Anyone who has hosted a card night knows the chore: shuffling two decks by hand, then dealing round after round while everyone waits. This build tackles that head on. The maker saw a commercial 2-in-1 card dealer and shuffler and spent from July onward building their own version, one that both shuffles and deals playing cards automatically. What makes this remarkable is that it is the maker's first electronics project and first time using CAD, yet everything was designed from scratch across many prototypes.
The machine holds 108 cards, 54 per side, and can deal to as many as 8 players. It rotates on its base in precise angular steps, pausing at four player positions while an internal roller flings out a single card at each stop. A second setting randomises the deal sequence instead of following the default pattern. There is also a slot in the back for reaching the remaining deck.
The construction details are worth studying. The modular model design let the maker test different tolerances and saved filament. Feeding is handled by a modded MG90s servo running in continuous rotation, while an N20 DC motor at 1,500 RPM ejects each card. The maker admits that motor lacks torque and needed many model adjustments, and recommends a slower N20 around 150 to 300 RPM as a quieter alternative.
The hardest problem was cards coming out two at a time, largely solved through CAD work including a gate about 0.3mm high. One open question: the maker wants battery power to replace the current slip ring setup before any release.