After the sheets are glued, it is time to cut out the cards. I've settled on using a clamp and straightedge to achieve the most precise cuts. I think there are probably cutting boards which could speed this process up, but I've yet to find one that allows me the combination of precision and a clean cut that I am looking for. For now, I just use a hobby knife to cut the sheets.
With the cards cut apart, I use a 4mm corner punch to round the corners of each card. I think squared off corners can look nice and can be quite a bold choice. However, I personally adore rounded corners and feel like it adds a touch of professionalism to the project. I've considered going with squared corners, but I just didn't like the look of it for this project.
Esther helped me to craft some special card holders from strawberry boxes, foam and toothpicks. After the cards are cut out, I use a HeroArts Intense Black ink pad to edge most of the cards in black. For certain cards I have Colorbox Silver and Gold ink pads.
After all the cards are properly edged and placed in the holders, I spray them with a polyurethane coating to prevent any ink from rubbing off with use. This needs to cure for at least a day. It actually takes about a month to fully cure, but I've not really ever waited that long before handling the cards. They work just fine after a day, but it is important to be careful to separate the cards on a daily basis if they are stacked before the full cure. The polyurethane will tend to merge together with other cards while curing. I usually take the cards out once per day and deal them out once or twice to make sure everything is properly separated while they are still curing. I know when they are done curing when they stop sticking together.
I wasn't very diligent in working on the reprints (there are actually only 81 of them), so I was unable to finish all of them before the next couple of play tests (more on that later). I did get through 36 of them and the changes were most helpful.
With the cards cut apart, I use a 4mm corner punch to round the corners of each card. I think squared off corners can look nice and can be quite a bold choice. However, I personally adore rounded corners and feel like it adds a touch of professionalism to the project. I've considered going with squared corners, but I just didn't like the look of it for this project.
Esther helped me to craft some special card holders from strawberry boxes, foam and toothpicks. After the cards are cut out, I use a HeroArts Intense Black ink pad to edge most of the cards in black. For certain cards I have Colorbox Silver and Gold ink pads.
After all the cards are properly edged and placed in the holders, I spray them with a polyurethane coating to prevent any ink from rubbing off with use. This needs to cure for at least a day. It actually takes about a month to fully cure, but I've not really ever waited that long before handling the cards. They work just fine after a day, but it is important to be careful to separate the cards on a daily basis if they are stacked before the full cure. The polyurethane will tend to merge together with other cards while curing. I usually take the cards out once per day and deal them out once or twice to make sure everything is properly separated while they are still curing. I know when they are done curing when they stop sticking together.
I wasn't very diligent in working on the reprints (there are actually only 81 of them), so I was unable to finish all of them before the next couple of play tests (more on that later). I did get through 36 of them and the changes were most helpful.
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