Hello people!

I want to make a deck customized to my own liking, and I already have an idea on it, I just need to know a website where I can have it printed. Also I want to choose the stock, cut, and finish. And lastly, it needs to have capability to do custom faces. Is there any existing website like this?

Thanks in advance!
 
Oct 19, 2015
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I am no expert on getting custom cards made, but I do know a lot about printing in general.

The primary cost in printing is the cost to set up the run. Costs like getting the artwork and plates set up and put into the printer. Also the costs of ink, some scrap, and labor associated with this initial set up usually runs into the $100's if not $1,000 of dollars. Therefore your first deck costs the total cost of this set up, plus the cost of material on that deck, plus profit for the printer....So if you only buy one deck or only say 10 decks this sunk cost make it very, very, expensive.....Now if you are going to have them print a few thousand decks, the cost per deck is more affordable....assuming you can take and later sell or use...thousands of decks!

But, like I said, I do not know cards ....only printing...
 
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I don't know how long you've been into magic but I do know this about you, from other threads on here:

- You don't have enough money to afford a close up mat
- You don't know the differences between card finishes

Therefore, I would guess that you have neither the funds nor the knowledge to produce a custom deck of cards. However, that doesn't mean you can't get to work designing one. Why not throw together some designs and share them on the forums?

Rev
 
I don't know how long you've been into magic but I do know this about you, from other threads on here:

- You don't have enough money to afford a close up mat
- You don't know the differences between card finishes

Therefore, I would guess that you have neither the funds nor the knowledge to produce a custom deck of cards. However, that doesn't mean you can't get to work designing one. Why not throw together some designs and share them on the forums?

Rev
My parents said I can get 10 custom decks for my birthday so I have the funds. I do know the differences between card finishes... But I wasn't so sure at the time. Recently I read some articles and now I think I know most differences between finishes. As for money, it's my parents who handle my money so they won't allow me to spend it on a $200 mat, though I can afford it. Hope that clears it up. I have a design in mind, so I'll post some time in the future.

I am no expert on getting custom cards made, but I do know a lot about printing in general.

The primary cost in printing is the cost to set up the run. Costs like getting the artwork and plates set up and put into the printer. Also the costs of ink, some scrap, and labor associated with this initial set up usually runs into the $100's if not $1,000 of dollars. Therefore your first deck costs the total cost of this set up, plus the cost of material on that deck, plus profit for the printer....So if you only buy one deck or only say 10 decks this sunk cost make it very, very, expensive.....Now if you are going to have them print a few thousand decks, the cost per deck is more affordable....assuming you can take and later sell or use...thousands of decks!

But, like I said, I do not know cards ....only printing...
Man, I didn't know it was so expensive... I guess I'll just get the bicycle custom backs that Mr. O'Brien mentioned. $20 is more affordable.


Thanks everyone for the replies!
 

Dean Magic

Elite Member
Jun 13, 2013
452
480
Florida
My parents said I can get 10 custom decks for my birthday so I have the funds. I do know the differences between card finishes... But I wasn't so sure at the time. Recently I read some articles and now I think I know most differences between finishes. As for money, it's my parents who handle my money so they won't allow me to spend it on a $200 mat, though I can afford it. Hope that clears it up. I have a design in mind, so I'll post some time in the future.


Man, I didn't know it was so expensive... I guess I'll just get the bicycle custom backs that Mr. O'Brien mentioned. $20 is more affordable.


Thanks everyone for the replies!
You might want to also look into makeplayingcards.com. One of my friends went through them and their prices are fairly reasonable for small orders. Their decks aren't going to be as high quality as bicycle or USPCC but if you're just getting a few decks for you to use then you could go through them and you can do fully custom decks.
 
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My parents said I can get 10 custom decks for my birthday so I have the funds. I do know the differences between card finishes... But I wasn't so sure at the time. Recently I read some articles and now I think I know most differences between finishes. As for money, it's my parents who handle my money so they won't allow me to spend it on a $200 mat, though I can afford it. Hope that clears it up. I have a design in mind, so I'll post some time in the future.


Man, I didn't know it was so expensive... I guess I'll just get the bicycle custom backs that Mr. O'Brien mentioned. $20 is more affordable.


Thanks everyone for the replies!

$200 for a close up mat?!

Where are you looking? You can get a professional grade mat for about $20.

Rev
 
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Fox13

Elite Member
Aug 19, 2014
200
171
When designing a custom deck, make one using a design that you like, using stock and finish that you like. Don't do it for others. Do it for yourself. If you really dedicate yourself and take the time to do a deck that you love, some will like it, some won't, but you will have the feeling deep down that you built something truly unique. If you do it for others to like, and they don't, you'll get no gratification out of it.

In order to know exactly which stock and finish you want, there is nothing like handling them yourself, reading about it only gives you information, not feel. I would advise you use your money to buy already printed custom cards of various stock, finish, and printer. Don't take others word on it. Find what you like.

The same can be said about the card design: back, pips, and courts. Buy cards of various design, and see what you like. Designs might look nice in pictures, but when handling and playing them, you come to see them differently. Again personal taste comes into play. Find what you like.

=========================

Jim Morrison said,
"If you book them, they will come."
...

Wayne - None of the bands have shown up.

Jim - I know, and they're not gonna show up.

Wayne - Then why were we supposed to put on a concert?

Jim - Because you had to try and do something with your life.

Wayne - But it was a failure.

Jim - Whether you won or lost, what's important is that you gave it your best shot.

...
Jim - You'll think of something. It's your movie.
 

Justin.Morris

Elite Member
Aug 31, 2007
2,793
888
Canada
www.morrismagic.ca
I have used the bicycle personalized playing cards years ago. The finished product looked nice, but was horrible to handle. The worst quality coated deck I've EVER handled. The only cards that are worse, are my daughters go fish cards from the dollar store, and even those are similar in comparison to how they handle. However that was quite a number of years ago, so they may have changed some things. It looks like they are using Zazzle now. Perhaps they are doing a better job. http://www.bicyclecards.com/custom-printing/
 
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obrienmagic

Elite Member
Nov 4, 2014
1,469
1,422
Orange County, Ca
www.obrienmagic.com
I have used the bicycle personalized playing cards years ago. The finished product looked nice, but was horrible to handle. The worst quality coated deck I've EVER handled. The only cards that are worse, are my daughters go fish cards from the dollar store, and even those are similar in comparison to how they handle. However that was quite a number of years ago, so they may have changed some things. It looks like they are using Zazzle now. Perhaps they are doing a better job. http://www.bicyclecards.com/custom-printing/

The deck my friends had printed were about the same quality as the "Costco" Bicycle decks. Not great, but not bad either.
 
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