About Us

Spools mission is to bring people together through high quality, portable games that turn any setting into a place for connection. 

Whether in your backyard or on the go, Spools' mission is to create moments that encourage slowing down, laughing, and making memories with the people who matter most. 

A childhood of game nights

Some of our best memories are the clicks of dominoes on Grandma’s kitchen table, the clack of mah-jongg tiles on a felt mat, and my dad teaching me the finer points of a backgammon doubling cube. Board games were our family’s language - a way to pause the week, crowd around the table, and cheer each other on (or talk a little friendly trash).

From tinkerer to tile-maker

I grew up taking things apart, then earning a mechanical-engineering degree, designing hardware at big-name tech companies, and falling head-first into 3-D printing. One weekend I printed a chess set, then an entire custom mahjong set. Friends and family wanted their own. Soon, others did too. A passion project turned into Spools.

What we build

• Mahjong Sets - travel-weight, customizable with your initials or logo. 

• Minimalist Chess & Backgammon - clean lines, magnetic pieces, roll-up boards.

• One-off commissions - have a wild idea? We’ll prototype it
  

How we make our sets

3D printing is at the center of all of our board games. Every chess board takes 12 hours to make, and a full mahjong package can take up to 48 hours per order - before finishing, inspection, and packaging. Our products are small batch crafted creations designed to last and feel special every time you play. 

Mahjong's Roots 

Mahjong is a game with deep cultural roots, originating in 19th-century China and beloved across East and Southeast Asia. Our tiles feature playful artwork inspired by the structure and spirit of traditional sets, created with great care and respect for the game’s heritage. We’re grateful to the communities who have kept Mahjong vibrant for generations and are honored to share in celebrating its joy. If you'd like to dive deeper into Mahjong's rich history, you can read more here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahjong 

and

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_mahjong

Chess' Roots

Chess is one of the world’s most enduring strategy games, with origins tracing back chaturanga in India around the 6th century. From there it spread through Persia as shatranj, and later evolved into the modern form we know today in medieval Europe.

At Spools, our themed sets play with materials, colors, and whimsical ideas, but the timeless roles of pawns, knights, bishops, rooks, queens, and kings remain at the heart of every design.

If you’d like to explore more of chess’s long history, you can read more here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess

Backgammon's Roots

The earliest known mention of “Backgammon” by name dates to 1635, when James Howell used the word Baggammon in a letter. But variations and ancestors of the game are believed to stretch back nearly 5,000 years to Mesopotamia, with board games found across the Middle East.

At Spools, we experiment with 3D printed materials and twists for travel, but the classic gameplay remains the same.

If you’d like to learn more about backgammon’s long history, you can read more here. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backgammon

Thank you for being here

Every order, DM, and review helps grow this tiny workshop into a sustainable craft studio. A human reads every review and email that comes through. More importantly, your purchase fuels the next round of family laughter, spirited strategy debates, and “just one more game?” evenings.

Pull up a chair, and let’s play.

-Keen

Maker, engineer, lifelong board-game fan