Metal plate pattern floor

[Prof.Witchheimer]

For some terrain building I’m looking for cheap alternatives of making floors looking like this steel plate. Any ideas?

[tnjrp]

Do you want a floor consisting of "tiles" or of a single plate? If the former, you could just replicate the pic (for example with Tiled or a similar free "dungeon map" software) and print the floor on paper using a laser printer.

[Sangennaru]

The styrene vac-formed sheets are quite cheap, unless you want to cover a whole room with this! I don't like the pattern in the styrene sheets because usually those are too big-scaled, but it is still a valid option!

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Do you want a floor consisting of "tiles" or of a single plate? If the former, you could just replicate the pic (for example with Tiled or a similar free "dungeon map" software) and print the floor on paper using a laser printer.

Single plate  would be easier. But I’m really preferring to have a real pattern, printed version wouldn’t make it for me. Anyway, thanks for your suggestion.

The styrene vac-formed sheets are quite cheap, unless you want to cover a whole room with this! I don't like the pattern in the styrene sheets because usually those are too big-scaled, but it is still a valid option!

Sounds interesting. Any links/references? I’ve thought of something like this too but didn’t found anything.

[just28mm]

Hi,
I think you could make some kind of a stamp (size depends of what you need).

1/ open that image in ilustrator or inkscape (freeware), draw a vector copy of that image. Laser cut those tiny holes... and it should be working.

2/ I just realised that cartridge from my printer is  packed with some kind of plastic tape (Im using hp) - the pattern is quite similar to the picture - maybe you could try with this.

[Sangennaru]

Sounds interesting. Any links/references? I’ve thought of something like this too but didn’t found anything.

http://www.antenocitisworkshop.com/wargaming-materials-tools/sheet-materials/embossed-styrene-sheets.html

I don't know if there are many variants, just take a look =)

[Major_Gilbear]

- How big are the pieces you need?

- How cheap is "cheap"?

- And finally, are you after sheet or tiles?

The cheapest option is to fake it and print out a texture as tnjrp suggests.

Making a mould (either a stamp or a roller) could also be an option if it cannot be printed.

Finally, you could keep an eye out for the textured plastic trays that come with food such as biscuits, chocolates, etc, as they often have similar industrial-looking textures.

+++ Edited! +++

Also, you could ask for offcuts from places that do vac-forming. Many of the bigger machines place the mould on a mesh, and then vac the warmed plastic down over it; the edges are trimmed off to leave the moulded item. The edges usually have the pattern of the grille, and you can probably get them for free. Maybe ask somebody like Almera if they have thing suitable like this?

[Svennn]

At least one of the crafters / rubber stamping / scrapbooking firms does an embossing folder with a similar pattern. Not sure of the scale though and of course you would need some kind of mangle to run them through.  The one my wife has can only handle A6 sized sheets but you can get them upto A4. Bit of initial outlay but you can then create as many as you want.  I recently bought a "cobble" folder for about £4.

[Major_Gilbear]

Actually Svenn, that gives me another idea...

What about this:

- Get a single piece of the textured plasticard that you want.

- Lay some heavy foil over it, and burnish thoroughly.

- Lift foil that's been embossed with the pattern off, and repeat the previous step above until you have enough.

It'd be somewhat delicate, but it'd be reasonably cheap.

[gnomehome]

I believe Happy Seppuku has listed a upcoming 'diamond plate' stamp - I think that's probably the pattern that you're looking for. I've never used these stamps, maybe the are only practical for bases and not larger surfaces.

http://happyseppuku.com/texturestamps.html (no picture of diamond plate yet)

[Prof.Witchheimer]

- How big are the pieces you need?

- How cheap is "cheap"?

Difficult to say yet, I'm still planning. It's really up to the final plan. But I think I will at least need a total area of 60x60cm. Maybe,  I am going to cover the complete table of 1,20x1,20m with this.

How cheap? As cheap as possible.

I also have thought of taking walpapers but unfortunately didn't found anything providing an industrial floor looking.

[Major_Gilbear]

I think going to somebody like Antenociti is the cheapest option for getting exactly what you want.

Around £15 for enough to cover 600mm x 600mm seems reasonable to me, although £60 for 1200 x 1200 does look expensive... 

[Prof.Witchheimer]

although £60 for 1200 x 1200 does look expensive... 

Yes, it does, I already have spent a few hundrets of euros buying buildings and stuff.

[OSHIROmodels]

Have a look here Alex, they do plenty of different scales.

http://www.ema-models.co.uk/index.php/sheet-materials/vac-formed-tread-plate-patterns.html

cheers

James

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Have a look here Alex, they do plenty of different scales.

http://www.ema-models.co.uk/index.php/sheet-materials/vac-formed-tread-plate-patterns.html

thanks, Jim, looks nice but too expensive, too