Model Boat Mayhem

Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: mersey dave on February 17, 2011, 06:59:28 pm

Title: Styrene sheet
Post by: mersey dave on February 17, 2011, 06:59:28 pm
Can anyone tell me where i can buy styrene sheet from in the merseyside area.

Regards Dave.
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: Rogirby on February 17, 2011, 07:57:46 pm
Hi Dave
I suggest first place is to look is the model shop in Oxton Road, Birkenhead. If they don't have what you need, Evergreen styrene is stocked by Modelzone in Chester and the model shop in St John's precinct Liverpool.
Both probably more expensive that buying of the internet, but you save the postage.
Good luck
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: mersey dave on February 17, 2011, 08:01:20 pm
Hi Dave
I suggest first place is to look is the model shop in Oxton Road, Birkenhead. If they don't have what you need, Evergreen styrene is stocked by Modelzone in Chester and the model shop in St John's precinct Liverpool.
Both probably more expensive that buying of the internet, but you save the postage.
Good luck

Many thanks, do you have any internet links.

Regards Dave.
Title: styrene sheet
Post by: Klunk on February 17, 2011, 08:02:25 pm
any half decent  craft shop should have some but expect to pay!
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: red181 on February 17, 2011, 08:26:29 pm
rennies on bold street, opposite the tills, there is s section full of useful modelling things, but you have to rummage around ! :-)) failing that, model exchange on the north wales coast road at flint 
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: funtimefrankie on February 17, 2011, 08:32:06 pm
This eBay seller is in Southport, I've bought from him in the past, delivered personally, but nothing listed at the moment.

Might be worth an email...
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: Rex Hunt on February 17, 2011, 08:35:36 pm
Found this site good


http://www.modelshop.co.uk/category/Raw_Materials/Plastics,l.html?page=11&sortBy=AlphabeticalAsc

Styrene


Rex
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: grasshopper on February 17, 2011, 09:04:49 pm
look up your local sign maker - we have one nearby and he lets us help ourselves to stuff out of his skip - BIG offcuts of varying thicknesses of stryene and other plastic sheets and aluminium faced plastic too. We also manage to acquire offcuts of sticky vinyl in assorted colours......Always worth a call.
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: DickyD on February 18, 2011, 08:49:39 am
I always use Slaters.

https://slatersplastikard.com/

Prices and service pretty good and postage reasonable. :-))
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: mersey dave on February 18, 2011, 12:54:18 pm
Thanks all, should find some now from the ideas put forward. :-)) :-))

Regards Dave.
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: garston1 on February 20, 2011, 12:49:03 am
Ellesmere port model boat show 6/7 march. You should be able to stock up!
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: Peter Fitness on February 20, 2011, 04:49:49 am
Buying small sheets of styrene, such as those marketed by Slaters, can be very expensive. Here in Auistralia, a company called Mulfords Plastics can supply 2400mm x 1200mm (8 ft x 4 ft) sheets of styrene in thicknesses from 1mm up, starting at about A$30 per sheet, or roughly 15 pounds. A lot of boats can be made from sheets this size. Perhaps someone knows if similar sheets are available in the UK.

Peter.
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: Peter on February 20, 2011, 05:25:04 am
As Peter F suggests, similar products are available in the UK.

Look up 'Plastic Suppliers' in Yellow Pages, for your local area.

e.g.    larifyIndex=&lastClarifyOptions=&lastSearchall=&lastSearchallTax=&lastbandedclarifyResults=&bandedclarifyResults=&ssm=1

Peter
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: funtimefrankie on February 20, 2011, 12:56:39 pm
Ellesmere port model boat show 6/7 march. You should be able to stock up!
Better going on the 5th  or 6th  :-))

I've bought from

http://www.stationroadbaseboards.co.uk/

no problems
A tip from his Q&As....

Does your plasticard have a gloss or a matt finish & does it Matter?
A:
It does matter. The styrene sheet that I stock is classified as matt. It has a matt finish on one side & a standard extruded finish in the other, this can vary between batches, anything from matt to a low gloss, either side can be painted. Gloss plasticard is coated with a lacquer, this makes it unsuitable for modelmaking as it prevent the paint from keying, it can also cause problems with adhesives.
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: Circlip on February 20, 2011, 04:43:08 pm
Quote
Gloss plasticard is coated with a lacquer, this makes it unsuitable for modelmaking as it prevent the paint from keying, it can also cause problems with adhesives.

 If that side is scrubbed with fine wet&dry used with washing up liquid added to the water, this will kill the gloss and get rid of the laquer to enable glueing and painting. Even "Virgin" sheets shoud be washed before using.

  Regards Ian.
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: destroyer42 on February 20, 2011, 06:38:53 pm
HI,
Down south we  http://www.modelshop.co.uk/ you can by sheets in meter lengths have a look at there site. Also http://www.saffronplastics.co.uk/ these people are Wholsale.

Regards
Destroyer42
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: Peter Fitness on February 20, 2011, 08:58:37 pm
The styrene sheet I use is covered with a plastic protective coating on one side which is easily pulled off. The surface of the styrene is glossy but, as Circlip says, can be "keyed" by rubbing with fine wet and dry paper.

Peter.
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: RaaArtyGunner on February 21, 2011, 10:25:57 am
Buying small sheets of styrene, such as those marketed by Slaters, can be very expensive. Here in Australia, a company called Mulfords Plastics can supply 2400mm x 1200mm (8 ft x 4 ft) sheets of styrene in thicknesses from 1mm up, starting at about A$30 per sheet, or roughly 15 pounds. A lot of boats can be made from sheets this size. Perhaps someone knows if similar sheets are available in the UK.

Peter.

Peter,

Is ABS sheet the same as the styrene sheet that you are referring to.
Could not find "styrene" sheet as such in Mulfords product range.
Probably getting confused but had an idea that Styrene sheeting was polystyrene whereas ABS is harder.

However if ABS  does the job then thats good news as Mulfords have a Brisbane branch.
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: Circlip on February 21, 2011, 11:58:52 am
Quote
had an idea that Styrene sheeting was polystyrene whereas ABS is harder.


 Misused term like "Fibre Glass" and all vacuum cleaners are "Hoovers" and all ball pens are "Biro's"

 "Poly"styrene was the original "Plastic" after Bakelite(??) that most rigid plastic goods were made from until the Engineering plastics started to appear.

 AcrylonitrileButedineSstyrene was/is a more bounceable version of the original Poly. and lots of the original moldings seen on our toys were a pink colour, found when you scraped the Chrome plating off it as ABS was THE plateable plastic.

 For gluing the two types, One of the Keytones (MEK) is better than Cyano as it is a Solvent for Polystyrene and good ole' Balsa cement for ABS.

   Both forms of sheet plastic have been used for Vac (Vacuum) formings, another misused term.

  Regards  Ian
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: Jindivik on February 21, 2011, 08:35:25 pm
When I used to trade, I would buy HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene Sheet) from a subsidiary company of Amari Plastics. As has been pointed out, this is your every day styrene sheet which is also used for vac. forming. In fact it was George Turner who put me on to them. At that time if you purchased over £80 worth (inc. VAT) delivery was free. I would buy 11 sheets of 1mm and 10 sheets of 1.5mm 1372mm x 660mm. This equates to £2.95 + VAT and £4.43 + VAT per sheet and at the old VAT rate worked out to £88.26 total.
My club does the same thing enabling members to buy at an economical rate, with most members buying one or two of each, ‘just for stock’. If you Google Amari Plastics, they have branches over the UK.

Regards Jindivik
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: Peter Fitness on February 21, 2011, 08:56:21 pm
Peter,

Is ABS sheet the same as the styrene sheet that you are referring to.

However if ABS  does the job then thats good news as Mulfords have a Brisbane branch.

Ian (Circlip) has answered your question better than I could have. Yes, Mulfords are in the Archerfield area.

Peter.
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: RaaArtyGunner on February 22, 2011, 01:39:21 am
Misused term like "Fibre Glass" and all vacuum cleaners are "Hoovers" and all ball pens are "Biro's"

 "Poly"styrene was the original "Plastic" after Bakelite(??) that most rigid plastic goods were made from until the Engineering plastics started to appear.

 AcrylonitrileButedineSstyrene was/is a more bounceable version of the original Poly. and lots of the original moldings seen on our toys were a pink colour, found when you scraped the Chrome plating off it as ABS was THE plateable plastic.

 For gluing the two types, One of the Keytones (MEK) is better than Cyano as it is a Solvent for Polystyrene and good ole' Balsa cement for ABS.

   Both forms of sheet plastic have been used for Vac (Vacuum) formings, another misused term.

  Regards  Ian

Thank you  :-))
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: RaaArtyGunner on February 22, 2011, 01:47:45 am
Ian (Circlip) has answered your question better than I could have. Yes, Mulfords are in the Archerfield area.

Peter.

  O0 O0 :-)) :-))
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: Circlip on February 22, 2011, 10:13:34 am
 :embarrassed: Too kind guys.  (Note to self, must try to maintain my usual controversial stance)

 Just another snippet that I keep banging on about. If you have or can get to any firms that manufacture Plastic windows and doors in your area, various sized pieces of styrene (Poly) sheet are binned as scrap. Better still are those that actually manufacture formed door panels supplied to the previous trades. Now they go through some serious lumps of scrap.

  Regards  Ian.
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: RaaArtyGunner on February 22, 2011, 11:13:32 am
:embarrassed: Too kind guys.  (Note to self, must try to maintain my usual controversial stance)

 Just another snippet that I keep banging on about. If you have or can get to any firms that manufacture Plastic windows and doors in your area, various sized pieces of styrene (Poly) sheet are binned as scrap. Better still are those that actually manufacture formed door panels supplied to the previous trades. Now they go through some serious lumps of scrap.

  Regards  Ian.
Now that's lateral thinking and goes to show what is under your nose.
Couldn't see the forest for the trees "Corinthian Doors" nearby.
 :-)) :-))
Title: Re: Styrene sheet
Post by: Peter Fitness on February 22, 2011, 09:37:34 pm
Another source of scrap styrene could be any company which makes plastic signs. We had a visitor to our lake recently who has just such a business, and he said he regularly throws out small pieces of styrene sheet which would be suitable for model boat construction. Unfortunately, he was not in our area.

Peter.