Design files are available to purchase on my website: http://laseredby.me/shop/rotary-game-counter-pattern
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Magnets that I used can be gotten from there: the larger ones and the smaller ones.
Full write up and additional pictures available on my blog: http://laseredby.me/projects/2018/7/1/glue-free-rotary-game-counter
Made out of proograde walnut and maple.
Cool idea and it looks great.
I can think of several ways to adapt that to things I want to do.
Thanks yall. I took inspiration from the instructables post I linked on my blog, so I can’t take full credit, but I was really happy with how it came out. I too enjoy the tactile feel and audible click when you turn the rotary. And super cool to be able to print something and put it together without using any glue. Thanks again for the serrated tabs @dan!
That’s great, I was looking at game counters and thought could the glow forge make something like that and here you are proving that it can. Great idea using magnets.
This is pretty cool.
Just an aside… if those Amazon links are affiliate links (I haven’t clicked through to find out), you’ll want to make sure you disclose that, both for Amazon’s TOS, but also for the FTC. On here and on your blog. 
They are. Do you know the specifics of the rules? do you have to call out each link or have a general disclaimer on the site?
edit: apparently I just have to add this to my site: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. (According to the Amazon TOS)
Yes, both for the FTC and Amazon, you need to simply mention that they are affiliate links in some clear way. On a board like this, I’d just say, (Affiliate links) after them. On my blog I have a longer disclosure that says I earn a small percentage of sales, but it doesn’t cost you any more. Or something like that. The FTC wants you to disclose at the time of the link (this is true for any affiliate income or other income that my bias your recommendations, such as a sponsored post). I think for Amazon, you just need to say it somewhere. The FTC is much stricter (and has big fines), but less likely to catch you. Amazon has cancelled accounts for lack of disclosure.
I should add that it’s good practice anyway to acknowledge clearly when you’re doing it (or at the beginning of a blog post) so people don’t feel like you’re being sneaky.
Thanks for the information. I added it to my site footer so it will show up on every page. This may not be prominent enough for some people to feel warm and fuzzy, but I’ll risk the offense. Otherwise I’d have to go in and edit each blog post and remember to add the disclaimer each time.
I’m not trying to be sneaky. I just regularly recommend products on amazon since I regularly shop there and figured I might as well try out their affiliates program if I were going to refer business to them. I didn’t know people were so sensitive about someone making a few cents to help cover the cost of web hosting.
Well, the FTC is the FTC. So whatever there. We have no control over that. I doubt they are warm and fuzzy about anything.
I wasn’t accusing you of being sneaky. Sorry if it sounded that way. I was really letting you know because Amazon will yank your account and any money you’ve earned if you don’t meet their guidelines. I don’t think it’s about being overly sensitive, though. People who do this professionally know you’re supposed to disclose. There are people who deliberately don’t because they want to make more money and don’t want people to know that they make something from the recommendation. For every decent person just trying to cover their costs and buy a cup of coffee, there’s an a-hole gaming the system and ruining it for everyone else. I generally assume that people don’t know, so I figure it’s good info to have so your account remains in good standing.
Didn’t mean to sound defensive. I wasn’t taking it as an accusation, just generally venting about the extra steps one has to take to avoid offending anyone or violating anyone’s rules. Admittedly these rules make for a better and more fair system for everyone to participate in. But out the window with logic and reason when I feel inconvenienced.
Yeah, don’t get me started. I have a tiny blog and I’m supposed to disclose every paper clip I receive for free the moment I mention it, but TV shows don’t have to disclose million-dollar product placements except possibly in tiny print in the end. And radio hosts can do ads that sound like testimonials with no disclosure at all. I don’t have a problem disclosing, but the rules they have for how you do it are completely oppressive and lopsided.
That’s beautiful, and the magnet technique is so clever!
I love the look of laser-cut sides on cylinders.
Just a small update on this project. I ended up making one of these for everyone in my D&D group. They loved them! It was very rewarding watching them all fiddle with them while we played, enjoying the clickiness that the magnets provide. Have I mentioned that I love magnets?
We did hit a few snags putting them together (I had each person assemble their own). Depending on the hardwood grain, certain pieces can be a little easier to break if too much force is applied when putting them together. Some of the tabs on the side piece broke for one of my friends. And another friend had the middle piece tab that holds the selection indicator in place break off. Not a big deal as I just cut replacement parts (having a laser cutter still feels so cool). But just something to keep in mind if you’re going to make this out of hardwood. Plywood seems to be a little more robust as it doesn’t have the directional grain issue.
Also one of my friends got a few of the magnets in backwards, which lead to a very non clicky experience. We used a magnet to test which ones were in upside down and then popped them out and fixed it. There’s definitely a noticeable difference, even with just one magnet out of place. If anyone tries to make one of these and its not quite clicky enough, take a magnet and place it over each of the embedded magnets to ensure you don’t have any upside down.
I keep reading the title as ‘Gluten Free Magnetic Game Counter’, and keep wondering how a magnet can be gluten free.
