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BGonline.org Forums
Brett Meyer Responds to Dice Tube Posts
Posted By: Brett Meyer
Date: Friday, 10 September 2010, at 1:40 a.m.
I'd like to take this opportunity to answer some of your questions, and address some of your concerns, regarding my product, the Meyer Dice Tube.
Yes, it is true...a new & improved version has been designed, fabricated, tested, and is ready for market. Only a few people have this version, as I wanted some feedback on its design from a few select individuals.
I have received hundreds of emails (or comments through my website) from people who have purchased my product (the current version with 11 acrylic rods). Overwhelmingly, people have been very pleased with the product. However, I have received some suggestions for improvement. All of the suggestions fell under 4 categories:
1. 2 people said that while flipping the tube, it slipped out of their hand because it is so slick (maybe their hands were sweaty...but who knows). They both asked if there was a way to add some sort of rubber grip around the outside of the tube to prevent slippage.
2. A few people suggested I add one or two more rods to provide even more action of the dice.
3. 1 person asked if it was possible to put "rubber-coated" rods in the tube to provided more bounce of the dice while falling down the tube.
4. A few people asked if there was a way to make the tube "quieter".
You'll find that the "new & improved" version solves all 4 "problems" with one solution. The new version replaces the acrylic rods with one continuous length of "surgical grade" latex tubing which is "laced" through the holes in the acrylic tube. I could not figure out how to insert pictures into this forum, so I put a few pictures of the new version on my site www.brettmeyer.com under a link titled Latex Tubing (scroll down to the bottom link on the left side of the home page). I took these pictures myself, so please excuse the non-professional quality.
With the rubber (latex) forming the "rods", the dice bounce much more on their way down the tube. Additionally, the tube is MUCH quieter than the current version (the dice are hitting rubber instead of hard acrylic rods). Furthermore, the new version has 13 "rods" instead of 11. Also, the spacing and angle differentials between the "rods" have been adjusted. The "rods" are now at 30-degree intervals instead of 25-degrees. Therefore, 13 rods yields twelve 30-degree intervals, exactly 360 degrees. It is obvious in the photographs how the "rods" line up perfectly.
Keep in mind that this "new" version will not be available for purchase until I deplete my inventory of the current version. In order to expedite this depletion, all Meyer Dice Tubes are $10-off through the end of September.
Regarding the tube with removable caps fitting inside your BG case: I have a Taki board which accommodates the tube just fine, but NOT with the caps installed. I use the drawstring bag to hold the 2 caps, dice, doubling cubes, pad & pen, etc. and place the bag and the "loose" tube into my case. People with smaller cases which won't accommodate the tube at all can store the tube in the bag and loop the cord of the drawstring bag over their case's handle, and the bag will ride on the outside of the case.
Someone had an incident wherein the tube was "launched" off its bottom cap due to a rather aggressive tap of a clock button. Although it's a funny image, I've never heard of another occurrence of one of the caps falling out of the tube, so I have to assume that the cap was not properly inserted. The caps are designed (and machined) so that, once the o-rings are installed, they fit into the tubes' ends so that they are tight enough to not come out accidentally, but so that they can also be easily removed and replaced. Twisting the cap while inserting helps to ensure a proper fit (and makes it easier to remove).
Chuck Bower suggested using polycarbonate instead of acrylic. Actually, not only is acrylic slightly more durable and much more scratch-resistant than polycarbonate, it is also less expensive. I tested 1/16"-walled poly tubes in early prototypes, and they proved to be unacceptable.
As for the tubes generating random results, this was addressed in earlier threads about the Meyer Dice Tube on this forum, so I won't go into detail since you can read what has already been posted. In summary, however, tests have been conducted (by myself and several others) and randomness was achieved.
Phil Simborg wrote: "I love the tube; I love the baffle box; I even like the electronic dice roller on my iPhone. Anything that works quickly, without cocked dice, without dice on the floor, and provides true, random rolls is fine with me and an improvement over watching my opponent shake and shake and shake and then throw the dice on the floor and then pick them up and then throw them on to the checkers and then pick them up and roll without shaking or pick them up and not give them a fair roll by knocking them against the side of the board with their dice cup touching the table. ANY of these are improvements of the old-fashioned method of shaking and rolling. THE ONLY really good argument for keeping the old method is that people are used to it and like it. Why aren't these people all wearing suspenders?"
Indeed, people are reluctant to change. I read somewhere that when the doubling cube was first introduced, many players thought it was a ridiculous idea, and refused to use it. Can you imagine playing without it today??
I look forward to being able to put the new version of my product on my site soon. I invite everyone to take a look at the pictures and let me know what you think.
Brett Meyer
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