autoshufflers

[smoore]

Once you develop the process, I would plan on at least two models... your single deck, in the cupholder version for <$200 and then a two deck model that would be more expensive and table mounted.

That would be nirvana. A single deck would work but a dual deck would be more professional, as the table only has access to one deck at a time.

[kodonnell]

$100-$150 is my goal. We'll see what happens from there.

The shuffler I am developing is not going to be like card room shufflers.

I am using the KISS method of product development, keeping it as simple as possible.

It's not gonna have the lights or the cute trap door, it's not going to make the constant whirring and clicking sounds either.

It will be able to be built into a table. It will be able to stand alone. It will randomize a deck of cards in a fairly speedy fashion and it will work unattended (no reloading). And hopefully I can make it look kinda cool, but that is not high on my list of priorities.

There are a couple reasons Shufflemaster shufflers are so expensive. First, Shufflemaster realizes their product increases the bottom line of a casinos card room in a very measurable way. They can say "this machine makes us x dollars per hour it is in use because we can get y more hands dealt". Shufflemaster uses this in determining their pricing, rather than using the cost to manufacture it to set pricing. I think this is why they do not market to home users, they do not get this added value. Second, the shufflers themselves are very complicated devices with motors, belts, pulleys, gears, and a microchip controlling the whole thing. The drawback is there is a lot that can go wrong and it does from what I hear.

[kodonnell]

The shuffler is going to be 1 deck (for now). I don't play blackjack, so I have no need to shuffle multiple decks. However, with the current design, it should not be to tough making it shuffle multiple decks.

Yes, the current design handles the cards vertically (standing up on the short end of the card). I had an earlier version which handled them laying flat, but I found the unit ended up occupying too much space so it was abandoned. With all the beer and chips in front of me, the shuffler woulda taken too much space. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[maryfield48]

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With all the beer and chips in front of me, the shuffler woulda taken too much space. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

Potato or Poker?

[Gator_Nutz]

Sounds great and I'm ready for one now. When you are ready for some design work, injection mold or metal quotes, get in touch. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[kodonnell]

On good days, poker, on bad days, potato.

[slamdunkpro]

[ QUOTE ]
Hold on, slow down, $600 for an autoshuffler?

[/ QUOTE ]

Why not - How much do we spend on chips? tables? Yet what do we bitch about the most in home games - who's gonna shuffle!

[Rozez]

Man, finally someone's doing something about this! My cards take more and more damage every Friday since my buddies don't have a clue about how to shuffle them. And that 100-150$ sounds very reasonable. Really hope you can pull this off. It would take home poker games to a whole new level [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[kodonnell]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. It really helps a lot keeping motivated. I will keep you posted.

[maryfield48]

Kidding aside, I am very interested in kodonnel's device, and encourage him to keep working at it. I don't think testing a prototype is 'in the cards' for me because I'm outside the US, but depending on price and performance I'd be a likely early adopter.