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Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Centaur_Seducer on June 18, 2010, 02:24:51 PM

Title: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: Centaur_Seducer on June 18, 2010, 02:24:51 PM
I need loads and loads of Plastic Card.
The local hobby store have some Evergreen, but they charge about 3-4 euros per sheet... I need about 2mm thickness, at most 3mm. Any suggestions?
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: Doomsdave on June 18, 2010, 02:52:31 PM
I swear by plastruct.  I get 3 X 3mm sheets in a bag for about $6 US at my local hobby store.  They are usually cheaper than Evergreen.  Here's one place to order them.  I don't know about availability where you're at.  They also do different textures.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/pls/pls91107.htm (http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/pls/pls91107.htm)
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: Westfalia Chris on June 18, 2010, 03:06:42 PM
I swear by plastruct.  I get 3 X 3mm sheets in a bag for about $6 US at my local hobby store.  They are usually cheaper than Evergreen.  Here's one place to order them.  I don't know about availability where you're at.  They also do different textures.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/pls/pls91107.htm (http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/pls/pls91107.htm)

Both Plastruct and Evergreen are usually hilariously expensive in Europe, especially the special shapes and pieces. I have, for example, already seen two sheet packs of Plastruct plastic priced at 20 Euros. Ridiculous. I'm lucky so far that a local railway and plastic modelling store sells moderately large (12x16", IIRC) no-name sheets for ~1 Pound apiece, which is very fair (thicker being more expensive, obviously).
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: dampfpanzerwagon on June 18, 2010, 03:34:12 PM
Check your Yellow Pages for a signmaker or plastic supplies store.  You can pick up 3mm plastic at tradeshow, it is used for the panels in the display units, 6foot tall x 3foot wide, and if damaged, is given away for free!

Regards and good luck.

Tony
http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: Doomsdave on June 18, 2010, 04:04:49 PM
Both Plastruct and Evergreen are usually hilariously expensive in Europe, especially the special shapes and pieces. I have, for example, already seen two sheet packs of Plastruct plastic priced at 20 Euros. Ridiculous. I'm lucky so far that a local railway and plastic modelling store sells moderately large (12x16", IIRC) no-name sheets for ~1 Pound apiece, which is very fair (thicker being more expensive, obviously).

Wow, I didn't realize there was such a high mark-up.  Is it possible to buy them online?  Or does shipping negate the savings?
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: Big Sexy on June 18, 2010, 04:34:43 PM
I usually go down to the hardware store and pick up a couple big plastic "For Sale" signs or what ever they have.  Usually have some different thicknesses depending on the sign.
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: Westfalia Chris on June 18, 2010, 04:48:04 PM
Wow, I didn't realize there was such a high mark-up.  Is it possible to buy them online?  Or does shipping negate the savings?

It would be expensive due to the size, I guess. Luckily, there are some regional alternatives (Graupner, for example), which are reasonably priced, such as 1m lengths of tube and rod for roundabout 1-2 Euros, and the aforementioned sheets. But as said, here, Plastruct is mainly sold to an architects' market, I think, who can pay the price and then charge it as expenses. Otherwise, I cannot explain why two (TWO!) 10" girder lengths cost 25 Euros in some places.
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: Centaur_Seducer on June 18, 2010, 06:19:24 PM
Thank you all kindly for the quick response!
No european/UK-version thats really cheap?
Need to build a 4x4 board and will use loads of it :)
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: Smokeyrone on June 18, 2010, 08:26:04 PM
Also plastic "For Sale" signs  (@ $1 a sheet, styrene)
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: Centaur_Seducer on June 18, 2010, 08:43:58 PM
I've solved the whole issue.
Getting a small box from Warbases.co.uk and order some wooden bases. As I'm only using it to do some river banks, well a lot of them since its a swamp, I reckon wood will do the job as good as the plastic card.
Thank you all once again, I really appreciate your help!

/S
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: Brandlin on June 21, 2010, 12:34:04 AM
I've solved the whole issue.
Getting a small box from Warbases.co.uk and order some wooden bases. As I'm only using it to do some river banks, well a lot of them since its a swamp, I reckon wood will do the job as good as the plastic card.
Thank you all once again, I really appreciate your help!

/S

I go here
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/out-of-the-game/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686
uk supplier - nice guy and has been happy to ship up to A1 sheet size for me.
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: Hammers on June 21, 2010, 09:20:05 AM
Wow, I didn't realize there was such a high mark-up.  Is it possible to buy them online?  Or does shipping negate the savings?

Yes, most often they do.
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: Centaur_Seducer on June 21, 2010, 09:30:29 AM
I go here
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/out-of-the-game/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686
uk supplier - nice guy and has been happy to ship up to A1 sheet size for me.
Great link Brandlin!
:)
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: former user on June 21, 2010, 10:01:23 AM
I use acrylic glass for a lot of bigger things, and it works pretty well, apart from being cheap
Title: Re: Cheap Plastic Card
Post by: Centaur_Seducer on June 21, 2010, 10:21:15 AM
I use acrylic glass for a lot of bigger things, and it works pretty well, apart from being cheap
I was considering that.
But, as I need to make the swamp banks at least 20mm high*, I needed something exact which wouldn't melt or is to difficult to work with (read: Being a pain in the arse when it comes to being unpractical and impractical).

*My other boards are 50mm thick. To simulate the effect of water and depressions, I'm building the swamp upwards instead of carving it down as most do. Its an experiment, hopefully it won't end up in the trash...