Dice Rolling Box (2 trays)

[Kurgan]

So here's another area where I feel like these were created entirely to suck the change out of the pockets of hardcore tabletop gamers... but... I can see how they are nice too. It has the potential to reduce wear and tear on your dice and keep them on the table (and more importantly to reduce the "well, I think I'll have to re-roll that one" excuses).

So in another effort to create my own, on the cheap, I went out and bought a pre-made wooden hobby 'cigar box' (about $5 at walmart). After covering the metal bits with painter's tape, I spray painted it a few light coats with my Rustoleum paint (the generic kind you can also use for plastics, of course this is wood). When that dried, I sprayed on a few coats of bullseye shellac to give it a nice smooth, somewhat glossy finish. On the inside I covered both "trays" with craft felt. Presto! The only thing was I got a little impatient with the paint drying on the inside and had to touch it up a little on the "lip" of the box.

In using two different colors I figured: one tray for Zargon, one for the Heroes. I realize now that MB/GWS probably intended the players just to use those cardboard boxes that came with the game to roll your dice (then again those little wooden dice on the board itself is fine too.. that's how most games go). Still, I'd rather have something like this to stop the dice from knocking over the board setup (especially when rolling large numbers of bigger plastic dice!), falling off the table, etc. The feedback of the dice tumbling on the wood (but with the sound muffled by the felt) is pretty satisfying overall.

Now in practice I also found that you have to "pass the trays" when doing turns, unless you're sitting closer on two sides, so I'm making a second box already. But overall, I think its slightly cheaper than getting one of those felt lined pre-made ones. It's a lot closer than the DIY dice cups I made though. Makes a handy place to store your dice, character cards/sheets and some mechanical pencils too!

They do sell felt table-clothes you can put over your card table for poker night or whatever, or even just a roll of craft felt for the purpose.
Now then, those of you who have your own pool table... put some bar stools around that thing, stuff up the pockets with something, and you've got an even better solution (like your own craps table!), but this will do for me!

[Kurgan]

Speaking of the Hero Quest craps table (who is making that next? we've seen enough 3D dungeons people, get to work! Didn't Phoenix have one in progress some years back?)... how about some of
those dealer rakes? (The things are way too big though) You know, for Zargon to retrieve those hard to reach items?

Instead of buying one of those curved canes they use to retrieve dice off a craps table ($38?)...

My solution was the bamboo backscratcher (never used for its intended purpose), which I got for 75 cents at Walmart clearance (from their holiday stocking stuffer overstock):

bamboobackscratchers.jpg

Just the right size to snag an out of reach miniature, or as a pointer...

[ghost01013]

Lol

[Kurgan]

One downside to my solution is that during long gaming sessions, the felt tends to attract lint. Hence, the need for occasional maintenance with a lint brush (I don't recommend the "sticky tape" kind but the actual brush type). I've also used the edge portion of an electric shaver to trim the "fuzz" on the lint as well when necessary.

It's either that, or you line it with actual velvet... but felt is super cheap (33 cents for a sheet).

[Anderas]

I lined a small tray with velvet. It works. However my daughter was stealing it from me, now it us in her room.

[BigDaddio]

Sorry, I know this thread is a few months old but I only recently joined. I have a fold-up dice tray for most occasions, but I also found some other useful items to use as trays such as small wooden craft coffins (found in the local arts and crafts store during Halloween season) as well as the plastic inserts for certain boxes of miniatures (the CMON inserts for Wrath of Kings models are excellent for this).

[Kurgan]

Welcome! Nice. Yeah, re-purposing is cool. I thought maybe you could use the original cardboard trays that came with the Game system as dice rolling boxes as is (one on each side of the table), but I usually have them loaded up with miniatures/furniture for Zargon to use, so I haven't used them that way. Of course rolling on the board was how we usually did it (which didn't stop many a time of having to chase after dice that flew off the table, and one got nibbled by a hungry puppy once too).

Something about the sound produced by the boxes I've made though just comes off as right to me, just the right balance between cushion and satisfying "thump." Each to their own I guess. I have seen ones that are made of leather that have snaps (collapsible). That's a cool idea, but way too expensive... though home-made it would be really cool.

[Kurgan]

I got this to clean the lint (and an electric shaver to trim the "fuzz" that can build up over time)... (see picture below)...

[iKarith]

Collapsible dice trays made of pleather, rubber, and other such materials are all over Amazon for a few bucks. A full grain leather one that looks really appropriate for fantasy gaming under $20.

These along with the usual lasered wood and acrylic puzzle piece dice towers which make for a nice random roll, but make a ton of noise and don't reduce wear on the dice or anything.

[Kurgan]

A friend made some really nice varnished wooden boxes for dice rolling, but yes, very loud. Same problem with using plastic yahtzee shakers (the cushioned backgammon ones are better but very small if you're using regular sized dice). A good shaker plus a good rolling tray/box is a pretty cool enhancement to the game. Otherwise, roll in a spare cardboard box.