jskd82 Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 Hello all, new here and looking for some help with purchasing styrene for modeling. The only thing I can find in my area is this from Home Depot....https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-16-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Plastic-Panel-63003/202090190 Is this considered styrene? It popped up when I searched for styrene but it says that it's material is FRP. I know I can go buy yard sale signs but wouldn't mind buying a large sheet like this. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 Hello Jason. No, that stuff is “fibre reinforced plastic” not styrene. What you want is either “Evergreen” or “Plastruct” styrene sheet. Both suppliers also have all sorts of rod, tube, rectangular and other shapes that are great for scratch building model components. You may be able to find industrial suppliers of sheet styrene, but these two will have everything you need and are available through amazon or e-bay if you have no local hobby shop that stocks it. https://evergreenscalemodels.com/ https://www.plastruct.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldnslow Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 (edited) If you can find a local sign supply , they sell 4' x 8' sheets of styrene , mine are .020 , I think , maybe .040 . It's been so long since I bought them , a life time supply of 4 sheets , I don't remember . 😎 Old age catching up with me . They should also carry the Weld-On 4 glue for styrene . Edited January 31, 2022 by oldnslow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jskd82 Posted January 31, 2022 Author Share Posted January 31, 2022 Thanks for the replies. That's a bummer that I cant find big sheets locally and would cost a fortune just to ship it to me. I have ordered some of the other shapes online. The best I can find online are (4) 48x24 .060 pieces from amazon for $52, which isn't too bad especially with the free shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 Don't overlook eBay for styrene sheets and shapes. There are a lot of sellers offering that stuff. I bought some .020" sheet for vacuum forming after the local place closed. I have since found out that they were bought out, the local place is further away but still within reach for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jskd82 Posted January 31, 2022 Author Share Posted January 31, 2022 Thanks, I have been looking but being in Hawaii really limits my options on getting larger pieces😔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteski Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 There are probably sign shops in Hawaii. Find one and ask if they could sell you a sheet of polystyrene. Maybe there is even a plastics distributor, which would have a wider range of choices. But as I hear, if you live in paradise, you end up paying for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick L Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 Which island are you on? There’s Min Plastic Supply in Honolulu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldcarfan27 Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 I've gotten leftover retail display signs from my work when they throw them away. It's either PVC or styrene plastic. Pretty sure the white sheets I get are polystyrene and the black stiff sheets are PVC, because when I cut it, it seems softer on the inside than the outside. I use super glue to bond them and the black PVC joint is very strong with super glue. Both work great for model building, the signs come in different thicknesses and best of all they're free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted January 31, 2022 Share Posted January 31, 2022 13 hours ago, jskd82 said: Hello all, new here and looking for some help with purchasing styrene for modeling. The only thing I can find in my area is this from Home Depot....https://www.homedepot.com/p/1-16-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Plastic-Panel-63003/202090190 Is this considered styrene? It popped up when I searched for styrene but it says that it's material is FRP. I know I can go buy yard sale signs but wouldn't mind buying a large sheet like this. Thanks! Do you need a 4'x8' sheet? That's huge, and unless you scratch build everything out of sheet stock, would last you decades. Why not just order Evergreen styrene sheets in the thicknesses you desire?: https://www.megahobby.com/shop?search_query=evergreen+styrene+sheet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jskd82 Posted January 31, 2022 Author Share Posted January 31, 2022 I'm on the Big Island. I plan on building a bunch of diorama buildings so I will be using quite a bit of it and ordering those smaller sheets will get expensive. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll go check my Ace Hardware to see what kind of signs they have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 (edited) 2 hours ago, jskd82 said: I'm on the Big Island. I plan on building a bunch of diorama buildings so I will be using quite a bit of it and ordering those smaller sheets will get expensive. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll go check my Ace Hardware to see what kind of signs they have. I see. Not sure if this still applies or not, but ten years ago I lived near a U.S. Cellular store, and every so often (two months or so?) they changed out their window signage when the newest mobile phone debuted-- Kyocera flip phone out, iPhone 3 in, etc. The signs were 4'x4' (or larger) and made of styrene (or very similar) plastic, so it might be worth a drive by and/or a stop and ask if there is a store local to you. They are useless to the store after a certain time period, and they went right into the dumpster, so maybe you can get some larger sheets on the cheap, and not have to pay shipping, too. *edit* Still have this one, .060" thick, 3.5' x 4.5' or so?: Edited February 1, 2022 by Casey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 2 hours ago, jskd82 said: I'm on the Big Island. I plan on building a bunch of diorama buildings so I will be using quite a bit of it and ordering those smaller sheets will get expensive. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll go check my Ace Hardware to see what kind of signs they have. For diorama buildings I guess you don’t necessarily need styrene. Any paintable material that can be glued in a suitable thickness should work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tabbysdaddy Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 I thought someone had said that yard signs were styrene. No Trespassing, Beware of Dog... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jskd82 Posted February 1, 2022 Author Share Posted February 1, 2022 (edited) Double post Edited February 1, 2022 by jskd82 Double post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jskd82 Posted February 1, 2022 Author Share Posted February 1, 2022 3 hours ago, Casey said: I see. Not sure if this still applies or not, but ten years ago I lived near a U.S. Cellular store, and every so often (two months or so?) they changed out their window signage when the newest mobile phone debuted-- Kyocera flip phone out, iPhone 3 in, etc. The signs were 4'x4' (or larger) and made of styrene (or very similar) plastic, so it might be worth a drive by and/or a stop and ask if there is a store local to you. They are useless to the store after a certain time period, and they went right into the dumpster, so maybe you can get some larger sheets on the cheap, and not have to pay shipping, too. *edit* Still have this one, .060" thick, 3.5' x 4.5' or so?: Wow what a score! thanks for the suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jskd82 Posted February 1, 2022 Author Share Posted February 1, 2022 Has anyone ever tried FRP? I came across a couple threads where people were saying they used shower stall liner.... not sure if shower stall liner is made from styrene but it got me curious if it was FRP and they thought it was styrene cause it looks similar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jskd82 Posted February 1, 2022 Author Share Posted February 1, 2022 2 hours ago, NOBLNG said: For diorama buildings I guess you don’t necessarily need styrene. Any paintable material that can be glued in a suitable thickness should work. Yeah I've been using thin plywood but styrene is a lot easier and less messier to work with lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 1, 2022 Share Posted February 1, 2022 For 1/25 scale buildings or building fronts, could you use project board? (Thin glossy cardstock on one side, slightly dull on the other side, and foam board in between.) I use it to beef up the cardboard display bases in Round 2 reissue kits, and have used it under color copies of displays not reissued. I've wanted to create a display of my own design, but haven't figured one out yet. The stuff cuts with an X-Acto knife (long straight cuts made with a sharp box cutter and steel ruler), glues together with white glue or rubber cement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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