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TTR CRAFTING

for the casual crafter.

For The Emerald City Expansion


This instruction manual is specifically designed to give step-by-step
instructions and tips for crafting a home-made professional-quality
version of the fan-made Ticket to Ride expansion The Emerald City.
Many of the tips and techniques shown here may also be applied to
other projects. Please send all queries to rainshinegraphics@me.com

DOWNLOAD

the high-resolution files: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33467885/TEC_2ED_Pro.zip

download warning: large file > 300MB!

PRINT

...the map and box artwork on large-format sheets of paper* (see below).
...the token sheet on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of heavy paper or sticker paper.
...the rule booklet front and back on 1 sheet of glossy A3 or 11 x 17 paper.
See page 12 for instructions on printing cards and tickets.

GATHER SUPPLIES

ART SUPPLY STORE: a few sheets of 1/16 thick chipboard, illustration board, or
something similar; artists tape (acid-free); extendable craft knife; acid-free spray
adhesive (3M or Elmers); glossy clear-coat spray; newspaper (to protect from overspray); straight-edge; & a ruler
FOAM SUPPLY SHOP: 1 and 1/2 thick charcoal acoustic foam, 11.5 x 11.5 each
HOME DEPOT: black faux-leather contact paper
*A note about paper: These instructions are made with basic heavyweight
matte paper in mind and requires that you use a spray adhesive to mount the
artwork and a glossy clear coat to finish. This is the most cost-effective method
to crafting this project, and will allow colors to be very sharp and vibrant.
Alternatives are listed below, factors ranked on a scale of 1-10.

MATTE:

cost:
labor:
color:
durability:

$
8
7
4

GLOSSY:

cost:
$$
labor:
7
color:
8
durability: 5

VINYL:

cost:
$$$
labor:
5
color:
5
durability: 9

ADHESIVE VINYL:
cost: $$$$
labor:
3
color:
5
durability: 9

If youre using adhesive vinyl, ignore the GLUE instructions and instead peel
away the backing when you see this step (you will need to score the backing
in places in order to peel away partial sections where necessary - see pg. 13).
copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

TTR CRAFTING

for the casual crafter.

For The Emerald City Expansion


TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
4

THE BOARD

THE EXPANSION BOX


7

THE INSERT, PART 1

10 THE

INSERT, PART 2

11 THE

TOKENS

12 THE

CARDS

13 REFERENCE

PHOTOS

copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

ii

TTR CRAFTING

The Board

youll need: chipboard (or similar), artists tape, spray adhesive, craft knife,
straight-edge, ruler, black faux-leather contact paper, clear coat, & the map.

10 3/8 x6

chipboard, foam core, or illustration board

TAPE

Use artists tape to create the folding


board. Dont worry about cutting it yet.
front

back

ALIGN

With the map face-up, place the board


on top. Align the board on the map, then

CUT

the corners off. This serves two purposes:


it helps you align the board in the next
step, and it makes for awesome corners.

copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

The Board continued...


3

ALIGN

With the map face down, align the board


on top again, face down as well, using
the corners of the map as guides.

FOLD

four sections of the map over the other


two, and while keeping it in place,

GLUE

the exposed half of the map and unfold


the board back over it.

FLIP

it over after it dries a bit. Lift the unglued


half of the map, and

GLUE

the rest of the map to the board.

FLIP

it over again.

GLUE & FOLD

the edges tightly around the sides and to


the back of the board.

copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

The Board continued...


6

CUT

all the way through the map along the


center line (not through the short tape).

KNICK

the ends of the joints. This will allow the


board to fold and give you a reference
for where the joints are when its fliipped.

FLIP the board over, and


CUT

through the map just above the tape,


being careful not to slice through the
tape. Your board should be able to fold
into sixths now.

15 3/8
20 1/4 x2
black faux-leather contact paper
8

FLIP & PLACE

two pieces of contact paper to create the


backing. There should be some overlap.

CUT

just through the backing to allow folding.

FINISH with glossy clear-coat.

copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

TTR CRAFTING

The Expansion Box

youll need: chipboard (or similar), artists tape, craft knife,


spray adhesive, straight-edge, ruler, clear-coat, & artwork.

top

14 3/8

chipboard, foam core,


or illustration board

bottom

14 1/8

These steps apply for both TOP and BOTTOM pieces.

MEASURE

1 3/8 inside each edge. Mark this line with a pen.

SCORE

the board along the lines - do NOT cut all the way through!

CUT

out the squares on the corners.

FLIP

the board over so that the scored side is face down.

FOLD

all four sides of the box upwards, using a straigt-edge


to make sure the folds are perfectly straight.

copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

The Box continued...


3

TAPE

the corners of the box together.

CUT

out triangular sections from the corners of the box art.

ALIGN

box on top of face-down artwork, using the


cut corners as guides.

GLUE & FOLD

the first trapezoid-shaped side of the box art to the


the side of the box. Wrap the triangles that extend
beyond the edges around the sides of the box.

copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

The Box continued...


7

LIFT

the main surface of the box away from the artwork, then

GLUE

the box and the art together, smoothing out any bubbles.

GLUE

the other trapezoid-shaped side of the box art the


same way the first was done. Then

KNICK

the corners of the box art that sticks up above the


edge of the box. This will allow you to

FOLD

the excess paper down into the inside of the box,


creating a smooth edge to the lip of your box.

GLUE & FOLD

the last two sides of the artwork to the box.

FINISH with glossy clear-coat.


10 REPEAT

these steps for the opposite piece of the box. Since


the cuts are measured from the outside, the difference
in size doesnt matter.

copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

TTR CRAFTING

The Insert

PART 1

2 3/4

youll need: 1 and 1/2 thick charcoal acoustic foam (or similar), craft knife,
chipboard (or similar), straight-edge, and ruler.

2 1/2

3
3 5/8
1 1/2

11 1/2
1 PREP

The first thing youll need before you start crafting a


custom foam insert for your box is a stencil for you to
lay over the foam while you cut. Use leftover board to

1 1/2

CUT out this stencil.

1 3/4

ALIGN

the stencil over top of the 1 thick foam.

CUT

the foam along the outside and inside edges of the


stencil with slow, smooth strokes, attempting to cut all
the way through in one pass whenever possible. On
the inside, only cut out the three boxes marked in red.
If necessary, fl ip the foam over to gently finish cuts
and separate corners from the other side.

PUNCH

out the three boxes and set them aside for later.

CUT

Make two cuts about 3/4 deep into the narrow


piece of foam separating the two card bays. Do
not cut all the way through.

copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

The Insert continued...


4

FOLD

the narrow band separating the card bays where the


incisions were just made.

CUT

across the exposed inner slice, leaving a very thin strip


about 1/4 thick. Unfold.

MEASURE

1/2 from the outside of each edge.

CUT

Make shallow cuts along the lines with a


straight-edge, about 1/4 deep.

CUT

along the sides, 1/4 or less below the upper surface.


Youll be hard pressed to do this with a straight-edge,
so just do it by eye. It doesnt need to be perfect.
Make the cuts at least 1/2 deep all around to cross
the other cut lines so that you can

REMOVE

the strips of foam from the edges.

copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

The Insert continued...


7

CUT

a 1/4 thick slice from the surface of the three pieces


that were cut out previously. Cut around the sides first
with your blade extended as long as possible. If theres
any foam still attached, then cut through the center.
Set the three slices and three stumps aside for later.

10 1/2
8 PREP

another stencil, exactly 1 smaller than the first one.

MARK

these lines with a pen.

CUT

Use both stencils to cut the outer and inner edges of


a square 1/2 in width on the 1/2 thick foam. Then,
using the lines marked on the new stencil, make four
cuts into the material about 1/4 deep (about halfway
through the foam).

10 FOLD

the foam in half where you made the incisions.

CUT

out the exposed inner slice, leaving a very thin strip


about 1/4 thick. Do this for the other side as well.
Unfold.
And thats all the pieces. Now to put it all together...
copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

TTR CRAFTING

The Insert

PART 2

SUMMARY

A
C

youll need: all that foam we just cut up (including the stumps,)
the lower box piece, spray adhesive, and newspaper (or similar).

The foam insert will house two decks of cards, tokens,


and the game board, keeping all components securely
in place inside the game box. Get a reference for how
its put together in the take-apart view to the left.

FLIP

the main foam piece (A) over and place it on newspaper.


Use the stumps leftover from the holes that were cut
out of it originally and plug the holes back up.

GLUE

the entire bottom of the foam (the stumps are


there to keep the spray adhesive from getting on
the interior of the card bays), and then place the
glued foam piece into the box (D) right-side-up.
Discard the stumps.

GLUE

the three 1/4 slices (C) next, then place them into
the holes in the foam (A) inside the box (D) to line the
bottom of the card and token bays.

Finally, glue the bottom of the border piece (B), and


place it into the grooves on the outer edge of the
main foam piece (A) in the box (D).
And thats it!

copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

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TTR CRAFTING

The Tokens

youll need: chipboard (or similar), spray adhesive, clear-coat,


straight-edge, craft knife, and the token sheet.

CUT

the sheet of tokens in half so that the same tokens


appear on either sheet.

GLUE

one half sheet of tokens onto a piece of chipboard.


This does not need to be measured precisely.

CUT

out the mounted tokens - ignore the bleed (tokens


should be 1 1/4 square).

CUT

out the tokens from the 2nd half sheet the same way
they were cut from the board.

GLUE

the paper tokens onto the corresponding backsides of


the chipboard ones.

FINISH with glossy clear-coat.


Easy.
(and if you used sticker paper rather than glue, easier!)

copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

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TTR CRAFTING

The Cards

youll need: internet access, credit card, ticket files

www.superiorpod.com

TYPE

www.superiorpod.com into your browsers address bar.

UPLOAD

all ticket and card files to the superior POD website


under Bridge-Sized Cards.

PURCHASE

your deck of cards from people who know what


theyre doing.
Yeah, dont try to do these yourself. Feel, texture, shuffl lability, and most of all consistency
is too important to do at home unless you have the proper equipment and know-how.
Ticket to Ride cards are Bridge-Sized playing cards that you wont be able to print
at a standard print-on-demand site like ArtsCow, so the files have been set up for order
through Superior Print-on-Demands template at www.superiorpod.com.
Choose Custom Bridge-Sized Cards, and youll need a deck of 90 cards. Set the front
and back files for each sheet (should be 5 sheets - 3 for Tickets and Bonus cards, and 2
identical sheets of Monorail cards), and then press upload. Their uploader is a bit cumbersome, and does NOT have a status bar. Your browser will appear frozen for the duration
of the upload, so be prepared for to just sit there for a while. Eventually, you will reach
order summary page where you can complete the order.

www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgameexpansion/129237
Ticket to Ride The Emerald City is a fan-made expansion to the Days of Wonder, Inc. board
game series Ticket to Ride created by Alan R. Moon. All rights to the Ticket to Ride name,
gameplay, mechanics, and imagery reserved by Days of Wonder, Inc. The game is distributed for
non-commercial use only, and may not be redistributed or manufactured for commercial profit.
Please send all questions, feedback, and comments to Jason Subers at rainshinegraphics@me.com
copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

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TTR CRAFTING

Reference Photos

printed artwork laid out

lining up the board on the map

backing applied to the board and cut

folding up a side of the box

cutting the box art before alignment

one side of box art attached

foam pieces assembled in the box

scoring the adhesive backing

gluing the foam pieces

cut foam pieces

finished box interior

finished project; three copies shown

copyright 2013 Rainshine Graphics. May be copied and distributed freely so long as this notice remains intact. e: rainshinegraphics@me.com

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