Hello team.

I love X Wing, and I love Star Wars, but the fact that some of these game components are made from cardboard, and are intended to receive a lot of handling, concerns me. I'm imagining that in 10 or 20 years, my dial will be completely worn out, and they'll be looking tired and ugly a long time before that. Making replacement dials seems like a pain, with printing things out and cutting them out and lining them up, etc.

I had in my head an idea that you could just print out the card with the maneuvers on it, and then circle the one you wanted each turn with a dry-erase marker, then place the card next to the ship like you do with a dial and flip it over when it's time to move that ship, revealing which move you have selected. But I can see problems with friction on the play surface erasing the marker, and over the long term getting that marker stuff on your fingers and table-top would result in it getting on your models and cards and pants and, well, everywhere.

Are there any other solutions? What is the best way to enure I can still play X Wing in decades to come?

Put a clear coat on them. I've done that and heavily played for 3 years without any signs of wear.

What Khyros said.

Well, or just 3D print a better wheel. Or put them into the new dials, which should protect them a lot better.

Or combine all the above.

Yup, 3d print that stuff:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:473972

Put a clear coat on them. I've done that and heavily played for 3 years without any signs of wear.

What product did you use for this? Do you have any hints or tips to make it easier?

Or just buy a new ship. They come with dials.

There are a couple of vendors selling acrylic replacement dials.

depending on how much money your willing to invest the ones at Cog'o'Two are amazing:

http://www.cogotwo.com/x-wing-compatible/results,1-9000

of course you would probably only want to get the ones for the ships you play regularly though as if you have a n overall fleet of 50+ ships its gona be really expensive.

There are a couple of vendors selling acrylic replacement dials.

Are there any selling ship-specific dials? I've only been able to find the generic dials that require you to paint or otherwise colour in the relevant maneuvers.

EDIT: Just saw the cog'o'two ones. Very nice, just what I'm looking for. Should last many years

And still interested in clear coating my dials as well, keen to hear from anyone who has done this as to what product they used?

If your dial is worn out after 10 or 20 years I think you had a good value for your money, buy a new ship. Classic first world problem.

If your dial is worn out after 10 or 20 years I think you had a good value for your money, buy a new ship. Classic first world problem.

I don't expect this game to be in production in 20 years. I don't think it has that kind of legs.

To people that have clear coated the dials: Have you noticed any sticking between them? Glossy surfaces can sometimes become 'grippy'.

To people that have used contact on their dials: Have you noticed any fraying at the edges? Is the contact coming loose at the edges at all?

To people using washers to separate the faces: Have you noticed any wear on the inside of the dials, where the cardboard meets the washer? After some time, this would make the washer useless as it wears a groove in the cardboard.

I just used Krylon clear spray. As for stickiness, yes. To counter this, I added a 1/16'' plastic washer between the two dials. Now the faces don't touch each other, further reducing any potential wear. It has the added benefit of looking more professional on the table, and clearly defines which dials are mine vs. my opponents.

Thise cog-o-war duals are the bees knees!

Anyone use those? I wonder what a TO would say about them?

If your dial is worn out after 10 or 20 years I think you had a good value for your money, buy a new ship. Classic first world problem.

I don't expect this game to be in production in 20 years. I don't think it has that kind of legs.

That's what they said about Magic the Gathering.