Mimicking Scrabble Tiles

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Twin2

Twin2

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
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Loc
Bedford, Nova Scotia
A PR/communications customer of mine is getting a frame to display items from an advertising campaign for which he had won an award. He wanted the phrase "Award Winner" displayed below the various items. I thought that it would be interesting to have "Award Winner" spelled out using Scrabble tiles and he quite liked that idea (see attached file). However, the size of the actual Scrabble tiles are only 11/16" (w) x 13/16" (h), which I think would look too small compared to the items being displayed. Probably a tile in the size of 1.5"x1.75" or 2"x2.25" would be more suitable.

So, I'm open to ideas on how best to mimic the look of Scrabble tiles, keeping in mind I don't have a CMC to cut out letters (but may be able to try my hand at mat carving or look to farm out to someone with a CMC). The customer wants them to look as much like the actual tile as possible, including the wood grain.

I was thinking that I could possibly make the tiles out of some type of thin blocks of wood and then use my dremel to 'engrave' the letters & number values. I'd paint the letters & numbers black and then give the whole block a couple coats of a clear, water-based varnish (and let it cure for a couple weeks). Would that be sufficient to seal in any acids from the wood, as I wouldn't want to introduce anything harmful into the frame package?

Any thoughts? Any easier way to accomplish this?
 

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I made some Scrabble tiles once to go in the corners of a natural wood frame. I Xeroxed the actual tiles to the same size and mounted them onto little pieces of miniature lumber which were the same size as the original tiles.

They ended up looking so real that I have to explain their fakery to anyone who sees it because I keep getting accused of desecrating a real Scrabble game.

So you could do the same technique, simply enlarging the copy and making sure the wood (or substrate) was appropriately thick as well.
 
Depending on size, maybe some 1/2" or 1" gator with the top and sides gesso coated? You might even be able put a stencil on the gator (letter), coat with venetian plaster, then remove the stencil leaving a small indent where the letter was.

:shrug:
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

Bob, I looked at the couple links and although the letters are bigger, I don't think the size of the tiles are still big enough.
 
Pat Murphey said:
Copyright??
Click to expand...

Photocopy right? ;)

Pat I can understand the concern but isn't there a fair use clause, or a "for entertainment only" clause? She is selling the frame design and the moulding and frame package. The Scrabble Tiles are "ornamentation" incidental to the design.
If she is really concerned about being sued by Milton Bradley (or whoever it is) she could get some of the letter blocks, the big wooden ones and cut the face with the letters she wants off the cubes.
 
Not long after I posted this thread, I was wondering about the copying aspect, even though it is being used for decoration. So much for my brilliant idea :icon19:. I'll suggest something else.
 
Pat Murphey said:
Just raising the question - don't know the answer.
Click to expand...

And I was adding my 2¢. I was positing that a defense could be fair use. Don't know if it would hold up but then since her tiles are not the Scrabble Tile size.... she's not really copying the tile, just the idea of the tile :) and she's not suggesting copying, just mimicking....
 
Karen, here are a couple of ideas.

  • See if a local hobby shop doesn't sell some 1/4" thick balsa wood. Probably in strips 1.5". You can scribe and cut those with a straight edge and razor knife.
  • In lieu of that, how about finding some wood grain paper or rubber stamp and making your own out of 8ply
  • For the letters, although not debossed you could get some vinly letters from a sign shop or even at an office supply store and just rub them on.
 
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