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Post by sgtslag on Feb 15, 2016 4:23:13 GMT
I'm a huge fan of various companies card stock models: cut, score, fold, and glue -- NO PAINTING! Anyway, even when using 110# card stock, the models are not terribly durable. I made a sweet Siege Tower, complete with hard wheels, and a textured base. It was nice -- until it got banged up, and bent. I've had the same issue with castles, in the past. I needed to find a way to make them more durable, as well as heftier, so they would not blow across the gaming table with any light breeze. Enter 2mm-thick Backboard, from Michaels Craft Store. It is sold in the framing area, where it is sold as backing for frames. For the Siege Tower, I glued two layers of Backboard together, then I used a glue stick to attach printouts from my color laser printer, to the Backboard pieces, glued them together, and back to the old base. The only issue, was that the thickness created mating problems: things did not line up anymore, due to the thickness, leaving white areas along the seams and edges. At first, I tried using a black marker to cover/darken the edges. I didn't like that, so then I tried painting them with gray craft paint. Voila'! Here are some shots of the new model, and the original, 110# card stock model: This shows the gray edge painting in progress, with the right side edges unpainted yet. This photo shows the old model, made out of 110# card stock. As you can see, the card stock models are not very durable. They also are quite light weight. Next is a photo of the top of the new, heavier model: Here is a link to a slideshow, featuring many more photo's of both towers. Thanks for reading. I hope this inspires you. Cheers!
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Post by margaret on Feb 15, 2016 8:22:46 GMT
Your new siege tower certainly looks a lot sturdier than the old! I think I will make modular tiles from printed dungeon floors, if I can manage to scale up a pdf to the right size for doing Wyloch's version. So it's helpful to see other folks working with the printed material.
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Post by sgtslag on Feb 15, 2016 14:35:19 GMT
margaret , I use peel-n-stick floor tiles ($0.39/square foot tile, at Menards) as a base for my 2D dungeon tiles. I peel off the backing, lay down my printed tiles (regular paper, not card stock) onto the tiles, as efficiently as possible. Smooth them out, then cut them with utility scissors. The floor tiles are inexpensive, have plenty of heft, and they are easily cut to shape. Forgot to mention, I first cover the dungeon print outs with clear Contact Paper (kitchen shelf liner; matte, clear vinyl, peel-n-stick; available at Wal-Mart, in the kitchen supply area), to make them durable. The weight does add up, as the pieces stack up, but they are easy to use, durable, and they look great, IMO. Just some food for thought. Here is a link to my blog (project #4, 1/2 of the way down the page) where I discuss it in more detail. I originally printed using an inkjet, on 110# card stock. My laser printer will only print on 20# paper, so that is why I switched -- no issues using 20# paper, in place of card stock. Cheers!
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Post by Meph on Feb 15, 2016 14:59:27 GMT
sgtslag, you just gave me an idea. So I am a huge huge huge Ravenloft fan. My current group has never played House of Strahd and I have been planning to run it. THey are currently only level 6 so they have about 6 levels to go before I get there. I absolutely love what milojaggerson is doing with Strahd's Castle but there is NO WAY I have the stamina to do a project like that with everything else I have on my plate. I thought about building the castle with my Openforge tiles but that will require a LOT of tiles. I will want to have enough tiles to layout large sections of it at a time. As an alternative I might just steal your idea with peel-n-stick floor tiles. Back when I started this I went out and bought the Fat Dragon Games Copper Dragon starter bundle - Basic Dungeons 1, Basic Dungeons 2, Dungeon Perils, Caverns 1, and Caverns 2 printable tile sets. www.drivethrurpg.com/product/63492/COPPER-DRAGON-Starter-Bundle-BUNDLEI also bought the Heroic Dungeons Modular kit. www.drivethrurpg.com/product/63492/COPPER-DRAGON-Starter-Bundle-BUNDLEI think between the two of those I could very quickly layout any dungeon I wanted quickly using your method for cheap. I will wait until they get some more levels and see where I am with my 3D printed tiles but I love your idea and allows to layout hugh dungeons cheap in a short amount of time. You have given me some great ideas for other stuff now. That's why I love these forums, someone is always coming up with something for inspiration.
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Post by curufin on Feb 15, 2016 16:18:40 GMT
Okay, The 2mm backer for printed stuff really looks robust. That is awesome! The difference between the two siege towers is like night and day. Karma up!
But your use of peal and stick floor tiles and printed floor plans is nothing short of genius!!! And just considering with the speed and overall quality of the finish tile is worthy of more Karma.
But as an added bonus, you could create turbo fast gridless dungeons in minutes with no glue! Simply take two 3" by 4" strips of peal and stick for tiles (perhaps one with a granite or stone look) peal the paper off and stick them together, back to back. Cut two half inch wide strips of floor tile 4" long. Peal the backs and stick to the 3" x 4" strip to create simulated walls. Done. No painting, no corrugation to hide. I bet the added weight would help keep the tile from sliding around the table too.
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Post by margaret on Feb 15, 2016 17:02:01 GMT
margaret , I use peel-n-stick floor tiles ($0.39/square foot tile, at Menards) as a base for my 2D dungeon tiles. I peel off the backing, lay down my printed tiles (regular paper, not card stock) onto the tiles, as efficiently as possible. Smooth them out, then cut them with utility scissors. The floor tiles are inexpensive, have plenty of heft, and they are easily cut to shape. Forgot to mention, I first cover the dungeon print outs with clear Contact Paper (kitchen shelf liner; matte, clear vinyl, peel-n-stick; available at Wal-Mart, in the kitchen supply area), to make them durable. The weight does add up, as the pieces stack up, but they are easy to use, durable, and they look great, IMO. Just some food for thought. Here is a link to my blog (project #4, 1/2 of the way down the page) where I discuss it in more detail. I originally printed using an inkjet, on 110# card stock. My laser printer will only print on 20# paper, so that is why I switched -- no issues using 20# paper, in place of card stock. Cheers! Thanks for the suggestions and the link. I was thinking of using clear matte spray , but I will try the contact paper method, too. I always have some of the clear stuff around due to many years of making things for kids. I can see that the vinyl tiles would give a nice heft to the modular pieces on the board, but I think I will stick with cardboard at first. Lighter boxes of stuff are easier for me to deal with! Might try the vinyl tiles, too, if I decide to make more.
The vinyl tiles might be really good for basing some of the scene dressing stuff so it doesn't blow away as easily. Have to give that some thought.
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Post by sgtslag on Feb 15, 2016 17:48:05 GMT
curufin, thanks for the praise. I considered your idea of using tiles which needed no printouts (stone designs), but I could find very few which would work, in my local suppliers. Cost was also a factor, as the designs which would work for my application, were much more expensive than what I chose. Your idea of using cut-off's for making/marking the walls, is a variation of what AJ Picket did with his FDG Dungeon print-out's. Great minds think alike. I considered AJ's approach, but it seemed a great deal of work, and extra cost for a return that would be nice, but it would consume gobs of my crafting time, and efforts. I chose to just do them flat, and put that crafting time and effort into painting, and other projects (of which I have too many...). I recommend you take a notepad, or a notebook, with you to your local DIY stores. Take a digital camera with you, as well. Document, and catalog, the tiles you like, and then you can calculate how much you need, and what it will cost you. Then get cracking! We all are waiting with baited breath, to see what you come up with! Cheers!
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Post by sgtslag on Feb 15, 2016 17:56:38 GMT
curufin , just thought of this... Putting 'walls' on each side, making double-sided tiles, will lead to issues with the vinyl tiles warping, as they won't lay flat (will really become an issue as you stack tiles up in height...). Also, considering your comment on the tiles sliding on the tabletop, which mine do, how about making single-sided tiles adhering craft foam on the glue side of the tile? This would provide grip, with little additional weight. Pick the color of your choice: black, green, blue, red, brown, gray, etc. This will be super-easy, and functional. When they are stacked, you will have foam on top of tile, so no scratches -- oops! Stacking tiles with raised walls will still lead to warping. They are easy to bend back into shape, though. Do some experimentation, and see what you think. Cheers!
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