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I can't find the stuff anywhere in Malaysia and getting shipped in is far beyond what I'd call a reasonable price. So does anyone know of a material I could use in it's stead? Something that is thin, smooth, still decently structurally stable and takes paint smoothly. If anyone has any suggestions I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks, guys.

I don't want to sound smug in any way, but have you considered cardboard yet? It comes in different thickness and often without any price tag as cornflakes come with enough packaging material for huge projects. Cardboard can do everything plastic card can do, you just have to rely on different glues. Sometimes sealing it with ova or varnish before painting can be needed... but all in all it is a very versatile and cheap material...

 Viktor von Domm wrote:
I don't want to sound smug in any way, but have you considered cardboard yet? It comes in different thickness and often without any price tag as cornflakes come with enough packaging material for huge projects. Cardboard can do everything plastic card can do, you just have to rely on different glues. Sometimes sealing it with ova or varnish before painting can be needed... but all in all it is a very versatile and cheap material...

I had originally written off cardboard because it didn't provide a smooth surface, and I think I might try varnishing cardboard. Thanks for the idea.

Well, it also can be sanded.. if you have the odd free minute (read hours) look to my scratch builds in my gallery... I usually work in plastic or completely in wood/cardboard and paper... ova makes nuke proof models!

I use the plastic "No Trespassing" signs. They are pretty big and come in various thicknesses and are cheap as crap. Give them a shot if you can get those. One or two can last a very long time and its the same exact stuff but much much cheaper

Here's a company in Kuala Lumpur sells a four by eight feet sheet (!) of 1mm plastic card for 40 Ringgit.

http://www.lelong.com.my/1mm-x-4ft-x-8ft-high-impact-polystyrene-plastic-sheet-orangecard-155683710-2016-10-Sale-P.htm

You have to collect because it can't be posted. But if you contact them, perhaps they could cut it down to one foot squares and post it to you. After all, you don't need a piece that big.

In the UK, an A4 sheet of plain plasticard costs about £1 = 6 RM.

Man, plasticard is just a brand name. The material itself is called HIPS ( High impact polystyrene). You can find it easily in plastic sheet suppliers, usually shops that sell stuff used to make signs. I know here in portugal, it can be found easily in those places and it's cheap too. the only caveat is that it comes in huge sheets, like 1,5m x 1m or larger, but you can usually go there and get some leftovers free. There's also another material that comes in handy for scatchbuilding called foamed PVC. It's also a sheet, but thicker. But since it's foamed, it's easy to cut and score, wih a smooth finish.

See these guys here. Something like this
http://www.enigma.com.my/index.php?ws=ourproducts&cat=Extruded%20Plastic&subcat=High%20Impact%20Plastic%20Sheets%20%28HIPS%29

I used to use the cardboard from cereal boxes when I first started terrain modelling.



It does take paint well.

 honeybadger33 wrote:
I use the plastic "No Trespassing" signs. They are pretty big and come in various thicknesses and are cheap as crap. Give them a shot if you can get those. One or two can last a very long time and its the same exact stuff but much much cheaper

most signs like emergency exit path sign are made of it.

Consider plastic "For Sale" signs. The black and orange kind for thin. White plastic for the thicker ones. They are comm9nly available in rural usa... but thats a looooong way from you.

 doktor_g wrote:
Consider plastic "For Sale" signs. The black and orange kind for thin. White plastic for the thicker ones. They are comm9nly available in rural usa... but thats a looooong way from you.

This is what I use. It is the exact same material.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Right here is what you need:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-2-Plastic-9-x-12-Garage-Sale-Sign-Yard-WATERPROOF-NEW-/222117455381?hash=item33b73b6615:g0sAAOSwve5XNn~J

You can find it on Amazon, if you want to go that route.

http://www.amazon.com/Plasticard-Variety-Gale-Force-Nine/dp/B001DT3VYO

Not as cheap as the alternatives above by any means, but it's there.

I'll add a +1 to using signage. I don't know what the market is like in Malaysia, but it's likely that there are signs being sold made of the stuff.

I've bought them in hardware stores in the states. If you can find a sign-maker you may be able to buy their scraps or just the raw material for a bargain price.

Good luck.

I've used both name-brand (Plastruct/Evergreen) and 'For Sale' sign styrene. I've also scrounged mystery sheets of plastic which seemed to behave like styrene, but only some of which have actually been polystyrene.

If you don't already have some for your models, I highly recommend picking up some solvent cement for plastic models (Plastruct Plastic Weld, Tamiya Extra Thin, and the like). Not only is it great when you know that you're working with polystyrene, already - it's also a great way to test if what you have is actually the right material. Just put a dab on an edge, wait a bit, then scrape at it with a knife, toothpick, etc. If you get a gooey plastic slurry, you've got styrene. If you just scrape up a congealed puddle of glue, you've got ABS, polycarb, or some other plastic. It may still be useful, but it's not what you're looking for.

Thin card, like from a cereal box, can be sealed with PVA glue.

Get it few layers thick and it's durable enough to withstand any reasonable tabletop usage.

I've used a lot of sheet meant for vacuum forming. Lots cheaper than the stuff peddled in hobby shops when they even stock plasticard.

Are you sure combat company can't ship you some out of Sydney reasonably?

 Zuul wrote:
I've used a lot of sheet meant for vacuum forming. Lots cheaper than the stuff peddled in hobby shops when they even stock plasticard.

That is incredibly clever! IIRC, the most common vacuform material is HIPS.