"styrene bases" Topic

Has anyone used styrene (Plastruck and Evergreen are two companies I've seen in hobby shops) to make bases? If so what adhesive should I use to attach figures to them? Thanks.

I've used it for some smaller (6mm) scale pieces, but not many. But, for conversions and what not, I use styrene sheet pretty frequently.

There's no reason it won't work at any scale, but for taller scales I'd use at least 0.060" thickness.

It all depends on what you're sticking to it, but most "normal" adhesives for our hobby will work. If I'm gluing plastic figures to it, I'd reach for Pro-weld or another solvent type cement first to see if that works between your two materials (most plastic figures are styrene too). Just make sure it's clean as always.

I use plastruct plasticard sheets for basing quite often. plastic weld or liquid poly cement is fine for plastics, or I use super glue for metals.

Is there any reason not to use the cheap plastic sheet used in Yard Sale signs? That's my usual source for styreen sheet… laminated if I want it thicker.

I use styrene, usually to make the occasional odd shape that I need to complement minis that I base on 20mm washers. I also use it for vehicles. I size the thickness to match the washer.

Don't buy the hobby styrene, it's bonkersly expensive.

Find a local plastics dealers, look for "HIPS" High Impact PolyStyrene. Comes in sheets of 6x4 feet for sensible prices. Also you can usually get self-coloured in brown or black.

They often have nice tooling available and can cut it into precise shapes as well…

"Yard sale" plastic works fine. I used Ailene's glue to fasten my 1:2400 Panzerschiffe ships to bases I cut out of hardware store plastic signage.

link

Jim

I have considered offering sheets of pre cut bases in styrene on a small sprue like we do with the flat pack terrain stuff. Maybe even texture a few. I use 0.020" so I'd have to experiment with cutting the thicker stuff for bases.

Use it all the time, plastic cement for plastic figures, superglue for metal ones and PVA for the sand/flock.

But I buy it from industrial plastic suppliers not from the hobby shop, much cheaper.

Robert

I used it a bit for buildings and what not.
2mm thick and use superglue.

I've used old WalMart gift cards for bases. Easy to cut, easy to find, usually free.

What Angel Barracks said. I use sheet Bextrene (which, as far as I could establish, is some sort of propriety name for styrene) in 1.5mm and 2mm for figure bases and 3mm for building bases.

I mostly use super glue.

John T

Rendera Makes some nice bases that don't cost a lot.
Otherwise I use the cut-up gift card method too.

I used .080" plasticard sheeting for all my initial Necromunda terrain several years ago. At the time, I simply couldn't locate 2-3mm MDF board so I used what I could. I just used plastic weld and CA glue to adhere things to the base and they have held up well over 5+ years, several house moves, and Adepticon tournaments.

Here's the only pic I currently have of the initial batch together:

I would advise against it though, simply because its so expensive. You can't use white glue to adhere sand or gravel to the base for groundcover and CA glue is pricey. Not to mention how expensive plasticard has gotten in general over the past few years.

If you can, use 2-3mm MDF which is cheaper and more versatile. Fortunately, my store uses a ton of MDF like this for goods handling so I can get it free anytime.