U.S. Source for 40mm, Square, Cardboard Tiles

If not, consider getting some realitively cheap bake harden clay, a square cracker/cookie cutter of the approximate size, and a rolling pin.

Or see if you can find bulk cheap 40mm miniature bases, some lots go for only a few dollars.

If you just need it for prototyping, will you consider being a bit leiniant on size? It's likely you could find cardboard squares of a different size on some teacher's reasource site...

Good Luck.

EDIT: If you're worried about cutting straight, I made a 40mm square table template on MS Word. You can stick it to the back of some self-adhesive vinyl tiles, or glue it onto cereal board(the aprox. thickness of the ones you posted.) and cut along the lines with an exacto.

Download:
http://www.2shared.com/file/4634155/cde37f53/40mmSqs.html

You can laser cut cardboard and matteboard of similar thickness - if you power down low enough you can avoid burning the edges - we do for Rocks For Sale game boards at Blue Panther. You might see a little bit of residue on a white piece of cardboard - at least one side of it.

www.litkoaero.com does custom bases in multiple materials - they could do it for you too.

Steve Jones
Blue Panther LLC

S

It depends a lot on the type of clay, but some types will tell you on the packaging. You would probably want to cut out 50mm tiles, to allow for slight variation, but as long as you cut the same thickness and size, they should all shrink to the same size.

If you or your wife have a rolling fabric cutter like this one: http://www.strima.com/item/161629/en/
with the right allowance for the tile thickness, you'll be more likely to get a straight line on the vinyl.

Good Luck again.

I just joined the site and found this discussion topic. I too am working on a game idea using tiles like in Carcassonne, and the chipboard squares look a lot cheaper than using wooden ones. However, I'd like to know how well the chipboard takes paint? Specifically acrylic or spray paints. I'm working on a Chess variant, and the tiles don't need fancy pictures on them; they just need to be solid colors. I'd rather not bother applying paper layers to them if they'll take paint well and the paint will look as good on them as it does on wood.

Nomadsgames,

You say you have to wipe the lasercut dust from the tiles. I looked up the product at Gale Force 9 and read a review of the product. They said the burnt edges will mark up one's hands or anything else it touches, and that it does not wash off.

Is the dust you refer to the same stuff as what the reviewer was talking about? What do you suggest wiping the dust off with, and once wiped does the tile remain neat? Also, how well do these masonite tiles take paint, and how does it interact with the burnt edges that the dust comes from?

Adam