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Title says it all.

Where can I get good quality sheet styrene (plasticard) for a relatively good price.
I'm new to converting so I don't want to waste money on a whole bunch of botched attempts.
Store and website recommendations are appreciated as are any tips on how to work with the stuff.

Also, if anyone knows where I could get small magnets pretty cheap that'd be helpful too.

Thanks, Dakka.

Plasticard,at least in my experience isn't that expensive,I spend about six dollars for five sheets.
However,if your searching for a cheap substitute you may be able to locate various "yard signs" at any hardware store that might suit your needs for less.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=22883

Is the cheapest place I found. 40" x 72" sheets starting at $6 for .02" thick.

"Evergreen" is one brand you could google for a dealer, direct or a good hobby shop. They sell a huge variety of sheets in various thickness as well as tubes, beams, rods, etc. A hobby shop will have a large display with all the varieties of plasticard.

I've also seen some converters use white foamboard to make the "shape" of a model then give it a plasticard "skin"

I'm sure there are tutorials here on Dakka Dakka to learn how to use plasticard. You can also make rivets (for mechs) with hobby punch tools from plasticard!

If you're 'new' to converting try playing with cardboard first.

When you are sure of what you want, THEN use the cardboard pieces as templates and get some plasticard.

Otherwise, you're just going to be 'wasting' it anyway.

Any half-decent model shop should stock plasticard sheet.

There are no (as far as I know) plasticards here in my small archipelago, so I use those signs they sell that they put everywhere: bathrooms, PUSH/PULL door signs, no smoking and no parking signs, beware of dog signs, etc. They are suuuuper cheap, although they don't vary in thickness.

Evergreen, Plastruct, and your local hardware store.

Seriously, no sticky for this topic?

Also, if anyone knows where I could get small magnets pretty cheap that'd be helpful too.

Same place everyone does, eBay. You can get heaps dirt cheap.

The Home Despot or Lowes (or any store like that).
Go to the plastic signs (House for Sale, EXIT, etc). Pick the size, thickness, flexibility you want.
anywhere from 50 cents to a buck or so for a pretty huge chunk.
Dont worry about the lettering...primer covers all.

Old giftcards/hotel keys work nicely too, for small jobs at least (And let's face it, most jobs don't need a big honkin' sheet).

Cheap, strong, and easy to work with. I've been using them to repair some very, very mishandled tanks I picked up (How/Why somebody would tear off the top of a tank I have no idea).

Capt. Rex wrote:

Also, if anyone knows where I could get small magnets pretty cheap that'd be helpful too.

Same place everyone does, eBay. You can get heaps dirt cheap.

Yep. Search for neodymium magnets on eBay.

Plasticard is a nonsense word in most places. If you are searching for the right material you should be looking for polystyrene (PS) sheet. It might also be called HIPS (high impact polystyrene) or just high impact styrene. You should be able to find an industrial plastics supplier near you that has it. Model shops will have textured sheets that you won't be able to get from the industrial suppliers, but for the untextured stuff you can probably get 10 times (or more) as much for the same price as in the hobby shops.

I have to say, Garage Sale signs are the cheapest. You get about as much as a galeforce 9 pack for about $7.00 less. It is all one thickness though, unlike the GF9 packs.

Now flat sheets are no problem for me because of this, but does anyone know of cheap plasticard piping? Something like this:

http://www.gf9.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=36&products_id=359

Capt. Rex wrote:

Also, if anyone knows where I could get small magnets pretty cheap that'd be helpful too.

Same place everyone does, eBay. You can get heaps dirt cheap.

Wisdom. There's heaps of it there, and it's where I got mine. It's pretty much all Buy it Now so you can just grab it whenevs.

asmith wrote:Plasticard is a nonsense word in most places. If you are searching for the right material you should be looking for polystyrene (PS) sheet. It might also be called HIPS (high impact polystyrene) or just high impact styrene. You should be able to find an industrial plastics supplier near you that has it. Model shops will have textured sheets that you won't be able to get from the industrial suppliers, but for the untextured stuff you can probably get 10 times (or more) as much for the same price as in the hobby shops.

Ok i wish I knew that before i went to michals fpr plasticard. The checkout person looks at me like im crazy and says" wtf". We argued and a I walked out of the store without plasticard. So please, don't go to michals for lsticard.

chromedog wrote:

Any half-decent model shop should stock plasticard sheet.

What does this tell us about GW?

That I don't associate GW with decent model stores?

That's because I dont.

It's not even an adequate game and hobby store.

I get my modelling supplies from dedicated modelling stores (glues, putties, tools) and my gaming stuff from dedicated gaming (the ENTIRE hobby, not just an exclusive 'our products only' store).