A loaded, or weighted, die is used to stun, confuse, or defeat another person. By changing the weight distribution in the nut, you can increase the number of times a given face shows up. Regardless of whether you want to show off some unlikely magic trick or win some dice games, learn how to make up these items is a fun process. You have to learn how to use the drill, create a variable weight nut or lightly melt it to get the desired result.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Drill the Nut
Step 1. Gather the necessary materials
The traditional technique for fixing dice involves the use of simple tools and materials that you can find in hardware stores or in DIY stores. Get a large pack of nuts as well, so you can experiment with different methods until you can do a perfect job. It is also worth having:
- Electric drill
- Small bore drill bit (no larger than the black dots on the nut)
- Thin nail or sinkers
- Supercolla
- White-out paint or corrector
- Several nuts to be ballasted
Step 2. Decide which face to ballast
The simplest way to "fix" or "ballast" a die is to drill through the plastic and add weights to one face so that, for each roll, the chances of the die falling on it are greater. For this reason you have to choose the side you want to "come out" more often and weigh down the opposite one.
Any number is fine, as long as your opponent doesn't know. However, if you have decided to rig game dice for cheating, then you need to either modify them so that the "six" comes out more often, or make them losers and ballast other faces so that your opponent has less chance of winning. It just depends on you
Step 3. Drill a straight hole with the drill
You must try to remove the minimum amount of plastic, so that the change is not too noticeable. In theory, the tip should not be more than 4mm in diameter. You have to use it gently to create an opening into which to insert the weight.
- Lock the nut in a vise to protect your fingers. Never hold it with your hand while drilling!
- Drill the hole straight in the center of the nut, trying to stay as perpendicular to the surface as possible - so the hole won't be very noticeable. The edges must be smooth so that the weight can pass through them without difficulty.
Step 4. Insert a small nail or sinkers
The most commonly used ballast is a nail or pin that weighs down one face of the nut. It is important that it is the same size as the hole, about 4mm in diameter.
- If you have decided to use a nail, take a wire cutter to cut off one end after inserting it into the nut. If you have chosen the sinkers, push them into the hole and then help yourself with a needle to insert them deep into the nut. The ballast should be as flush with the edge of the nut as possible, otherwise it will ruin the final result.
- Sand the end of the sinker with sandpaper or a metal file to make the edge smooth. If any part of the weight comes off the face of the die, you should definitely sand it down. Nothing is more noticeable than a rough edge sticking out of the nut.
Step 5. Add glue to lock the ballast
Choose some super glue and apply only small amounts to stop the weight and seal the hole. In this way you "plug" the hole and prevent the weight from escaping.
Once the glue has been applied, wait for it to dry completely and then sand the surface again with fine-grained sandpaper to remove any imperfections. Touch the area with your fingers to check that there are no tactile differences with the other dots, and be sure that the change does not notice
Step 6. Paint the weight
Use a drop of black paint, permanent marker, or firearm product to paint a false dot in the spot you ballasted. Do a careful job so that there are no differences with the other dots. If done precisely, this step may help you mask the change, otherwise it may reveal the trick. Don't make your work obvious by messing with color and dripping it onto the white part of the die. Be very careful, especially try to stay in the edges of the hole, so that the point appears as even as possible.
The dots on a standard die are usually bright and deep black. India ink is the most suitable product for this operation. Use a new, fine-tipped brush and create a well-defined point. If possible, consider defining the edges of the stitch with thin strips of masking tape to prevent the color from smudging on the white area
Method 2 of 3: Melt the Nut
Step 1. Place aluminum foil on a baking sheet
If you don't want to use the drill, this method is quicker. If you want to make sure your oven doesn't fill with sticky, smelly plastic, line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Follow the instructions for this method in a well-ventilated room with the windows open, and check the nut carefully during all stages. It's easy to lose control of the situation and melt the plastic excessively, so be very vigilant.
An alternative technique for fixing a nut is to blend it gently, just enough to shift its center of gravity down and change the way it rolls. You have to be very careful, to avoid changing the look of the die too much. It doesn't take long for the plastic to soften and widen the opposite face to the one you want it to stay on top, so your number is more likely to "come out"
Step 2. Heat a normal oven or electric oven to about 93 ° C
If you keep the temperature relatively low, you are sure not to melt the nut too much; 93 ° C is not a lot, but enough to soften the nut and slightly change its shape.
Do not use the microwave. It will not melt the nut as you hope and the plastic will tend to crumple with a really funny result. It is also quite dangerous, so avoid putting the nut in this appliance
Step 3. Place the nut in the oven with the face you want to get facing up
Check the entire process carefully and remove the nut from the oven after 10 minutes. Use oven mitts for this and immediately place the nut in ice water to fix the shape it has taken and make sure the melting does not continue.
- If you notice bubbles or an excessive change in the shape of the nut, throw it away and try again, reducing the cooking time. In theory, you should churn out the nut before you see any deformation, so this will take a few tries.
- Remember that the room must be well ventilated. Inhaling the fumes that come out of the molten plastic is very dangerous, plus you have to be careful to soften the nut just a little, so it doesn't burn and start a fire.
Step 4. Test the nut a couple of times
Launch it for a few times in order to evaluate its behavior. If you find that the number you want shows up more frequently than the others, then you have successfully tricked the dice. If not, you can try to merge it again or start over with a new one.
Method 3 of 3: Variable Weight Nut
Step 1. Drill several dots
If you want to make a really elaborate make up of a die, in order to vary the face that appears most often, you have to reach the heart of the die without noticing the tampering from the outside. It takes practice and patience to get it right, but it's not impossible. Start by drilling several holes on the various faces using a fine tip.
Try to minimize the number of holes. If you're having trouble scraping the inside though, you'll need to do a few more. In this case it is worth drilling holes on each black point, to keep the appearance of the nut as uniform as possible
Step 2. Empty it carefully
The best tool for this job is a dental probe or other similar tool. With great care and delicacy, scrape the inside of the nut little by little. You can insert the probe into each hole to remove as much material as possible at different angles. Eventually you should be able to empty the nut completely.
Try to get as deep as possible from every angle and scrape off as much plastic as you can. You will not be able to hollow out the entire die by working on one side only, but it will be possible if you work from several points
Step 3. Close all holes except one
Smear some super glue over each hole and let it dry. In this way the ballast you insert will not come out. Don't worry if the glue changes the look of the nut, you can sand it down at the end with very fine sandpaper and a little attention. For now, focus on ballasting him properly.
Step 4. Drop some sinkers in the center of the die
You need to make sure that the final weight of the rigged die is pretty similar to a regular one, so keep an unmodified one on hand for comparison as you go. An average player is unable to sense the small differences, but your goal is not to make it obvious that the die has been rigged and dug.
Insert a few sinkers into the open hole. Evaluate its mass and add more ballast if necessary. The little balls will make a metallic sound, but don't worry about that for now. You will think about it in the next step
Step 5. Mix some paraffin with coconut oil
Now you need to fill the nut with a waxy mixture that, at room temperature, is hard enough to lock and fix the sinkers and that melts slightly with the body heat emitted from your hand. The best material for this purpose is a blend of coconut oil and paraffin - both of which are commonly available and relatively inexpensive ingredients. Mix them together to form a solid wax that at the same time melts without difficulty.
- Melt some paraffin in a saucepan. Add the coconut oil (in an amount equal to 80% of the paraffin) and mix everything thoroughly in a bowl. Wait for the mixture to harden.
- Check the consistency of the wax by holding some in your hand to understand how quickly it melts thanks to body heat. If you notice that it takes too long, then add more coconut oil; vice versa, the percentage of paraffin increases. When you are satisfied with the result, fill in the die.
Step 6. Seal the last hole
Fill it with glue, making sure to close any cracks, crevices or other openings that could release the waxy compound or make tamper evident. This method creates a much more "mess" than the first described in the tutorial, so it will take some painstaking work to clean up the die, color it and make it appear "normal". Take your time to get a good result.
Step 7. Hold the dice in the palm of your hand when you want to cheat
When you are ready to throw it, hold it in your hand with the face you want it to "come out" upwards so the sinkers will move to the opposite face ballasting the nut. Leave the nut resting on the table or put it in the fridge for a few minutes, to harden the wax again and ensure that the sinkers stay in the desired position.
Advice
Have a pair of un-loaded dice handy in case a spectator wants to check them out
Warnings
- Be very careful when handling any boiling substance.
- Wait for the hot nut to cool before touching it with your bare hands.
