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Sheet plastic source in UK

Hi,

Does anyone know where in the UK I can buy sheet styrene, in A3 or A4 size, maybe via mail order, that would be cheaper than model shop prices?

I'm planning on building a small vac forming table, the exact size of which depends largely on the size of plastic sheet that is readily available to me. I'd like to keep the cost as low as possible too, as this will be my first attempt at vac forming and I'm sure things will go pear-shaped a few times before I master the art.

Thanks in advance,

Gary

Reply to
GaryK
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I would suggest turning to a plastics supplier of large sheets (1 by 2 meters or so) and cut it down to size. I think you should be asking for "high-impact polystyrene"

Situated in the US, so I cannot suggest business names. Maybe a phone directory can help?

Good luck! Sten

Reply to
Sten

there's a company in coventry by the name of gilbert curry. they specialise in plastics, so they would be a good place to ask.

address in yellow pages, i guess.

trevor

Reply to
87015

Hey, neat segway. I was intending to ask a similar question about US. Looking for a decent US mail order source for plastic, but not sheet styrene, since I know of several places for that. But, I need acrylic tubes and rods, also maybe some delrin rods.

Reply to
Don Stauffer

I gather you've checked out a retail outlet for TAP Plastics and couldn't get what you want there?

Mark Schynert

Reply to
Mark Schynert

Slightly off the subject, but styrene related.

This weekend I was unpacking some "stuff" from several moves ago and found a missing box of assorted sheet styrene. Some of the sheets are at least twenty five years old and from various sources, Squadron, local hobby shops along the way and retail/wholesale plastics dealers.

The sheets (not all ) had a surface "skin disease" similar to oxidation on aluminum. Storage conditions were for the most part, dry, dark, low if any ventilation. Some of the sheets with heavy "oxidation" were very brittle.

Any comments? Will paint prevent this from happening on a completed model? What about the inner unpainted surfaces of a completed model?

Just curious, not that I intend to outlive any completed stuff but someday I may finish a "museum piece"

oxmoron1 MFE

Reply to
OXMORON1

Have you tried

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?

Good prices, fast shipping, they carry a bit of everything, including most plastics, stainless hypo tubing, brass tubing.

Ken

---------------- Ken Lilly snipped-for-privacy@technologist.NOSPAM.com

*remove NOSPAM to reply* When diplomacy fails, send in the B-52's
Reply to
Ken

Try, EMA "Plastruct" they do all sorts of plastics and acrylics

Reply to
Ted Taylor

This is a bit of a late reply but I am new here...

I dabbled in Warhammer modelling a fair bit in the past. They always recommend going to your local builders merchants for styrene sheets. Also B&Q or other DIY shop may sell what you are looking for as a design product, i.e. styrene ceiling tiles, etc... you can sometimes get big sheets of this for creative purposes. However these can have quite large grain so depending on the scale you need they may or may not be useful sources.

When I visited Warhammer World in Nottingham (sounding like a promo guy now!) I found out they actually made their own styrene to a very fine grain. I am not sure if they sell it on though, they certainly don't offer it online or in their shops but may do direct from the mill.

Tony

Reply to
Tone

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