"Ready Made Grid Template: The Peg Board!" Topic

Another member suggested this in a thread about spaceship gaming with grids. It was so brilliant I thought it deserved it's own thread.

To quickly and easily create a square grid just use a peg board and cover up the unused holes with masking tape or some other material. The remaining holes can be used as a guide for markers, paint brush, or spray paint to create the grid pattern with dots.

Later you can connect the dots to form actual squares if desired.

The biggest advantage is the confidence that the grid will be even and square.

EDIT: Cross-posted to appropriate "generic" boards and the period-specific boards which seem to use grids more often (eg PBI for WWII, naval/space gaming, etc.) But this could be used for any period!

That is an excellent idea. Now if they'd just make pegboard in hex shapes.

Indeed!

I'd think the boards directly would be good with units, particularly ships, that had pegs. The board on a flat surface wouldn't let the peg slip down all the way if you wanted spaceship or airplanes.

I think I have seen offset peg boards that would be close for hex centers. Be go to heck where, alas.

As for hex grids, I've seen plastic/rubber door mats with hexes, and for really big ones, I've found weird drapery holders with three rows of <> two inch sided hexes. Several side by side would make <> yard square templates.

With open centers, these two would be for airbrushing.

Doug

If you want something more frightening, you can go with steel … link

As the originator of the idea, here are a few pointers:

1.) Pegboard is available at Lowes and Home Depot for reasonable amounts, but don't forget to look around for scrap boards. I lucked out and found a partially torn pegboard sheet at Lowes, and got the manager to sell it to me for $1. USD

2.) If you're not careful, the cloth can easily stretch or twist under the board, causing the dots to go off alignment. Either clamp the cloth securely, or be very careful if you need to move the board to cover more area of cloth than the board can do in one placing.

3.) When repositioning the board to continue the grid, line up two or three rows of painted dots with two or three rows of holes. This helps produce a more accurately aligned grid.

4. Pegboard can warp, so make certain it's flat before painting, especially if you use spray paint (I've never actually attempted the latter with this method.)

5. DON'T use a good brush. Pegboard holes are rarely cleanly made, and the rough edges will catch on the bristles.

6. Because of the above, don't try for perfect little circles; you won't get them. Be happy with rough dots, evenly spaced!

Regardless of my feelings on grids-on-wargaming-tables, this is a good idea for those who want them. Very clever!

I would think that, considering the thickness (or thin-ness rather) of most pegboard sheets, you could blast it at close range with spray paint or an airbrush and get pretty clean dots on your canvas. Using a brush would take 4-ev-r and Parzival is right in that you would likely never end up with cleanly shaped dots.

Cheers!

- Rod

This is way more expensive than using the peg board, but Litko makes templates for hexes and squares. These are designed for spray painting. Check them out at link

One thing to consider would be mounting the pegboard on a harder surface. Something similar to the ones sold for wall mounting with the detachable hooks. They're made similar to the cork boards for pinning things to with the pegboard essentially framed and attached to a harder board.

Sax,

I considered the Litko templates but, yikes! Expensive!

Expensive is right, and I shudder to think how much the shipping is.

The peg bord is a great idea but – I have to say – I think that the Litko templates look well worth the money. To be able to turn any cloth you've created into a hex cloth. And then another. And another.

Looks neat to me, I have to say.

John T

Could you not use spackle to fill in the unwanted holes? Could you not mount the pegboard onto some plywood backing for strength, and resistance to warping, to use it directly, for a gaming surface? Would it not be possible to spackle-fill extra holes and create your own hex patterns for painting?

The Litko templates do look good.

I offer this DIY for those rubbing pennies together…I made a template out of one of these picture for an industrial project.

I removed the two metal screens (the edges are quite sharp so be warned) and laid them flat on a board, but on cloth would work the same.

The filters I bought were 32"x32" and cost $3 USD each.

Just a thought :)

*****

The peg board got me thinking about using the holes as painted alignment points…lay the board on the cloth and then hit with spray paint.

PITA to find, but you can do your hex grids (and triangles) with it. Use masking tape to cover the wholes you don't need and hit it with a spray of your flavor (on cloth…fabric airbrush paints would be what I would reach for).

For finding that – check with "good" lumber yards (Lowe's won't carry it…but Bob's Lumber Yard might). You can also find it as a decorative face on cheap furniture (pie safes and radiator covers).

ScoutII,

Litko called.

Message: "Watch your back buddy!"

:-)

Thanks for that find!

Scoutll,,

The pegboard you show with offset holes is a hex grid.

Here's how I made my hex template.

TMP link

Summary:
* use website that makes hex graph paper at different sizes as PDF
* use Staples to print as engineering document onto large paper
* buy cheap poster frame, set clear cover over printout, and mark where you want holes (centers, corners, wherever)
* put scrap wood under clear plastic cover and drill the marked holes
* I found it easier to put another dot between the corner dots by eye, rather than drilling those holes, too.

A large, clear template really helps in lining up the cloth underneath.

andy