How to Load Dice
Get the necessary materials., Decide which side you want to weight., Drill straight into the die., Insert a small nail or lead pellets., Add glue to seal the weight., Paint over the weight.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Get the necessary materials.
The most traditional way of loading a die involves simple tools and supplies that you can get at any home repair store or hardware outlet.
Try to get a big package of dice so that you'll be able to try a few different techniques to get it right.
It's also good to have:
Power drill Small gauge drill bit (no larger than the size of each dot on the die) Small gauge nail or lead pellets Super glue Paint or white-out Several dice for weighting -
Step 2: Decide which side you want to weight.
The most straightforward way of "gimmicking" or "loading" a die is by drilling into the plastic and weighting it on one side to try to make that end land down more often.
So you need to pick which side you want to come up most often, and weight the opposite side.
Any number that you know and your opponents don't know will be effective, but if you're going to gimmick some dice for the purposes of playing craps, you might want to weight them so that six comes up most often, or else you might want to weight another number to ensure that other rollers will crap out.
It's up to you. , You want to hollow out as little of the plastic as possible, to avoid drawing attention to the gimmick.
Ideally, a drill bit should be used that’s no larger than 1/16th of an inch.
You can use it to gently open up the hole and clear space for the weight.
Clamp the die in a vise to protect your fingers.
Never try to hold the die while you drill into it at the same time.
Drill into the center of the die, staying as straight as possible to avoid drawing attention to your hole.
Leave the edges smooth so you can easily pass the weight through it. , A common weight is a thin nail or pin, used to load one side of the die.
It needs to match the diameter of the hole, usually about a sixteenth of an inch.
If you use a nail, take wire cutters or small bolt cutters and snip some weight off the end after you've inserted it into the die.
If you use tiny bearings, push them in and use a needle to set them deeper into the die.
It should be as close to the edge as possible though, or you'll ruin the effect of the weight.
Go back over the end with some sandpaper or a metal file to smooth it out.
If any of the metal extends past the end of the die, you need to smooth it off.
Nothing will get you caught more quickly than some rough metal sticking out. , Use a small amount of super glue to seal up the end of the hole that you just loaded.
You'll need a small amount of super glue to plug the hole and make sure the weight doesn't come back out.
After adding glue, let it dry thoroughly and go back over it again with fine-grain sandpaper to smooth out any little bumps.
Use your finger to feel the other dots on the die and make the gimmicked spot match it. , Use a little bit of dark ink, Sharpie, or gun-black to color in the fake spot that you've weighted.
Make sure it matches the other spots as closely as possible.
Coloring over the weight will help make or break the trick.
Don't get caught in your gimmick by messing up the color and getting it on the white part of the die.
Be especially careful to keep your coloring in the lines of the dot, making it evenly marked and uniform.
The dots on standard dice are usually shiny and pure black.
India ink is likely the smartest choice for the job.
Use a new, fine-tipped brush and maintain a very sharp point.
If you want, you could even outline the dots with very thin strips of masking tape, to keep ink from getting on the white part of the die. -
Step 3: Drill straight into the die.
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Step 4: Insert a small nail or lead pellets.
-
Step 5: Add glue to seal the weight.
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Step 6: Paint over the weight.
Detailed Guide
The most traditional way of loading a die involves simple tools and supplies that you can get at any home repair store or hardware outlet.
Try to get a big package of dice so that you'll be able to try a few different techniques to get it right.
It's also good to have:
Power drill Small gauge drill bit (no larger than the size of each dot on the die) Small gauge nail or lead pellets Super glue Paint or white-out Several dice for weighting
The most straightforward way of "gimmicking" or "loading" a die is by drilling into the plastic and weighting it on one side to try to make that end land down more often.
So you need to pick which side you want to come up most often, and weight the opposite side.
Any number that you know and your opponents don't know will be effective, but if you're going to gimmick some dice for the purposes of playing craps, you might want to weight them so that six comes up most often, or else you might want to weight another number to ensure that other rollers will crap out.
It's up to you. , You want to hollow out as little of the plastic as possible, to avoid drawing attention to the gimmick.
Ideally, a drill bit should be used that’s no larger than 1/16th of an inch.
You can use it to gently open up the hole and clear space for the weight.
Clamp the die in a vise to protect your fingers.
Never try to hold the die while you drill into it at the same time.
Drill into the center of the die, staying as straight as possible to avoid drawing attention to your hole.
Leave the edges smooth so you can easily pass the weight through it. , A common weight is a thin nail or pin, used to load one side of the die.
It needs to match the diameter of the hole, usually about a sixteenth of an inch.
If you use a nail, take wire cutters or small bolt cutters and snip some weight off the end after you've inserted it into the die.
If you use tiny bearings, push them in and use a needle to set them deeper into the die.
It should be as close to the edge as possible though, or you'll ruin the effect of the weight.
Go back over the end with some sandpaper or a metal file to smooth it out.
If any of the metal extends past the end of the die, you need to smooth it off.
Nothing will get you caught more quickly than some rough metal sticking out. , Use a small amount of super glue to seal up the end of the hole that you just loaded.
You'll need a small amount of super glue to plug the hole and make sure the weight doesn't come back out.
After adding glue, let it dry thoroughly and go back over it again with fine-grain sandpaper to smooth out any little bumps.
Use your finger to feel the other dots on the die and make the gimmicked spot match it. , Use a little bit of dark ink, Sharpie, or gun-black to color in the fake spot that you've weighted.
Make sure it matches the other spots as closely as possible.
Coloring over the weight will help make or break the trick.
Don't get caught in your gimmick by messing up the color and getting it on the white part of the die.
Be especially careful to keep your coloring in the lines of the dot, making it evenly marked and uniform.
The dots on standard dice are usually shiny and pure black.
India ink is likely the smartest choice for the job.
Use a new, fine-tipped brush and maintain a very sharp point.
If you want, you could even outline the dots with very thin strips of masking tape, to keep ink from getting on the white part of the die.
About the Author
Matthew Gutierrez
A passionate writer with expertise in practical skills topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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