Mahjong Card Holder That Hangs Off the Table Edge

What it is

The usual way to keep a Mah Jongg card in view is to prop it against your rack and knock it over every third turn. I built this for my mom’s game, to get the card off the playing surface entirely. The top panel lies flat on the table under your mat. The front panel hangs down over the edge, and a ledge folds out of it. Your card stands on the ledge facing you, just below the table edge, out of the way of the tiles and racks.

Once she saw how it turned out, she wanted one for each player in her group as a gift, with their names on them. I’ve printed eleven so far.

When the game’s over, it folds flat for the bag, about half an inch thick.

What it needs

• A table edge to hang from. Round tables work too, unless they’re small.
• Your mat on top for a phone. On its own it holds a card. For a phone, or just for a steadier holder, rest your mat, a tile rack or a book on the top panel. That weight is what keeps the holder from tipping off the table.

Fits your card

Both the standard and the large-print card fit, with or without a clear plastic card shield (the League sells them for about $5). Opened up, either card is wider than the holder, so I made the ledge flat from end to end with its hinge hardware underneath, where it can’t catch the card.

One for every player

Pick the holder’s color, add a name in raised script so nobody grabs the wrong one, and choose a second color for the lettering. Colors I have right now: blue, black, white, silver, light gray, dark gray, green and orange. Want something else? Choose “Other color” and tell me, and I’ll reach out to confirm whether I can get it or find the closest match. Giving it as a gift? You can leave the ConsoleArtisan.com lettering off.

• Console Artisan Blue: $20, with ConsoleArtisan.com on the front.
• Personalized: $30. Your colors, an optional name, and the lettering on or off.
• Four or more, any mix: 15% off, applied automatically in the cart. Four blue come to $68, four personalized to $102. Add each personalized holder separately so every one gets its own name.

Every holder is printed to order and ships in 1 to 2 weeks, so leave a little time before a birthday or the holidays.

Why it holds up

• Steel screws in the hinges, not printed plastic pins.
• Printed in PETG, which is tougher than PLA and handles heat better, like a hot car or a sunny window.
• It stays where you set it. Each hinge is clamped by a nut, so it holds its angle. If one ever loosens, snug it with a 2.5 mm hex key (not included), finger-tight only: that’s plenty, and any tighter can crack the plastic.

Also good for

• Bridge, canasta and rummy: the bidding chart or scoring sheet for a new player, standing up in front of her instead of sliding around the table.
• Board games: player aids and reference cards, out of the way of the board.
• D&D and other tabletop RPGs: spell cards or a character cheat sheet.
• Your phone: a scoring app, the rules, a timer or the playlist.

What’s included

• One Mahjong card holder, assembled with its hinge hardware and ready to use.
• Holder only. The card, card shield, mat, tiles and snacks are not included.

About the maker

Yes, a retro console repair shop selling a Mahjong card holder. Blame my mom. I design and print these in my own workshop and assemble every one by hand. If something about yours isn’t right, let me know.