Gaming Board info request - modular board aviliblity?

[millest]

hi folks

hope this is in the right section, if not could the mods possibly move it please?

 

I am currently trying to sort out a new gaming board so i can start playing once again, my friends and I are looking at getting a city/urban base, but we are open to plain/flatter boards, and we were wondering are there any modular boards availible in the uk (that are cheaper then the GW ones) that would do the job, sstarting at a 4x4 table then expanding later?

 

failing that we are ok with using MDF and creating our own boards but how do people hold them together to stop them moving during gaming? Also how do you texture them and stop sand coming off?

 

thanks in advance

millest

[Tanhausen]

I bought a 240x120 board (pressed wood or whatever its called in english, what is used for a lot of furniture) and asked them to cut it in 3 80x120 sections.

 

Then I got some of those metal semicircles you put 2 screws and fix the pipes to the wall... so when I set up the table (on a table, but you could do it on those scissor wooden things), I only need to slide a wood or similar (I bought 2 1.5m semicircular section woods, the ones you use for furniture profiles) and it will hold anything short of bouncing on the table ;)

 

As for sand... I have no problem with sand falling, just make sure you use enough white glue when texturizing :)

 

All in all, it costed me like 30 Euros.

[Red Fury]

There are many many ways to keep the boards together, just take a look around your local hardware store or ask somebody at the counter.

 

Like Tanhausen said, use a bunch of white glue with the sand, but then paint over it. It will seal the sand in and looks better than real sand. Pick up some left over latex paint (thin it down) from house projects and cover the whole board with it. Then you can go back with some cheap big bottles of craft store paint to color areas the color you want and to add some detail.

[millest]

cheers guys.

 

Red fury, i love replies like this "ask somebody at the counter" youve never been to the uk have you? :) you know the scene in shaun of the dead where they use the zombie to collect trollies? well he's intelligent and polite compared to most of the staff in our local B&Q (home depot equivilent).

i dont want to tar all of them with the same brush but over here there is no longer any concept of customer service or product knowledge in most (notice i said most and not all as i know some people are good) store in the UK.

 

Ill have a look around and work on the 2x4 idea i think and come up with some tarty ways of joining then :)

 

cheers guys for the quick replies

[madscuzzy]

At the end of the day, it is cost vs time. I have made a couple of boards of my own, and have to admit: if you can afford the GW board, then go for it. The cool thing about it is that is has a built in hill that is nice and high; high enough to block a lot of LOS if firing from the other side. And it is solid. VERY solid. We have seen people stand on it before in pictures, and it can take it. I am about 90kg, and it can take my weight with no problem whatsoever (I have a 'fixed' board/table at home and when I get lazy, I use it to climb on to reach higher stuff, WITH the GW board on it... don't ask.)

 

Cost vs time is always an issue. Most people think 'why pay so much for something I can make myself?' Yes, that is true for the most part, but at end of the day, how much time do you and your friends (if any who are interested) intend to spend on terrain and stuff? Doing up nice terrain (nice being strong, sturdy, lasting, pretty and functional) takes a LOT of time, perhaps moreso than some armies. Most people will rather spend time on their armies than terrain (I like making terrain... to me its relaxing).

 

As for the GW board, it does require a base board to begin with, so that is a drawback. I use a frame to hold the board in so it can be hotswapped as I want it, rather than the clips supplied (which are horrible to use).

 

As for making a table, please consider things such as the structure of the wood. Wood can warp, based on climatic conditions such as humidity, so you may want to look at how thick the board is going to be and how you can reinforce it with other boards. White glue can warp wood rather readily, so be careful.

 

Are you planning to make a table? Or are you planning to make a board and propping it up on an existing table? Is it going to be permanant? Or modular? (I ask this in the sense that is it modular for keeping sake, or for swapping sake, cuz you can have a permanent table with modular sections for variety, like myself) If modular, how do you intend to keep it? (GW's has a nice bag to keep it in so thumbs up for that)

Is the board going to include hinges? (cuz you need to make sure the hinge is placed in such a way not to intrude in the game and/or the balance of the board when you lay it down)

[Gurth]

how do people hold them together to stop them moving during gaming?

The easiest way to do that is to not play on a smooth table. If you set up your tiles on a table that has a tablecloth on it, it will probably go a long way to stopping them moving, for example.

 

If you have no choice but to play on a smooth surface, I'd suggest sticking some kind of anti-slip stuff to the bottom of each tile. You should be able to find various types of this in a hardware store.

 

Also how do you texture them and stop sand coming off?

Glue it down firmly :rolleyes: The easiest way to do that is to buy a fairly big pot of paint (say, a litre) in the basic colour you want your board to be, and mix some sand into that — call it a small handful on a litre of paint. Stir very well and paint your board with it, and stir regularly while painting if you notice you are putting paint but no sand onto the board.

[Pearlay]

Pop over to hardware store and Buy Sheet of Ply wood, Soem table Folding legs & small Can Green Paint, you can have them match the color to flock, I used Goblin green and Stained it (old Watered down coffee or tea, Spray/Pour and wipe) .... Pre Painting it on either put Glue on and drop sand on table or Mix beach sand in paint, just a little will texture your board nice .... also you can just go get Green felt from cloth shop and staple it to it ....

 

if the Ply is thin you might need to Strengthen it with some 1 by screw it awound the outer end on bottom and across where legs will Screw on.

[LoneSniperSG]

Pop over to hardware store and Buy Sheet of Ply wood, Soem table Folding legs & small Can Green Paint, you can have them match the color to flock, I used Goblin green and Stained it (old Watered down coffee or tea, Spray/Pour and wipe) .... Pre Painting it on either put Glue on and drop sand on table or Mix beach sand in paint, just a little will texture your board nice .... also you can just go get Green felt from cloth shop and staple it to it ....

 

if the Ply is thin you might need to Strengthen it with some 1 by screw it awound the outer end on bottom and across where legs will Screw on.

 

No man, don't use plywood. Use chipboard. Most plywood will fall apart after a while, unless you seal it up right away. Chipboard is rock-solid for a game table, but it's heavier than plywood.

[Vincent Black Shadow]

Cut some circular feet out of sheets of textured rubber and affix to the underside to prevent slippage.

[BloodWulf]

Cut some circular feet out of sheets of textured rubber and affix to the underside to prevent slippage.

this is a great tip! Do you have any links where textured rubber mats can be purchased?