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Made in gb
Dakka Veteran






Hello

I have a plan for building a gaming surface, mostly for use for 40k but also for Warhammer Quest (1995) and Space Hulk. It's currently more of a vague idea really. I'm on a tight budget though, I mean really tight, I can't afford a £50+ ($63ish+) gaming mat for something that at times I play infrequently - my gaming buddy and I may play 40k for a few weekends in a row (as we are currently) but then not play again for months, for example I went 6 months of this year not visiting my gaming buddy, so this gaming surface needs to be as cheap as possible.

I will buy 3 XPS boards, such as these

Get some duct tape, tape 3 boards together to make almost a 6' x 4' board (it works out as 1200mm x 1800mm, 20mm short one way, 40mm short the other, damn you metrification!).

Get some emulsion paint (I believe in the US it's called latex paint, I'm in the UK though) and a roller and paint over the surface of the boards, in some kind of dark ashphalt looking shade of grey.

The vague plan is to make the duct taped boards fold up so that I can carry them to my gaming buddies house, where they will remain for the foreseeable future, and so they can be easily stored between games.

Two things I'm not sure of though -

1. I don't know what thickness of board to buy. 6mm I think would be too weak where the board will overhang the edges of the 5' x 3' table we use, 20mm I feel is a little too expensive, but 10mm seems to be nice and cheap although again I'm unsure of the strength.
2. How to join the 3rd sheet so it will fold up but without compromising the surface. I don't want duct tape on the top surface creating an unsightly raised strip, I'd prefer all 3 boards to butt up against each other nice and neatly with nothing on the top surface.

Has anyone here any experience of using these types of boards as a gaming surface and thus can offer advice on how to achieve my idea?

Thanks in advance.

This message was edited 7 times. Last update was at 2018/12/04 14:58:15


 
   
Made in ca
Speed Drybrushing





t.dot



Just cut one piece so that it folds to form a "spine". Duct tape "hinges" will go on the bottom, and the left and right thirds will fold in on each other.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2018/12/04 17:21:59


   
Made in us
Lone Wolf Sentinel Pilot





Los Angeles, CA, USA

You will want at least 25mm thick, even that is going to be dicey. That foam board is great but if you catch a gust of wind on the way to your gaming location it will snap. I'd recommend using 1x2 lumber as a frame and cover it with luan. You can use basically the same plan you have, but it will last considerably longer.
   
Made in gb
Dakka Veteran






Thanks for that guys.

I've looked at doing it with plywood and timber and it's too expensive here in the UK, the board I was going to build from ply and timber was in the region of £40+ just for the wood, let alone buying the screws, glue and paint, not to mention it'll be heavier. I don't drive, and use public transport, so that's something I have to take into account.

It's looking like even doing it in XPS will be too expensive also if even 25mm thick won't really be sufficient. I'm looking at prices online and it's getting into the region of £20+ per 2 by 4 board when over 20mm thick!!!

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2018/12/04 20:13:57


 
   
Made in gb
Blood Angel Terminator with Lightning Claws





Cloud City, Bespin

Hey man go to b&q and look for the pink insulation boards made by celotex and are iirc 35ish mm thick

They are perfect and are about £6 each, peel off the foil paper and paint it

You need 3 of them I think for 6x4' surface

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/12/05 00:37:00


 queen_annes_revenge wrote:
Straight out if the pot, bang it on. What else is there to know?
 DV8 wrote:
Blood Angels Furioso Dreadnought should also be double-fisted.
 
   
Made in us
Legendary Master of the Chapter






A few questions.

how much space you got to work with in your gaming zone?

How big is the table you may or may not already have?

The simplest gaming surface is the classic felt covering which should be relatively cheap compared to those new mouse pads.

i dont know about the UK but you could also possibly find some cheap used folding tables that are anywhere between 4-6 feet long by 2 feet wide in general (you would need to figure out the measurements)

and if the center area where the two tables meets worries you then you could get some junk cardboard (like bum a refrigerator box if some one just got a new one or at the big box store and ask) to make a backer.

then you ultimately have two extra folding tables for other uses around the house like a work area or for hosting parties too.

its an option.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/12/05 00:44:43


 Unit1126PLL wrote:
 Scott-S6 wrote:
And yet another thread is hijacked for Unit to ask for the same advice, receive the same answers and make the same excuses.

Oh my god I'm becoming martel.
Send help!

 
   
Made in ie
Calculating Commissar




Frostgrave

Go to somewhere like B&Q and buy a pack of loft boards, like this: https://www.diy.com/departments/chipboard-loft-panel-pack-of-3-l-1220mm-w-325mm-t-18mm/1673191_BQ.prd

Cut them to the width you need, and then just slot them together before the game. Either paint them with a textured paint, or go to a craft/fabric store and buy a sheet of grey/green felt and the jobs a good un. Job done for under £20.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/12/05 10:54:34


 
   
Made in si
Foxy Wildborne







 Rybrook wrote:
Hey man go to b&q and look for the pink insulation boards made by celotex and are iirc 35ish mm thick

They are perfect and are about £6 each, peel off the foil paper and paint it

You need 3 of them I think for 6x4' surface


Do this. And bang it with a rock to make texture. Done.

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Made in gb
Blood Angel Terminator with Lightning Claws





Cloud City, Bespin

This is the stuff, it’s 50mm not 35

https://www.online-building-supplies.co.uk/1200x450-50mm-cavity-wall-board-kingspan-tw50-xtratherm-thinr-celotex-cw4000-19-p.asp

Also if you are going to crater it don’t go half depth with your fingers, there are glass fibre strands for strength and fireproofing

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/12/05 13:08:00


 queen_annes_revenge wrote:
Straight out if the pot, bang it on. What else is there to know?
 DV8 wrote:
Blood Angels Furioso Dreadnought should also be double-fisted.
 
   
Made in us
Lone Wolf Sentinel Pilot





Los Angeles, CA, USA

Honestly then, it sounds like a neoprene mat or even a blanket would work for your situation. Check out Hotz Gaming Mats, Cigar Box Battle and Pwork Wargames. Do you have a table to play on already?

I know you said the mats were too expensive, but as you can see, building a less robust version is going to cost you about the same amount.
   
 
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