Here’s a possible source for 11x14 inch sheets of .030 sheet plastic, and it may be free!!! Go to your local MRI/CT clinic and ask if they use a laser developer to print their films. If they do, chances are that the stiffening sheets that come with the film are .030 polystyrene, perfect for those large modelling projects. Everyone in my area just throws these sheets away. I picked up about 50 sheets from the clinic I work at!!! Hope this helps someone.
Cool. Thanks for that. A friend is a doc and works in a hospital, guess who’s getting an email?
I work in a sign shop and let me tell you, a typical sign shop throws away more styrene sheet in a week than a mob of industrious modellers could use in a year. It comes in 4 foot by 8 foot sheets from .020 to .060 and up. Look up a few places and ask questions, if they aren’t just willing to give away scraps to get rid of them they’ll probably charge a lot less than you’d pay at the hobby store.
Careful with those sheets from the Drystar systems. They are not Styrene…They are vinyl. I have a couple hundred sheets of the stuff(I had the same idea as you did) Nothing sticks to it very well and it is a pain to sand.
Whoa! Thanks for the info. When I wrote that, I hadn’t had the chance to test it yet. Thanks for the heads-up! Guess I should’ve looked before I lept.
I’m building a 1/24 scale tugboat using a fiberglass hull. I needed plastic sheets in a few different thicknesses to scratch build the decks and upper structures, cabins and details. I found that the best place to buy plastic sheet is www.estreetplastics.com. They have .030 12"X24" styrene sheets for $1.69 each. The more you buy the cheaper it is. They have all kinds of packages for reasonable prices, and very reasonable shipping.
Ken
Wow, that is cheap for a sheet of .030! I think Evergreen wants $3.69, something like that. Is their quality up to Evergreen’s, though? Because the one thing I really don’t like with scratchbuilding is surprises with the materials themselves!
Their plastic is great. No problems at all. I’ve got a nice stockpile of it now. Go to the website and check them out. They’re big on lexan and plexi also.
Ken
I just got hired to work for a company that wholesales supplies to sign shops. I’m surprised I got through the interview when the manager took me into the warehouse. All I could think of was rocket building supplies HEAVEN!
Those plastic "for sale , for rent , etc " signs work good , only problem is the printed side ,but i use the back .
Don’t forget to consider using temporary license plates. They measure around .016 and can be useful for small, corner or curved areas. Of course the blank back side works the best.
Stockton Ca. …
Thats were Hippy Ed is from also rooster , [:)]
SHL
LOL…yup…I’d guessimate we are about 5 miles apart. Thanks for the info.
Only 5 mi from Ed !? [sigh] ( just kidding )
SHL [:)]
I think there is a multi-lane highway between us. [}:)] It makes a great barrier.
I dont think that will be enough rooster ! [:-^] But good luck anyway … [(-D]
SHL
It’s worked so far.