The Best Hobby Material You’ve Never Heard Of! [Ep. 08]

I’d like to introduce you to a material we used in the Hollywood SFX Industry but no one seems to use in the tabletop hobby space! 💥More below!⬇
It’s extremely lightweight, BUT both rigid and flexible. It’s three times cheaper than polystyrene (when compared at similar thicknesses). Super glue - aka CA glue - locks it up. It’s lighter, more homogenous, easier to cut, easier to glue and holds a sanded or sculpted edge better than MDF. It’s way stronger, more versatile, glue-able and water-impervious than either card or foam core. It can be carved to an extent and it’s easier to score than styrene, mdf, card or balsa wood. And fillers and putties stick right to it. It’s sand-able. It’s drill-able. It can be cut with hobby knifes and craft blades. You can slice and snap straight lines and you can freehand curves. Chop saws, band saws, jewelers saws, jig saws all cut it nicely. And of course your Dremel’ll make short work of it. You can write on it with a pencil or pen and paint sticks to it as good as anything else. And everyone’s favorite: hot glue. Hot glue works great with it.
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ArtSupply
18x24 3mm (10pk) $96 + $40s/h
4320 sq in. ~ $0.031/sq in.
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Gator-Board
12x18 3mm (15pk) $88 + $30s/h
3240 sq in. ~ $0.036/sq in.
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24x48 3mm (1pk) $26 + $7s/h
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[@IanPrest]

Probably everyone with a laser knows this already... but since Sintra is PVC-based, *dont* try to cut or engrave it with a laser. It'll release deadly chlorine gas and hydrochloric acid.

[@RexAresius]

He also mentioned it's "carcinogenic". What's the exact risk? Should I cut it with a mask on or something?

[@markgearing]

I came to the comments to write exactly this warning. If you and your laser both want to make it to tomorrow, DO NOT CUT THIS!

[@cricketerfrench7501]

@@RexAresius There are risks in burning PVC - the famous dioxin scare - and some of the plasticisers used to make PVC rubber like are estrogen mimics. However, the carcinogenic risk talked of here is probably from the first PVC health scare the poisoning of production staff with the monomer vinyl chloride. As it is fully polymerised and the monomer is a highly fugitive gas this presents no problem for any retail user. The PVC industry has shot itself in the foot repeatedly by denying issues instead of solving them, however PVC even when plasticised is save, indeed it is the material of choice for blood bags or infusions. Just do not burn it and inhale the fumes hydrochloric acid will make you jump.

[@tabletopalchemy]

@RexAresius That was kinda facetious, but wearing a dust mask while sanding it is a good idea (really when sanding any hobby material). Cutting it with a knife is safe, just be careful while cutting as it is a bit “chewier” than polystyrene

[@rp9674]

It's murder plastic

[@RandomButtonPusher]

This came up in my recommendations for no known reason -- not a hobby modeler -- but I enjoyed the presentation and info on the material. One never knows what will come in handy.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Lol yes I think the ol’ algo had gone rogue - or at least a little over zealous. No complaints here of course. 😉

[@MrZSimko]

Totally the same situation and reason for watching it. 😅

[@chanel113]

Same

[@sjsomething4936]

Ditto!

[@schizotony]

This came up in my recommendations because it's more chewy than styrene, and the algorithm loves to tempt my pika... Will definitely come in handy!

[@chipwallaceart]

Hello!, I actually own a sign shop and we use PVC sheet just about every day. You can buy sheets 10, 12, 19 & 25mm as a full 48x96" sheets at any plastic supplier such as TAP Plastics, AIN, or Piedmont Plastics. No minimum required. You will get dinged pretty hard on shipping thought, sometime paying more than the cost of the sheet. So look for a branch near you you can pick up from. Also, Home Depot carries some PVC Sheet now in .250" and .500" thickness. As a sign shop we end up with a LOT of drops (the pieces left over from cutting what we need for larger signs), so also try your local sign shops as we usually have a good deal of small bits that cannot be used for signage, but are perfect for all sorts of hobby and scratch building projects. After all, that's what I used them for too. BTW, Love the channel and I have subscribed...I look forward to your future content.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Excellent! Thanks for that info, I’ll def hit up some local sign shops lol!

[@gregtracy9322]

All the expanded-cell PVC I've ever seen for sale at Home Depot has a wood grain pattern on one side of it.

[@utubewillyman]

Hey, I'm not an official hobbyist, and maybe you folks already know about this or call it by a different name, but I'll just throw this out there: corrugated plastic. You can buy it at big-box hardware stores. But it's often used for lawn signs at election time and sometimes there is a huge free supply on the second Wednesday of November--plastic that will just be thrown away. It's tough as nails and can be used to build structures. You can make it even stronger by laying 2 sheets together orthogonally like plywood. Some issues: it has a slight striped texture to it owning to the fact that it's essentially a collection of squared hollow tubes.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Ah yes! That stuff is great for structural support and some very specific looks if used as detail!

[@Oddville420]

Used it to build a whole miniature town for a table top rpg. Stuff fantastic

[@artivan111]

Coreflute... 5mm and thicker is quite strong if you run it with the lines and its waterproof. I've used it for light construction in several instances

[@SandCrabNews]

I used corrugated PVC for my night time drone launch pad, it was fun.

[@DonaldDrennan]

Official hobbyist? What is the criteria for that?

[@KnarbMakes]

I need to pick some sheets up! Thanks for the video!

[@llamadohgaming6787]

Signmaker here, we use Sintra all the time. Sintra is a brand name by the way. Anyway, you can walk into your local signshop and they'd most likely sell you some. Depending on the size of shop and what kind of signs they make, they may have to order it for you, but you could order the thick stuff from them without having to buy a bulk amount. If you were ordering a size they don't have in stock, you'd probably have to buy a full 4'x8' sheet, but they probably wouldn't mind cutting it down to a size that would fit in your car if need be.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Yeah getting it cut down would be enormously helpful!

[@brindlereo5972]

Also a signmaker that uses Sintra. if you are interested in some scraps, I will see what I can gather for you. We use 1/4 and 1/2 inch black and white

[@tabletopalchemy]

That’s pretty awesome of you! I do currently just use the thinner stuff, but you never know - I’ll keep your offer in mind, thank you!

[@anthonyd.1428]

Sign maker as well. I keep all the off cuts and my coworkers all think I'm nuts. It's terrain yet to be made, that's what I tell them.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Lol - tell ‘em it’s a flat earth

[@stochasticagency]

You can find this in the big box hardware store in the drop ceiling section. Lowes has it stocked as Palight White Foam PVC Sheet, sold in various precut sizes. Though not as cheap as a large sheet (8x4), an 18-in x 24-in runs about $19. This channel was an excellent recommendation in my feed today.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Awesome thank you!

[@bobweiss8682]

Azek is another popular brand name....

[@pauladee6937]

@@tabletopalchemy Thank you so much. Your Humor is great.

[@rankenphile]

I’ve been a big fan of this stuff forever. It’s been one of my best kept secret weapons - perfect for basing large models since it doesn’t warp like cardboard or mdf and it’s super fun to work with. I’ve found that some sign shops will let you dig through their offcuts and buy scrap for nearly nothing, and since us model makers are typically using much smaller pieces than they are their scrap is perfect. Thanks for sharing, this stuff is a ton of fun to work with.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Yes great idea! I’m looking up sign shops this week lol.

[@cwwCADAVER]

Your delivery and comedy is captivating. I dabbled in miniatures one time 15 years ago on an out of town trip where I helped a friend make some D&D dungeon stuff. This is my way of saying I'm not even in this hobby but I have a minor appreciation for it. The way you crafted this video... I couldn't turn away. Also thanks for the info.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Wow thank you very much! I several “minor appreciations” myself lol!

[@charliesangles5280]

I enjoyed the way you got your information over, … a little tongue in cheek went down well, thank you

[@arphvivi8987]

you can also heat it with industrial hair dryer and then bend it andthen obtain round surfaces. I definitively love this material. Also to build props and pieces of armor for cosplay or LARPs.

[@wereflea8496]

Answered a question that I no longer need to ask! Lol.

[@jbdelphiaiii7637]

You can also make Sintra very pliable by dipping pieces in hot water. A drape over method on a shape used multiple times can give consistent shapes. A useful tool to have is a plexi scriber (to break cut) (like from a kettle hot)

[@EdmondHiggins]

Yeah this stuff is great. It has replaced wood/MDF as my go-to for basing scatter stuff. Great production value and video.

[@EssentialNPC]

Yay! You're back! I like your voice. Please, keep making videos.

[@stevenwilgus8982]

Outstanding video and kudos to many commentators who actually contributed USEFUL information! I wish I could thank each of you as I learned from y'all. Thank you!

[@tabletopalchemy]

Great spirit, much appreciated!

[@joelcarson9514]

The large format UV ink digital printers can print on Sintra really, really well. Sintra is not the only brand of PVC high density foam board, Komatex, Pallit, CNC cuts well too. It paints with solvent based paints. I worked for a large format printer for years that did screen printing and Digital, used to purchase pallets of the stuff in 4' x 8' sheets.

[@sirretsnom3329]

I worked for a company called Dimensional Innovations for over 4 years and we used Sintra for pretty much every AMC, Cinemark, Rave, and many other theaters for the entryways and many other signage many pieces as big as 20'x4'x4' in length for the entry way. Using automotive paints made it look like metal. So many projects all over the country from movie theaters to museum installations. Sintra is great for realistic, light weight ornamental construction. The only downside is that it can be brittle and shatter when dropped. It will also yellow over time as well as become brittle over time. Large pieces can and will sag if not properly supported. It doesnt make for great armor for cosplay but very good for ships and props that is very workable and paintable.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Those are some big sheets lol! Yeah, on a small scale this stuff is very handy.

[@Inzoum]

I used to work as a digital print operator, 90% of our prints were made on 3mm expanded PVC sheets, which we’d stock by full pallets. We had sheets up to 10mm in thickness (and have on rare occasions worked with 19mm sheets for store displays). The leading brand in Europe is Forex. It’s one of the best substrates for UV printing and makes the majority of all signage and store displays here. We’d print these by 2x1.5m sheets with optical marks for CNC cutting into individual pannels (including custom contours) to fantastic results, and would thermo-shape it to different angle folds to make store displays and easel signs. It’s fantastic.

[@adamconnell5965]

I found two sheets of this at home depot two weeks ago... since acquiring this magical material I have rebuilt my credit and my parents are finally proud of me.

[@tabletopalchemy]

I made a new credit card OUT of this material … and no one is proud of me. Lol 🍻

[@singingReaper]

This stuff is so good, at the con I went to this summer I actually went to a panel where a guy who makes Gundam suit cosplays did an in depth tutorial and presentation on how he uses it to make his big robot suits. I’m glad to have a good video to send people now about it, and especially since this is in relation to scratch building

[@tabletopalchemy]

Awesome! Yeah I just found out it’s big in the cosplay community 😎

[@3nertia]

Could I get a link to that video, please? :D

[@vladislavminakov1443]

It's beyond me how you have so little subs after a month. Very good delivery and interesting topics(your pantheon video helped me quite a bit), wish you the best man.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Awesome, thank you!

[@bluenine85]

organic growth takes time, I just found this video and it's great, instantly subscribed

[@wafudave6041]

@@bluenine85 Ditto

[@kaibe5241]

Bruh. 1k in a month is excellent. Hell be 100k if he keeps it up by Easter.

[@RonOgdenActor]

Subbed!!!

[@lamontcranston1163]

OMG! You said Nurnies! I've been in the special effects/visual effects industry for decades (still am) and I will often use the term nurnies and receive blank stares from my younger colleagues. Then I have to explain (just like you did) that that's what they *used* to be called, and now they're greebles. Thank you for documenting for all time, independent of my influence, that I am *not* just a crazy old man! : )

[@tabletopalchemy]

🤣 you’re mighty welcome! Still in the industry? That’s impressive. Most of the people I knew are out or went to work for Laika lol

[@jasonhurdlow6607]

Where exactly did the term "greebles" come from anyway? I used to be in the industry and we always called them "nurnies". First time I heard someone say greebles, I thought "you mean nurnies, right". Kids these days...

[@jasonhurdlow6607]

I think I first heard the term "nurnies" from Ron Thornton.

[@skizilla]

They sell this stuff at Lowes as ceiling tiles. I bought two 24x24 sheets and made crash walls for my slot car track. It's really good stuff.

[@mebobtheone]

Do you know under what the brand name its listed like Armstrong or Genesis ?

[@skizilla]

@@mebobtheone Sorry I don't remember, I know that they had it in the ceiling tile section and it was the only material like it, the rest was the super light fiber glass backed stuff. I can across it by accident.

[@matthewrumpf8837]

I am familiar with Sintra as I first heard of it in the Cosplay community, but I have never used it. Will keep it in mind if I have to build something larger than what I already build.

[@antsu3400]

Literally thought you'd have at least a few 100k subs looking at the quality of production. Wow. Also amazing vid, I'm an architecture student and learning about new materials is always helpful

[@tabletopalchemy]

Nice! I used Sentra in a few architectural models too lol.

[@nates5703]

I could see the algorithm blowing this channel up one day.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Algorithms will be running society pretty soon … not sure how I feel about that … but we’ll see how it goes lol.

[@MarekCabak]

@@nates5703 I came here though algorithm, so it's quite possible. Today this video just appeared on my home page.

[@alankott3129]

@@tabletopalchemy and AI will be creating all of our digital art. I do know how I feel about that!

[@Zodd83]

Takes me a little long time to find it few years ago and I was forced to buy 2000x1000 sheets to obtain the 1 and 3 mm thick, but never regreat the choice to push forward! Best deal in my modelling life.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Oh nice!

[@theblindbuildergrandminuti5648]

This was a amazingly helpful video for me, I’ve taken old signage from my old work, but had no idea what the exact material was. This was the stuff!

[@theproplady]

When making armor, I find that thin styrene put over a sheet of craft foam works well. You can find cheap styrene at Walmart and hardware stores - it's what garage sale signs are made of. Cintra is good for things that need to be rigid or capable of taking damage. It doesn't splinter like wood which is why I like using it for blade prop weapons.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Great points!

[@komikbookgeek]

What kind of armor do you make?

[@DerBomster]

I discovered the stuff around last year and fell totally in love with it. At its most simple it's a great material for basing terrain since it can easily be cut to size and doesn't warp, but that's just scratching the surface. Video's great - I really enjoy the level of knowledge and the tone of presentation - five minutes in, I knew this was an easy subscription.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Awesome, thank you!

[@menarussell]

It's great for pet costumes and cosplay. I used it for a few odd things around the house. I love it.

[@chaosordeal294]

You can buy miniature lumber (generally manufactured for dollhouse and miniature boat-building). Build your houses with exposed wooden framing using actual wood -- can't be beat.

[@tabletopalchemy]

That sounds pretty cool! I shall look into that.

[@gothbubbles]

Wow can't believe your channel is small, what a helpful video. I really love the commentary about your movie effects experience mixed into your hobby info. Subbed!

[@tabletopalchemy]

Awesome thank you!

[@ginwilcox9555]

WOW! 🤯I had no idea. This was highly enlightening and answered any questions I could have asked had a fellow creator mentioned "new" material. I enjoy your humor and the info is very appreciated. The cat popping in there was excellent, too. Now subscribed and looking forward to more videos! Thank you.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Awesome thank you!

[@vonamarak]

I had this pinned to a "watch later" tab for a week, since the thumbnail caught the corner of my eye and I wondered if it will be about expanded PVC (I think that exact brand is not around, but I can't be sure, because I never unpacked the sheets). I get mine from a nearby print shop leftovers and it is just perfect for a wide range of purposes - sometimes it almost feels like cheating when your cut and sanded shapes look self-sealed and need a minimal amount of finish. Anyhow, today I've finally watched the video and then binged all others. With such a diversity of topics, the channel truly looks like the beginning of a wonderful journey. Smooth sailing!

[@tabletopalchemy]

So cool! Thank you very much, really glad u dig the content!

[@RocketPunchHero1]

Love this tutorial. Been in the industry for several years. Still, you're never too experienced to learn something new. Thank you for sharing.

[@tabletopalchemy]

I learn that more and more every day lol.

[@melgross]

It’s available from McMastercarr in many sizes and thicknesses. You can buy one small sheet to full sheets, in several colors. I’ve been using this in my lab for decades as part of the photo processors as panels. I’ve used it in my own shops for many things. Be careful though, as it has poor impact strength. But it does have great chemical resistance as regular PVC does. It’s used for chemical tanks.

[@tabletopalchemy]

McMaster-Carr! We used to order stuff from their catalog in fx shop all the time.

[@Siskiyous6]

I have the M-C catalog at my feet. Thanks for the heads up.

[@melgross]

If you have an iPad, or possibly an Android tablet, they gave an app. It’s very good. I think they have apps for phones. On my M series Macs the tablet app works. You can get an account with your credit card. No minimum order, though they do charge shipping. That’s changed from the old days.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Yeah that’s interesting about the minimum orders! I shall download that app lol.

[@demetriusgallitzin8859]

This is used inside aquariums to make a vivarium that incorporates both terrestrial and aquatic elements. My favorite is "Making a Japanese Garden" by Asu (KZbin) or "Building Ancient Dam paludarium in Aquarium" by 木根 Mugen Woong. I had a difficult time finding anyone on amazon or ebay that sold any of it at a reasonable price until fairly recently. It's probably why this video was recommended to me. :)

[@tabletopalchemy]

Well, I just learned two new words and I’ll be looking up those KZbinrs! Thank you!

[@fredericapanon207]

@@tabletopalchemy Asu makes some wonderful terrariums! Definitely worth checking out his channel.

[@pez5767]

You were correct. I have, in fact, never heard of this stuff. Thanks!

[@tabletopalchemy]

Lol

[@scaletownmodels]

I used to have a sign supply distributor near my shop that carried sintra. They had up to 30mm thickness. I used some to make reptile enclosures. Works great since it's water proof, easy to clean and cyno bonds the hell out of it. The foam core also add some insulation for heat retention. However, do not try to cut it with a laser. Under a CO2 laser the thermal process causes it to out gas hydrochloric acid vapor which will eat your optics.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Very true.

[@MRaadesign]

Signman here. Been using Sintra board for over 3 decades. Hundreds up on hundreds of signs. Lost count long ago. Also, I have been using it as a base for my toy building for about 2 decades. As stated, you can't use a laser to cut it. But hobby knife or cnc router works fine. I have cut many sheets down for projects with a hobby knife. Even then, the board releases some of the chlorine gas. You can smell alittle sulfur in the air. So you need to wear a respirator and have a proper ventilation system.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Good points, thank you!

[@DonaldDrennan]

I used to work for a shop that made stuff out of Sintra glued with the cyano-acrylate glue and kicker spray. It gave me a bloody nose and terrible sinus problems, so yeah, wear a mask and good ventilation.

[@skwerlz]

Another sign guy here, this stuff is all over the industry from the body of a plaque to the patterns we send along to installations. Works with a CNC router like a dream. Talk to your local sign manufacturers, they may be willing to sell you their scrap for cheap or at least have good contacts to acquire it. They may also use other foam products like Signfoam that may be interesting to you.

[@nerdingforfunprops4487]

Sinatra is my go to material for most of my builds. I've used it for everything from fake axes to ghostbusters proton packs. I'm currently using it for a 1/24th scale replica of the Orca from Jaws. Great video BTW.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Thanks! Yeah, I was totally unaware of how much the cosplay community uses Sintra til like, uh, this week lol.

[@oldgold5848]

Sinatra eh? Did you do it your way?

[@kittycat1302]

Good one. 😅

[@granttrain3553]

I have been using this for years with out knowing the name! I just begged for out of date adverts in the post offices and department shops. Thank you!

[@petesquared23]

Thank you so much for this info! Sounds like a great material 😀👍

[@jthoma82]

I love sintra. It's one of my most used materials. I'm lucky that I have a plastic materials store somewhat close and you can get quite a bit for cheap. Like, less then $30 4'x4' 1/8th" sheet

[@tabletopalchemy]

That’s pretty sweet!

[@freakinccdevilleiv380]

Sintra is just amazing and when it comes in colors they are very vivid. But the biggest con I think is that you can't laser cut PVC, bummer. Fantastic video.

[@barrylinkiewich9688]

I mean you CAN. It's an incredibly horrible idea and shouldn't be done without appropriate protection in place but with enough ventilation.... Really though, just get someone with a cnc router or waterjet to cut it if you need production levels of cutting.

[@knottyeti]

@@barrylinkiewich9688 It shouldn't be done with a laser at all. Temperatures over 200 centigrade can (but don't always) start a chemical reaction in PVC which gives off large amounts of chlorine gas. I've seen people inhale small amounts of this and it isn't pleasant.

[@linqua1728]

Great sense of humor. Made my day.

[@hikerlou345]

In our millwork shop, we use 3/4" thick Sintra. Black Sintra shows up gray when it's cut and can be darkened with car wax.

[@vagabondprime1691]

Great delivery on a great subject! I've used Cintra for some armor builds for cosplay, it's amazing stuff! Can't wait to try it out for terrain. And I'm subbing to your channel while I'm at it, thank you for the content!

[@tabletopalchemy]

Excellent! I’ve just found out that cosplayers use it lol. Thanks for the sub, much appreciated!

[@MamaWolfof9]

I appreciate your sense of humor. It makes learning much more fun. Thank you.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Lol 🤙

[@TA_33]

Thanks for over sharing. Heading out to steal some real estate signs right away.

[@tabletopalchemy]

🤣

[@MinisMyWay]

Great recommendation. I've been using it for a couple of years to scratch miniatures, mostly ships like galleys and all sorts of related uses. Very easy to use and very versatile!

[@anthonywaggett9317]

I got my first experience with ePVC when a neighbour of mine in the building trade had some off-cuts and broken pieces from a shower room he had been working on. This cost me nothing and I still have a ton of it left after 5 years (plus it saved him the cost of having to dispose of it). I have used it for mould boxes, mouth plates for puppets, bases and just scrap for colour testing or mixing epoxy glues. I'm about to try my first building for a gang hideout in Necromunda. Great channel.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Awesome! Stuff works great for mold boxes, you are right. Good luck with the build, happy hobbying! 🤙🍻

[@sebbychou]

Ooooh, THAT was the material my idol used!

[@BrightBlueJim]

I'm lucky enough to live close to a Tap Plastics, which is good when I don't want to wait for shipping. I asked them once for some 3mm Sintra. They said "???", so I said "It's right there in your sample display, and pointed to it. "Oh, you mean foamed PVC." But yes, great material, and if you happen to be an electronics hobbyist, you can easily make custom-sized cases for projects with it, MUCH simpler and faster than 3D printing, especially if you care about the finish. A table saw or chop saw with carbide blade is excellent for this purpose, and if you need special shapes, this works as easily as Baltic birch (but looks much nicer) on a cheap CNC router/engraver, and this gets you rounded corners and precisely located holes with very little effort. And it doesn't crack like acrylic if you put screw holes close to the edge. Really magic stuff. I've used PVC pipe cement rather than CA, but that's just because I don't always have CA on hand, and pipe cement has a longer shelf life after opening. Thanks for reminding me about Sintra - I have a project build coming up in the next week, and hadn't even thought about Sintra. I probably would have done a 3D-printed case. This will make it MUCH nicer. I'm wondering if kerf grooving will allow me to make a wrap-around box. Should work, by using either a 15° engraving bit or 1mm end mill. If that turns out troublesome, I can use 6mm for sides, and groove that to slide in 3mm top & bottom, with 3mm front and back screwed into blocks glued to the sides. Or something. Tons of options.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Right on! This all sounds very cool! Yeah I didn’t even talk about how you can use screws and bolts on it!

[@sb9316]

I really appreciate the detail you go into in your videos (I'm slowly catching up on all of them) I came across this material over a decade ago as a one off, and could never find it again as I didn't know what it was called and nobody knew what I was talking about - So thank you so much for this! Can't wait to pick some up again!

[@tabletopalchemy]

Awesome, glad you found some value in the content! 🍻

[@cranegantry868]

I subbed for the humor and stayed for the informative talk.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Well that’s much appreciated, thank you!

[@goofeymaloofey]

Just found you! Haha...fine artist, crafter, minis to murals, doll clothes to billboards, designer and total NON-SNOB creative, here. I am absolutely loving all the info and resources you pack in your videos. I'm passing you along. Wish you the best and keep doing what you do!

[@tabletopalchemy]

Awesome and thank you very much, glad u dig it! 🍻

[@goofeymaloofey]

@@tabletopalchemy btw- particularly fascinated by the fineart tax writeoffs/money laundering thing. Had heard of stashes of art that noone gets to see and felt it was in a way, a loss of a representation of different eras in Time. I personally feel its a stifling of a form of communication and recording of history that is not necessarily officially scribed but maybe more accurate. But 'meh' -not enough hours in a day and too many other interesting things to check out- again, thank you!

[@billholley2446]

I worked at a clinic that was undergoing some remodeling. The carpenters were using this stuff - I don't know what for - but I spotted its hobby potential and salvaged a dozen square feet of scraps from their dumpster.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Nice!

[@thedabblingwarlock]

Hello! Awesome video and I like the humor. Just subbed and will be looking into more of your stuff. And thanks for the links. I'll be looking into this stuff for when I get my office sorted out.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Awesome thank you!

[@Siskiyous6]

Thank you, another arrow in the quiver. I do a lot of antenna building, some boat work, and I think this might be useful. I wonder how it would do as far as being covered by marine epoxies, You earned my subscription.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Much appreciated! Yeah I’m not sure about the marine epoxies, but it seems like they might stick to anything lol. This stuff definitely floats, I don’t know if that helps lol.

[@kerricaine]

i use sintra primarily for cosplay purposes, and while not marine epoxy specifically, i use JB weld epoxies to fill in gaps on between panels, or where fold lines have been scored open. it works wonderfully and usually is water tight, so i'd imagine it can work for your purposes!

[@scryptogram5686]

i've got some experience with sintra that comes from the cosplay community, because it can be heated up and shaped a bit like resin and then it'll go rigid again which makes it perfect for cosplay armour and trinkets, great stuff

[@recoveringsoul755]

Is that how the 501st Legion makes their Stormtrooper costumes?

[@tabletopalchemy]

I was just finding out the cosplay community uses this stuff!

[@TheShmoo123]

I’m tidying my craft room to put a temporary bed in there for Christmas & New Year visitors…and I was just having a conversation with my partner about how much craft stuff I have ….but isn’t it good that I hadn’t bought anything in a long, long time, I had everything I needed…..and what do you know this just popped up in my feed…..oh well, guess I’ll be gettin’ me some of this wonderful stuff! Damn you KZbin! Thank you so much for posting, can’t wait to get my hands on some of this fab stuff. I live in the UK, I’ll have to have a scout about for it.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Lol this is the right attitude! You’ll find it in the UK branded as Foamex!

[@TheShmoo123]

@@tabletopalchemy ….thanks again, I’ll treat myself in the New Year👍🏽🙋🏽‍♀️ Shhhhh, 🤫tell no one! Have a splendid Christmas 🎄 and an extremely Happy New Year 🥳

[@tabletopalchemy]

Aw thanks - the same to you and yours!

[@gehinkun]

I got four HUGE posters made out of sintra from my local garbage man, I threw them away today because they seemed too hard to work with, but THE SAME DAY I get this video in my feed. Luckily they were still out by the bins so back in they went!

[@tabletopalchemy]

Lol that’s some special timing right there!

[@M5guitar1]

I build RC airplanes from scratch and this stuff seems like the perfect material for that

[@geor664]

Invaluable info. Thank you. And delightfully eccentrically presented. Thanks for using metric. Appreciated.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Eccentric! My new favorite descriptor, you win lol! Glad u liked the vid.

[@aterxter3437]

I totally agree with the usefulness of syntra or expanded PVC as we call it here in France, I started using it for all king of projects in secondary school, my best memories being the model rockets (1m/3ft long 1kg/2pounds) were the tube was a pvc drain pipe of 3mm thickness, the fins were 3mm expanded pvc glued in grooves scored in the tube with epoxy, and all the structural inner parts, especially what we called rings, short height cylinders with a diameter of the tube's inner diameter to screw everything in place, these were made out of 10mm or 20mm(in the most serious cases : parachute fixation, motor fixation) expanded pvc sheets machined on the late, well a pleasure

[@tabletopalchemy]

Rockets!! There’s some intrinsic fun right there regardless of the materials lol. I should get a US rocket kit to see if they use expanded pvc over here - it’s a good excuse anyway right? Lol

[@SteveOverstreet]

Hey, Fish, it's Steve Overstreet here. Love the video and youre looking great man. Great to you here!

[@tabletopalchemy]

Oh man, how you been lol? Hit me up on the email here, would love to hear how you’re doing and what you’re up to. 🤙🏽

[@stuckgrenadepin.225]

I don’t play tabletop games. I don’t build/not a hobbyist, but I do enjoy learning and humor so you got my sub.

[@tabletopalchemy]

I’ll take it, thank u very much lol!

[@SuperMdscha]

I am so psyched that you’re on YT. I first heard you with Dan Adam and then listened to the podcast. I just came across your channel in my recommended list and immediately watched them all. Can’t wait to see what you put up next.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Ah a CryinMo veteran lol! Awesome thank you, I’m glad u like the new channel!

[@the_arcanum]

Wait ! The dude has a podcast and there's no mention of it in his profile ? Please, where can I find it ?

[@tabletopalchemy]

@the_arcanum lol, it’s a few years old and “confusingly branded”, but I did do 26 episodes of a podcast and after the first 10 or so episodes its all interviews with great artists. I think I’m going to port it over to this channel at some point as a playlist but if you really want to check it out you can find the playlist here CryinMo's Tabletop Alchemy Podcast kzbin.info/aero/PLm9FzXKYPDKtIy7cJEm7LUlyRKkfFpzR-

[@JohnSmith-gm4fj]

Ha! I used to use this back in the 90's. I used 3/4" thick for industrial game roll down boards (think pinball play fields but not) 3/4 was expensive but you could drill or die cut it. 1/2 inch for the size we were using had some issues, you could get some warping, really skinny large sheets got worse. What was great was that it was self skinning, so when it was formed at the factory you never had to worry about putting a finish on it. We would put a giant sticker/decal on it and it was done, no butyrite compounds to mess with any other nonsense. I'm guessing 30+ years later it's even better than it was back in the day. I love the stuff.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Yeah stickers work super well on it!

[@haddow777]

If the stuff is as toxic as you claim, I would recommend everyone use some sort of system to mitigate dust and particulates generated by processing it, like sanding, grinding, or sawing. I had a project where I needed a fairly large space to work with fibrous insulation that I needed to keep out of the air. So, I built a very cheap and easy negative pressure bubble. All it took was plastic sheeting, staples and excellent tape (I used gorilla tape), a fan, and an air filter. For the filter, I bought a very cheap HEPA filter by getting a car cabin filter. If you buy a HEPA filter for your home, it's super expensive, but if you buy it for your car, it's much cheaper. I setup the filter by taping a fan onto one side of a box and the filter on the other side. I then attached the filter box to the bubble. Took very little time. You could also do the same for a desk top model. In that setup, it may be better to use a duct so the fan isn't near the desk driving you crazy. It may seem like a hassle, but we've learned so much about the dangers of particulates and lung health over the decades from so many people dying from lung cancers and such, we really shouldn't let their examples be a waste. Plus for you family hobbiests, a new report came out saying that air pollution is a significant contributor to miscarriages and early infant deaths. Even the pregnant mother breathing in air pollutants can have significant risks. My whole bubble cost under $100 and it covered an area of about 8x8 feet from floor to ceiling.

[@tabletopalchemy]

That’s pretty impressive! For the most part Sintra particulates are heavy so a dust mask or respirator should be good sanding but yeah all this plastic stuff is potentially hazardous to some extent. The two substances I hated working with most in the sfx shop were “green and yellow” polyurethane foam, that stuff would float and a tiny particle in the eye felt like a piece of glass.

[@SixPackDan]

The only true consistent in the world is change..... you have no idea how very true that is! spread the word.

[@CrazyTony65]

The same stuff is sold at The Home Depot as a wood replacement in dimensional common lumber sizes (1 by's are most common), trim, and molding. I have lots of the stuff on the outside of my house, cuts drills, fills, and paints easy.

[@khakicampbell6640]

Great info, funny delivery! 👌😅 Thanks~

[@VanGoWanderlust]

This was mind blowing. Not kidding. I have all sorts of little projects that this would be perfect for!

[@tabletopalchemy]

Game on then lol!

[@ChrichtonLeprechaun]

We actually use coroplast (corrugated plastic) for real estate signs. It’s constructed in a manner similar cardboard but made from plastic. Sintra, Celtec & Komacel are all brand names of closed cell or expanded PVC. Definitely used by and available at most any sign shop. Probably the way to go for smaller pieces, they may just give it you, depending on how much and how big(I give “scrap” pieces of substrates and vinyl away regularly). Smaller cutoff pieces aren’t really worth hanging onto (for a sign business, that is).They tend to get dented when stored for any considerable amount of time. Unneeded substrate can quickly stack up and begin occupying valuable real estate. Most people would much rather see something repurposed or recycled than end up in a landfill.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Excellent to know, thank u!

[@calessel3139]

I've been modeling since I was a kid, and thought I knew all the materials typically used for scratch building, but I've never heard of Sintra before. Sounds like a great cheaper substitute for styrene. Thanks for the info!

[@tabletopalchemy]

Sure! Bear in mind it can’t replace polystyrene for certain things but in other capacities it’s better.

[@MrBizteck]

I just kept thinking .... The Witcher !??? Thank you you tube algorithm for bringing me here. Good sound ... good humor and production very well. I mostly 3d print but Im subbing for the piece of fluff on your arm 😂

[@tabletopalchemy]

Lol that string thanks ya!

[@johnnygearpin7596]

Something something Sintra... couldn't stop focusing on the stray string... Honestly great delivery and learned a new material. Thanks a ton! All the best to you!

[@tabletopalchemy]

Thank you, much appreciated!

[@mr.mikesart7111]

Very well put together Very funny Awesome video

[@chilarai1]

Whoa. Thanks for this secret, man. Will definitely try it.

[@sabinaloeffler-lee4729]

First time watching you.....instructional, entertaining, brief. Fantastic job. Thank you.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Well thank you very much!

[@sailor-rick]

Obviously, you already know this. I am just spouting off so I can make a comment on your page. Since you are talking about plastic sheeting, a mil is not a millimeter, anymore. A mil is a measurement that equals one-thousandth of an inch, or 0.001 inch, or 0.0254 mm. Good info. One new sub (a GenCon survivor from the 80s and 90s). Thanks.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Lol Gen Con veteran! Yes you are right and I am a lazy talker. I accept full responsibility!

[@rickcrippen5180]

I used tons of sintra/cintra in the trade show industry. It is the standard there.

[@romilvf]

Awesome video about Sintra board! I’ve been using this material for my hobby for more than a decade now. It’s widely available here in the Philippines but I get my scrap supplies from a friend who owns a sign fabrication shop 😂

[@tabletopalchemy]

Now that’s the way to do it! Didn’t even have to pirate any signs lol.

[@angelsoffurtitude]

this honestly just might be what i need for making various small terrain pieces for Zona Alfa Thanks a lot.

[@jasonarthurs3885]

Most public transit in Canada has areas at stations and platforms as well as aboard vehicles, where ads are placed. More often than not, theses ads are printed on Sintra, and disposed of regularly. Get in touch with the installation contractor(s) and ask for the discards.

[@jamesfranklin5541]

This stuff is awesome and direct suppliers, Amazon, eBay, all have it

[@royschwaben9646]

No clue why the KZbin Algo put this in my feed, not a model maker, but watched every second and subscribed. Totally excellent content and production, my dude. This channel will grow like wildfire.

[@tabletopalchemy]

Well right on, thank you! I think the algorithm has gotten a little over zealous lol but hey, I’ll take it. Glad u like the content!

[@firemarshalljon4349]

Now that you pointed out string on your shirt it was all I could focus on

[@tabletopalchemy]

I knew that was the risk … and I ran with it 😂

[@SandCrabNews]

My dad was a construction electrician who introduced me to heat bending PVC pipe. A Warrant Officer in the Navy gave me a project using acrylic sheet and sent me to Ridout Plastics (eplastics) in San Diego (check the scrap bins out front). Then I heard about Kydex (an alloy of ABS and PVC), my go to for many projects (heat with a Bic, bend, drill, tap). These plastics can be heat-formed and bonded with PVC Cement or CA Glue. ABS can handle warmer temperatures up to 200F, I replaced the headliner in my truck with ABS. I'll see if Sintra fits my projects.

[@tabletopalchemy]

This sounds great!

[@redbaroniii]

Thanks just what I am looking for. Great vide, interesting, funny, and moves right along.

[@alfredpotts6136]

I’ve been using this stuff for at least six years now, Foamex is a common brand name in the UK. I get mine totally free from exhibition companies. Their “off-cuts” are often A2 size or even larger - no use for their purposes but I can get 20 or 30 scenery bases out of it! I get 2,3,6mm so useful for all sorts of terrain. Although it doesn’t warp itself, it can be warped by other things. I sandwiched a couple of bits of 6mm Foamex as a base for some woods and the “no-nails” I used did shrink and this was enough to make the edges of the woods lift 3-4mm off the games table. It’s also slightly harder to use than MDF or foamcore because PVA just peels off it, but I’ve found that UHU or no-nails works well.

[@tabletopalchemy]

You don’t use CA glue with it? That’s my favorite adhesive with this stuff.

[@marenjones6665]

Oooooh, looks like a great tool for resin work.

[@mind_of_a_darkhorse]

I used that a lot when I was in the sign business!

[@menarussell]

Michael's has it in the store, including rolls of the thick type, rods, triangular rods,etc. Hobby Lobby has small sheets and medium sheets, including a few 1/4".

[@tabletopalchemy]

Really? The extruded shapes would be very handy I gotta check that out!

[@gingersutton8240]

Hobbist here. Thanks for the intro to this poly called Sintra, not the chem name. I do paper crafting so... Thanks again. Very interesting.

[@markwatters6875]

Thanks for the video mate. Will pass it on to others 👍🇦🇺

[@tabletopalchemy]

Hey, much appreciated!

[@GecaaaHUN]

When I started my prop making hobby 8 years ago this was one of the first materials what we used there. Easy to work with it but has his cons. It feels like other harder plastics but because its foam structure it is more vulnerable than normal PCV or MDF and you can easily scratch its surface. But for modelling hobbies it could be a good choice if you need something more durable than foamcore. And with a heatgun you can bend it without breaking the material (but I can't tell where you can use this method in modelling).

[@tabletopalchemy]

Yeah very true. The bending thing I think is done a lot by cosplayers. I would probly use polystyrene for bending for miniature projects.

[@Pers0n97]

Thanks, that was a very interesting recomandation and Ill make sure to give it a try.

[@steelfalconx2000]

The fact that change always happens never changes therefore nothing changes except the changes that happen as a result of the unchanging nature of change. This is the last time I drink and KZbin 😆

[@tabletopalchemy]

Lol! Perfectly stated! The very nature of KZbin can indeed cause drinking and YouTubing. Fact. 😂

[@robertschulke1596]

I use it on boatbuilding. It’s waterproof, rot proof, insect proof, electrically insulating. It’s very tough, better than plywood. Solvent glued joints are strong and watertight.