Playset question

[davidb]

Hey, guys. I've gotten a crazy idea for a playset and am trying to find something to make it out of. I'm looking for something sturdy, but because it's going to be big, I'd like it to be fairly light, too.

I've ruled out cardboard and styrofoam because they're just not sturdy enough. Wood is, but because of the size (roughly 1' by 3 1/2'), I know it would weigh a ton. Does anybody have any suggestions for anything else I could look for? Thanks!

[megoscott]

I found PVC Foam board (also called Gatorboard or Komatex) to be useful. Thinner that foamcore, it's kind of like plastic. Sign shops sell it.

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

Foamcore is good; but expensive. For me, NOTHING beats corrugated cardboard. You can make almost anything out of it, and it's plenty sturdy; depending on how you run the corrugations. Getting big sheets can be tricky though. I used to raid a nearby auto garage, until I made friends with the owner of an appliance store. (He used to be in the same Regiment I'm in.) He'd leave the refrigerator crates out for me.

What sort of thing are you planning?

Don C.

[davidb]

I've started prelim work on a 1/9 scale replica bridge of the original Enterprise. That should put it right at Mego-sized.

That said, this is still a looooooooonnnnnnggg way away. I'm just now getting started on patterns for the walls.

Nothing may ever come of this, but then again it might.

[ABMAC]

Since the station panels are all small and flat, I'd cut them from sheets of styrene. Maybe masonite for the floors. It's thin and fairly light, but sturdy.

[davidb]

That sounds like about exactly what I'm looking for. I've wanted to go with some sort of plastic, but didn't know what was out there. Thanks, guys!

[megocrazy]

Try corrugated plastic. Looks just like corrugated cardboard but is molded plastic. You can find it anywhere they sell large plastic sheets. Some signshops use it also as bases for vinyl letter applications. You can paint it, put decals on it, pretty good stuff.