A google search should reveal web pages for Plastruct and Evergreen, the two major players I have seen. Craft stores would be hit or miss on carrying it, try more along the lines of model railroad shops, general model kit shops. That's where I find it, at least. Hobbytown USA is one place I go. It's a chain, but I have no idea as to how far or where spread.
It is packaged in clear plastic bags of varying size. Typically the card comes in bags either roughly 6" x 10", or roughly 8" x 16". Number of sheets depends on the thickness. The thicknesses are usu. given in millimeters, at least when I have bought it. I've never seen it in imperial measurements, but have heard it is out there. Directions for general shaping and some basic techniques are printed on the back of the bag. I have heard these two companies put out their own cement to use on the stuff, but it is difficult to get a shipment from them. Testor's makes a perfectly servicable cement, but read the directions carefully. Contains methyl ethyl ketone (commonly refered to as MEK), so is good for most plastics except ABS
AFAIK. Takes up to 2 HOURS to fully set, but it makes a workable bond much sooner. Tenax makes another "cement", but it cures MUCH faster, something like 20 seconds and d-o-n-e. The cement itself actually is not a cement at all, but melts the plastic together. Be VERY careful with it, as it is very fluid, no real viscosity at all, and will run all over the place. If it runs under your fingerwhere you are holding the components together, you just melted a fingerprint into your model. It can be repaired and filled and whatnot, but a little care initially will save you the bother. Sometimes a little judicious (sp?) scraping with a razorblade will even it out some.
Both Evergreen and Plastruct put out displays of their products that, once you spot them, are easy to pick out. The product does not seem to move very much, so some stuff may be out, and don't expect a refill on that one bit you need unless you specifically ask. This however may be local to my area, so check it out with store staff when you find finally it. They both put out all KINDS of shapes, ranging from rod, half rod, tube, square tube, extruded hex, ladders, I-beam, "angle iron", "flat bar" or strip, much more. Check websites for full range and resulting ideas.
Check E-bay. FWIU, you can occassionally find a load of the stuff going for good prices because one man's treasure is another man's wife's crap E-bay fodder
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I use two types of knifes for the stuff. A standard Xacto #11 bladed knife for the flexible tip, handy for curves and such. A folding box-cutter type pocket knife with full-size utility knife type razor blades for working thicker stuff and any kind of chopping that the #11 would just wobble and screw up, or any orther task requiring more ridgidity.
Also, if you live close to a Lowe's or Home Depot or some such, check out the exterior use For Sale signs and such. They are usu. on a display, made from a selection of different materials, one of which is sheet styrene, extruded from some company I cannot remember in Pittsburgh
PA. FWIH, they come in 1.0mm thickness. However, some slightly different signs I came into recently not only came in something like 1.8mm (which makes Land Raider armour look like kleenex), but the sign part is laminated onto the sheet styrene using some kind of metal foil OSSS. Go figure.
Sorry about all the useless crap in that digital diarhea (sp? who cares). Hope some of it helps.
Whatcha building?
