seeking sheet material ideas for small prototype project

[Martin Brown]

We are talking about very different sorts of foam board here.

The stuff you refer to is for making exhibition photo displays and is a rather soft foam between two sheets of glossy cardboard.

PVC foamboard is semi rigid and available in 3mm and upwards sizes. ISTR there are two grades I usually go for the lighter weight one.

I wouldn't describe it as an engineering plastic like nylon sheet would be but it is a lot more resilient than the feeble card backed stuff.

You may have to be a bit careful in the choice of plastic if there are alcohols about. IPA is fairly benign against most plastics but even a trace of methanol will cause stress corrosion cracking of many plastics.

You can acquire random colour offcuts for model making from your local shop sign maker or on eBay. Full sheets cost a fair bit more ~£30/m^2.

[jkn]

OK, yes we have been talking about different stuff. I am not familiar with 'foamed PVC sheet as used in shop signs' (earlier posting above); it sounds similar to uPVC and may be the sort of this I am after.

I'll check it out, thanks

J^n

[Martin Brown]

It is uPVC UV stabilised and in a range of random eye catching colours finishes and textures. Pot luck what you get on any given day (if anything at all). It is fairly soft and easily worked with hand tools.

You can get bits that letters have been cut out of for next to nothing (even free) if you can find a local sign maker and are making something that they think is "interesting".