Game on!

December 3, 2009 3:30 AM

Does anyone know where in the UK I can buy sheets of blank (on both sides) printable playing cards, similar to the ones from the US site 'www.plaincards.com'? I want to print out a home-designed card wargame and perforated card sheets would make life so much easier! Thanks in advance...
posted by timpollard to sports, hobbies, & recreation (10 answers total)

A possible hack: a playing card is 2.5x3.5 inches, while a business card is a slightly-skinnier 2.5x3. And there are a bazillion easy-to-find choices for printable business card stock in a wide selection of weights, colors, sizes and finishes.

Would your players forgive you for having slightly-daintier cards than most games?

Slightly more exotically, playing card size is a common size for convention name badges, too, so there might be pre-existing perforated templates called "ID Badge" or "Name Badge" or somesuch, rather than "Playing Card".
posted by rokusan at 4:40 AM on December 3, 2009

if you go that route, and want rounded corners for free, you can try nail clippers.
posted by acidic at 6:28 AM on December 3, 2009

(European business card sizes are not the same, rokusan.)
posted by scruss at 6:28 AM on December 3, 2009

They're only a hair different, though, based on this elastic-banded pile I have here, so the advice still applies: it's a bit smaller than a playing card but a lot easier to find as printable perf paper.

(Then again, in some fields there's no standard at all. I have a ton of cards from designers who have all decided that it's clever to make their card 10mm wider or 3mm taller or whatever the hell. It's so annoying.)

</andy-rooney>
posted by rokusan at 6:47 AM on December 3, 2009

Sadly scruss is correct, our business card sizes are much smaller I'm afraid, but I do appreciate the suggestions, thank you. Also I'm hoping to give the finished set as a gift which is why I'm looking for some good quality cards, as close to 'proper' playing cards as possible...
posted by timpollard at 6:47 AM on December 3, 2009

Ah, yes... if you want a finished, retail game look then your only real move is to forget about perforated sheets (which never look professional or polished) and instead just lay your artwork out on full A4 sheets (I think that'll hold eight or ten)... and have a real print shop do the duplication and cutting for you. They can do round-corners and even clear varnish for only a few extra pennies. It's a simple enough job that most quickie-printing shops can handle it.

Heck, if these are full-color pretty things, it may even be less expensive than the ink you'll burn up doing it at home.
posted by rokusan at 7:03 AM on December 3, 2009

I can find you a blank on one side pack of cards here

I think these may end up looking better than perforated sheets.
posted by priorpark17 at 7:46 AM on December 3, 2009

re-read. You want blank on both sides. They are here.
posted by priorpark17 at 7:49 AM on December 3, 2009

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all your time and help, I doff my hat to you!
posted by timpollard at 8:07 AM on December 3, 2009

I did this once and found a place that would do custom perforations for me. I wasn't satisfied with the results. In the future, I will be using artscow.

My friends and I have debated if this is "arts cow" or "art scow". I prefer to think of it as the latter-- some quasi-legal barge floating off the coast of Taiwan, printing out cards & coasters for decadent Westerners. Given the cow on the page, I am probably wrong.
posted by chairface at 3:30 PM on December 3, 2009