Styrene

[NSA]

Where does one get this?

I went to Michaels and they just stared at me.

Online links etc would be good. I hear so much good about this stuff but can't find it!

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

hobby stores, not craft stores...

i have a place locally that carries it so i havent had to go online to look for it thankfully...i would think online ordering of it would suck though as you can't gage the size if you have something yer trying to match to...

 

[The Ewokhunter]

best place to go is one that carries R/C planes and kits.

 

[NSA]

What is it 'normally' used for?

I don't think I've ever seen what it looks like.

 

[Midget]

Model train fabrication is what I've always seen it used for. Don't know what other applications other than model scratch-building.

 

[Mandingo Rex]

I'm headed to Tap Plastic either today or tomorrow if they're open. I'll let you know what I find, and could maybe ship you some.

 

[Midget]

What's Tap Plastic?

 

[bigdaddyblue73]

Mandingo Rex's term for fuckin his blowup doll.

 

[Mandingo Rex]

It's a store that sells everything plastic.

 

[darthdre758]

Including blow up dolls.

I bought some a not so local, local hobby shop. It was supposed to be used for ninja weapons....buuuut I stopped that idea fast.

 

[XOC2008]

http://www.plastruct.com/Home.html

Good place for all your styrene needs.

 

[Mandingo Rex]

So I got three 2'x2'x1/16"-thick sheets and a 1/8"-thick sheet along with a bunch of other plastic containers and piping for about $30. It's the white stuff TF customizers use to scratch-build stuff.

No idea what I'm using mine for, but we'll see what I make it into

 

[malcadon]

You can always use rigid foam board insulation. I see a lot of wargamers use them in their battlefield terrain and buildings. You can find the thick sheets at hardware stores (usually sold in pink, but they can come in other colors), and the thin ones (reinforced in a sandwich of outer cardsheets - usually white or all black) at the arts and crafts section at Walmart.

For folks who never used styrofoam in their hobby, spraypaint will disintegrate it, unless you insulate it with a thick layer of Tester's paint (which is kinda redundant) or (ideally) white glue, and leave NOTHING uncovered. You can use a long, thin box-cutter too cut them into shape, but a foam saw is highly recommended.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

its used basically for scratch building anything...i made the basket, handles and the turret...

the best glue to use has an chemical in it that abreviates to MEK...it basically welds the plastic together...superglue, in my expierence, sucks

 

[NSA]

Hmm how'd you make the rivets etc?

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

they have alll kinds of different shapes and sizes...rod, hollow rod, square, hollow square, L shape, H shape, octagons, rectangle, hollow rectangle all from super tiny to large...sheets in varying thickness...

the "rivets" are just tiny rod that i cut slivers off and glued on...

 

[NSA]

It all sounds very complicated.

Probably better than using cardstock like I do though

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

its easy man...so much variety though...whats cool though is, if you can imagine it, have the time/patience and have the skill (which i've seen that you do) you can make anything you want...

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Hey Eddie, were all your rods white, or clear? (Oddly, this is a non-gay, non-jab comment, I swear.)

I picked up some square and circular tubing/piping to make railing, and actually wondered about making bolts and shit with them when I picked them up. The stuff I got was clear though, they didn't have the tiny rods in any color besides clear.

 

[NSA]

I think I need to see these in person. Its an abstract idea that's way beyond me.

 

[SR_501]

I need to get off my wallet and order some of this stuff sooo many projects.

 

[Mandingo Rex]

You can always use rigid foam board insulation. I see a lot of wargamers use them in their battlefield terrain and buildings. You can find the thick sheets at hardware stores (usually sold in pink, but they can come in other colors), and the thin ones (reinforced in a sandwich of outer cardsheets - usually white or all black) at the arts and crafts section at Walmart.

For folks who never used styrofoam in their hobby, spraypaint will disintegrate it, unless you insulate it with a thick layer of Tester's paint (which is kinda redundant) or (ideally) white glue, and leave NOTHING uncovered. You can use a long, thin box-cutter too cut them into shape, but a foam saw is highly recommended.

I'm actually planning to do a tutorial in the coming weeks for this very thing. I've worked with it before (the Dow blue foam, not the Corning pink, but it's the same shit) but not in the extent of making walls. So it'll be kind of a "learn as I go" documentation.

I just cut up the boards tonight into 10"x22" sections to get started, but it's been raining all week and supposed to for the rest of the week, and I planned on doing the woodburning part out on my deck, which isn't covered. (Due to the fumes of using the woodburner to carve the brick lines in the boards.)

I can also try a styrene tutorial, but it may be best for someone more experienced to lead that. But I'm up for it if there's interest.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

Hey Eddie, were all your rods white, or clear? (Oddly, this is a non-gay, non-jab comment, I swear.)

I picked up some square and circular tubing/piping to make railing, and actually wondered about making bolts and shit with them when I picked them up. The stuff I got was clear though, they didn't have the tiny rods in any color besides clear.

my rod is white, and clear'ish stuff comes out of it ...yeah, too easy...

seriously though, all the styrene and plastistruct (same stuff, different brand name) i have got, has been white...i've never seen clear...ever...or any other color for that matter...

what was the brand name of what you picked up?

 

[Mandingo Rex]

all the styrene and plastistruct (same stuff, different brand name) i have got, has been white...i've never seen clear...ever...or any other color for that matter...

what was the brand name of what you picked up?

Uhhh. Plasticâ„¢?

It's just generic stuff that I got at the local plastics shop. They just have huge sheets (4ft x 8ft) that they cut to order for you. I got 2ft squares to start with, at 1/16" thick.

The rods are 6-foot square and round (round is around 1/32 or 1/16, I can't remember off-hand, as I'm at work and can't measure it) and the square was about 1/8" thick. They're a bit sterner than the sheet styrene, and little tougher to cut cleanly (I usually have to cut them slightly longer and sand the ends down as they sometimes snap jagged). I use the same plastic (in a larger diameter) sanded down to re-peg vintage Joe backpacks to fit 25th pegholes.

I didn't realize you could order small sheets, so I'm hoping I didn't get too screwed by getting large sheets cut from bulk. I just asked about sheet styrene, and they cut it for me. No stickers or anything on it.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

The rods are 6-foot square and round

is "foot" a typo?...or did you really get 6' of square and round "styrene"?

or did you get 6 pieces of 12" square and round?

do you remember the cost...seems buying in bulk like this might save some money cause its expencive for what i get

 

[Mandingo Rex]

Nope, but the order of units was confusing.

They're square and round rods, that are 1/16"-1/8" in diameter/width, but they are in fact 6-feet long. I was able to curl them up twice to fit them in my car, they're not that rigid. I'll actually go through them faster than you'd think, as I plan to make railing and piping for dios with them, but they should last a little while.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

wow!...that could be REALLY cost effective...maybe i should check into plastics places around here...the little packs i get can cost between $4-$6

 

[Mandingo Rex]

wow!...that could be REALLY cost effective...maybe i should check into plastics places around here...the little packs i get can cost between $4-$6

The tubing I got was like $2-3 for the six foot length. Like I said, it's not exactly styrene, but it can still be cut and glued similarly.

 

[G.I.*EDDIE]

thats a great freak'n deal...comparatively at least

 

[SIC DETH]

Styrene, you guys pay for this stuff!?! Are you freaking kidding me!!!
Heres alil tip. Go to or call your local Graphic Art/Sign/Printing store. Tell them you are looking for scrap styrene and would love to get rid of the garbage for them. They throw it in the trash after they cut it for signs. !!!Free Styrene!!! Its like finding a pot of gold!!!

 

[MAJOR BLOOD]

Thanks for the tip SD. Guess I'll have to investigate to see if I have any places like that around.

 

[SR_501]

My girl works at a Graphics place. So I have inside connections on styrene. lol

 

[red4]

Mandingo Rex's term for fuckin his blowup doll.

that shit made me blow up laughing

 

[Fled74]

Thread miner!

Seriously though, if I remember correctly, Plastruct is more like ABS than polystyrene, and needs a different kind of cement.

 

[red4]

Thread miner!

I love this damn hobby, you muke. You bet your ass I'm gonna thread mine if it means I find something useful.

 

[Pickelhaube]

I use plenty of styrene .

I get most of my styrene off of e-bay. Evergreen also makes strip and rod stock.

Plasticstruck sells hexagonal rods of various diameters that I slice like salami for bolt heads . I use rounded stock for rivets the same way.

I usually try to buy in bulk to keep the price down. The sheeting I use is about 2 mm thick. I forget the standard thickness. I think that it is .06 thick but that is a guess.

 

[Dropshipbob]

For cheap and quick styrene you can buy those "for sale" signs at most any hardware store. Also see the fake credit cards that are sent in the mail (as long as they don't have embossed writing on them of course).

 

[K-Tiger]

For cheap and quick styrene you can buy those "for sale" signs at most any hardware store. Also see the fake credit cards that are sent in the mail (as long as they don't have embossed writing on them of course).

Wally World gift cards work too. No embossing on them.