yes, some of the work we do is like this primarily because they are much bigger. I have a job right now out of 6x7x13 full billet! Hugeeee.

6 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Time to learn joinery!

6 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 0

"Easy and affordable" says someone with access to a CNC mill!

6 years ago | Likes 24 Dislikes 0

Oh I thought these were manually milled.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

It generally wouldn't be possible to machine the details in a standard manual mill since the end mills are so small the RPM has to be high.

6 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I mean, you can purchase hobby grade CNC that can handle aluminum for not too much... but yeah a full CNCfor "fun" is makes me jealous

6 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1