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How to make prototype hex tiles

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otfeldodja
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Joined: 06/22/2010

I have worked through a good bit of the planning for a tile-laying game that would use hex tiles, and now I am trying to figure out how to make a prototype.

I am thinking of printing out the graphics and glueing to chipboard, then cutting out the hexes using a die -- I have a Sizzix -- but I am not sure how thick that will go. Has anyone done this?

Or perhaps find a source of wooden hex pieces? And glue the graphics on individually...

Any ideas?

Thanks,
ken

bonsaigames
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Joined: 12/20/2010
Hexes
Kirioni
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Joined: 09/20/2009
Blue Panther LLC

http://bluepantherllc.com/BP3_StockComponents.htm

They have stock components as well as can engrave tiles with simple images.

Hope this helps.

melx
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Joined: 11/13/2008
hex tiles

I use Nandeck for printing out hex tiles
http://www.nand.it/nandeck/

otfeldodja
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Joined: 06/22/2010
Cutting hex tiles?

Thanks, that application may be helpful in other situations as well...

But how do you cut out the printed hexes? And have you found a way to cut out on thicker materials?

melx
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Joined: 11/13/2008
Cutting hex tiles?

print them to self-adhesive paper, put to cardboard (usually unused board-game boxes) and cut with scissors.
it's simple and works well! self-adhesive paper is not cheap but I'm not ver skilly using other methods.

Traz
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go Melx!

Melx has the right idea. After printing, to get them cut out sharply on really nice chipboard [without giving yourself hand cramps from scissors that leave the board all bent up], might I suggest a wide wood chisel and a hammer?

Just sayin'.

Traz
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go Melx!

Melx has the right idea. After printing, to get them cut out sharply on really nice chipboard [without giving yourself hand cramps from scissors that leave the board all bent up], might I suggest a wide wood chisel and a hammer?

Just sayin'.

War Prime
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Joined: 11/06/2011
Some great ideas here...

Those wooden Hexs are cool but wow! Not cheap. Unless you are rich, for prototyping I would go with a much cheeper solution and use circles as Hexes....unless there is some reason you really need the edges to line up circles will work just like like a Hex tile. You can buy wooden Circles at a Hobby story like Hobby Lobby or Michiale's.

The only other option is to do it the hard way and cut them out by hand. That is what I did for my explorer game. I printed out sheets of paper with the Hex tiles on them. I used adhesive spray to apply the printed paper to card stock. Then I did the painful hand cutting with scissors.

I will post a picture on my blog so you can see what they look like. Man I need to get back to that idea and work on it some more. =)

Eric
http://warprime.blogspot.com/
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/user/Warprime

lewpuls
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Instead of self-adhesive

Instead of self-adhesive paper, ordinary paper can be used and rubber-cemented to the board. This is likely to be cheaper as well as easier to deal with.

You can mount the paper on foam board for a thicker tile.

I use Xacto knives to cut.

jzylkin
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Joined: 10/13/2011
I like this foam idea --

I like this foam idea -- Actually, if you want them to look awesome, I have made many puzzle tiles using the following technique:
1. buy 1/2 inch foam board and soak it in water until the paper backing falls off, or just buy blue insulation foam from the hardware store.
2. print out your designs on thick paper (like photo paper) and cut them out with the Sizzix (I use a Craft Robo).
3. glue them to the foam with a very light amount of spray glue -- apply glue to paper, not the foam.
4. take a hot wire cutter, like the ones they sell at Michaels, and mount it at 90 degrees to the edge of a table, so the wire sticks up perpendicular to the table. Usually the store bought cutters are too hot, so I replace one of the batteries with a ball of tinfoil.
5. with your five-dollar DIY "laser cutter", cut out the shapes of the paper hexes. The wire will melt the foam like butter but will not go through the paper -- so the paper will act as a template for the foam, and the shapes will be perfect with smooth, sharp edges.

!!!and use a fan to control the fumes and heat!!!

The Philadelphia City Paper actually wrote an article about my technique for their Christmas craft issue, for some reason you can read it here:
http://archives.citypaper.net/articles/2009/12/03/jack-zylkin-foam-puzzle

ilta
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There are also hex patterns

There are also hex patterns you can print that are lined up to be used by a paper cutter, which cuts down on the scissor fatigue considerably. If you just print a normal hex grid you have to cut each one individually.

I'm on my phone so I don't have the link handy but some googling should get you what you need.

Cogentesque
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I would say get some scissors

I would say get some scissors and get to work!

But I love the other ideas: as well as they use of chisel to get a sharp edge without tiring out. Perhaps you could then just simply get a print out on some thin wood board (bolser wood / chipboard / mdf???) and then start hammering with a razor sharp chisel: it would probably work quite well and give yo ua decent edge too :)

I also agree with our crazy electro-maniac jzlykin that it would leave a really nice result. But like, be careful when shoving tinfoil into batter slots yeah? lol

Whatever the case buddy, I do not think there is a "quick fix" unfortunately!

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