"Has anyone used Sintra PVC board?" Topic

I happened on Sintra PVC board which comes in 1,2,and3mm thickness. Has anyone used this for basing? I am particularly interested in the 2mm stuff. Please tell me your experiences and uses of this board in all 3 thicknesses. Also, can the 2mm be cut with scissors and how badly does this cause it to warp?

Where would you get such a thing?

Amazon various forms link

Previous topic TMP link

This Sintra product looks just like regular foamboard to me.

Cutting with scissors will produce a bit of crushing of the foam layer and therefore produce a bit of a warp or irregular cut lines.

I would cut it with a decent hobby knife and a steel rule but then I wouldn't use it for basing when 2mm MDF is a superior product.

Sintra is a soft plastic that does not crush, but is best cut by scoring as with other plastic. It isn't really like foam core cardboard. It deforms when heated but retains the bent shape afterward, and is a staple of costuming and retail signage (where I get mine for free). I have used some for basing, it is lightweight and durable, rather better than the HDPE sheet I was using, being thicker and thus making the bases easier to pick up.

I've used it. You can cut it by scoring or just cut with a sharp blade. It glues with Cyano or vinyl adhesive.

It's also great for making buildings, it can be cut, drilled, milled, scored….

I'd use it over MDF any time, as it cuts cleanly with a knife, and weighs far less.

@Jimduncan it's nothing like foamcore, aside from being white and flat.

It's a vinyl compound, but not a 'soft' plastic. It's rigid, and stable. (Hence it's use in signs)

I've seen the same places sell Celtec "expanded PVC plastic sheets" and "expanded PVC foam sheets", so maybe there are 2 different Celtec PVC products sold in sheets.

Example:

link

Dan

Well, this is a pretty concise explanation from a plastics company:

"(Expanded) PVC Foam Sheets
A versatile and durable product, PVC Foam Sheet or expanded PVC is a durable, closed cell, free foam PVC sheet material that combines a rigid exterior and matte finish. PVC Foam Sheet is often referred to by its trade names, including but not limited to, Sintra®, Komatex® and Celtec®. Expanded PVC‘s unique characteristics make it ideal for POP displays, signage, kiosks, dimensional lettering and display boards."
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Sintra
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Komatex
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Celtec
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Dan

I get MDF for far less money than Sintra would cost me. I've not had any issues with MDF warping, or other problems with it, thus far. I use MDF for figure bases; I hope to use MDF for walls for assembling card stock buildings: I plan to print the designs on full-sheet labels, cut, peel-n-stick onto the MDF walls, Hot Glue the walls and roof together, Blacken the edges, as necessary, and done.

I've already made stone columns by this full-sheet label method: print the pattern on full-sheet label paper; cut, and apply it to empty pill bottles, to form the column; add a base, and done! Perfect proof of concept. Now I need to assemble some MDF buildings for my 54mm games…

If I find a purpose where MDF won't work, I will use the Sintra. So far, though, I have not found where MDF will not work for me. Cheers!

MDF is cheaper? I ccould make a lot of bases out of a sheet of Sintra. I get 36 bases for about 15 cents each. Best price I have seen on MDF is 40 cents each.

Show me cheaper MDF and I will buy.

I have to amend my prior post. MDF per sheet is probably cheaper but I find it too hard to cut into a large number of bases and the cost of MDF bases is higher than buying Sintra sheets which appear to be easy to cut.

The cost per base reminds me of when I was playing The Sword and the Flame in the early 90's. Looking for cheapest single figure basing. Looked at balsa and washers and finally discovered the cheapest bases were only 1 US cent, that was pennies. Then I discovered that Canadian pennies were only .75 US cent. So since my girl friend wanted to go over for some shopping, I went along, stopped at a bank and got $20 USD US dollars worth of bases. I am still using them 25 years later :)

Yes pennies and washers work well for basing individual figures. I am looking to base multiple figures.

Warbases will make multi sabot bases for UK pennies.

They can also cut alternative sizes if you ask.

They ship to the States too.