Hi Everyone!

I ordered my first set of TerrainlinX material today, Streets of Legend for my upcoming Savage Worlds game.

I've posted before in a couple other threads that I am a picture framer so cutting foamboard anything is a passion of mine (keeps me in business you could say).

So I cut my first tile foamboard piece on my mat cutter which is fully automated. Here are some of the images I took of the cuts. This was a first run through so its a little rough and needs adjustment, i'll need to get my friend who knows this machine like the back of his hand to assist me on the cuts. But once I get it solid, I will be able to output the foam tiles in like 1-2 minutes each, plus I can set it up to optimize the cuts on a piece of 32" x 40" black foamboard...

My next step once perfected is to cut it out of the heat activated board to see how it does in my mounting press with a printed cardstock image.

The images are hosted on my own website so there is not a bandwith stealing issue



This is the computer interface of the cutter.



This is what the negative cut looks like after the tile is completed



Corner 1 accuracy measurement



Corner 2 accuracy measurement



Corner 3 accuracy measurement



Corner 4 accuracy measurement



Back of the tile. Overcuts and indentations shown. The overcuts will be addressed, but the indentation is unfortunately there to stay casue of the roller head on the cutter



Width of tab insert measurement



Length of tab measurement



Width of tab measurement



Inserting the tab into the tile



Tab set into tile



The back side of the tile and tab together.

Let me know what you think... if I can get it solid and once I get an actual tile printed and adheared I will add images. This can be a real time saver from what I have been reading on the forums!

Lucky bum! Suffice to say, many people here would kill to have access to that machine.

We've been struggling with making premade mounting templates available. Every small-run manufacturing method we've come up with has been far to cost prohibitive. Hopefully we can reboot that idea once more capital starts coming in so that we can do a large factory run diecut order.

Thanks for sharing

That is awesome even with the roller dents. That will not effect the function of the till at all, nor would the slight over cut. Heck I get those with a knife.

Big question what is are you using for the automated cutting? Between that and the Robocutter (still on my wish list, bought the SO a new evening corset and skirt instead ) ,building TLX get super easy. Leaving the hand cuts for only the special stuff.

Edit: You know if he gets this right, Denny, you could use his system for your pre-made tiles. Pre made is Pre-made and will save time whether it is foamcore or something else.

Hi Ehisey,

I am using a Valiani CMC Mat Pro. It is an Italian machine made for the picture framing industry to cut matboards for framing artwork.

I Know I can reduce the overcuts, I just have to get my friend who is the tech support for the machine to help me out. Its a matter of configuring the software side of the cut head to match the thickness of the material.

This was cut into 3/16" this foamboard. I did print out a Street Tile on regular paper and adhered it to the foam tile. I dont have my inkjet yet or my cardstock.

Are the TLX tiles specifically designed for cardstock? The paper printout didn't match the depth of the foam exactly, but that could have been the roller indents? I'll try after I get the cardstock and see how it goes.

The tabs fit nice and snug, so there is room for extended use and wear and tear.

I have to figure my costs and run a couple more tests after I get it configured properly. I did a layout real quick in the software and was able to get 30 to a sheet of 32" x 40"... havent cut that yet, but if it works EPIC WIN!

You could use paper, but it would tear to easy so really want the card stock. As to the seeming a little off that is actually correct. The tiles are designed to with 3/16-1/4" foam core. The edge of the tile should be a little longer than the thickness of the tile. Trust the score lines, build to tiles and after you practice tabbing them together the construction will make sense.

Ouch, those cutters are expensive. As a framer, do you think it would be possible to get a local framer to cut foam core tiles at a reasonable price?

I know my costs both materials and time, what do you think is reasonable?

Take into account that a framer would supply both the materials and the labor you would get a finished project. I'm new to the hobby, so I don't have a handle on time involvement yet. I could tell from the one I made that it took a good amount of time cutting the printed tile and a hearing it to the foam base... And I know from 30 years experience about hand cutting intricate foam pieces.

If I can maximize a sheet and be accurate it will still take a while to cut them... I like to keep an eye on it in case the blade dulls or it goes haywire.

What do you think ballpark on something like this would run? I have been cutting mine by hand and have cut probably 100+ 6x6 inch tiles and another 50+ of each 3x3 and 3x6 tiles.

Let me see if I can get 30 to a sheet successfully. Later this week. Knowing your own costs involved for materials and time throw out a number and I could tell you if it works?

Also its up to Denny and WWG if this is even appropriate here. It's their license and I just wanted to make terrain

I'd be willing to work through them to present a solution. My business has hit it's slow point for the year and I am open to making something work. I've been gaming for as long as I have been framing so if I can help out it would be great, there is nothing a framer likes better than finding solutions to problems!

I apologize in advance if this is problem for WWG... Feel free to edit or remove anything you feel causes you a headache

Denny has been looking for a solution to this problem.

Denny, what do you think?

UPDATE!

Ran a bunch of tests and finally got a full sheet output completed.

This was done on 3/16" black foamcore 32" x 40" in size.

I am able to get 24 6" tiles and 60 tabs per sheet.



I need to input the smaller tiles and run tests on those next.

The full sheet took 45 minutes to cut everything, the tabs take a lot longer cause there are more of them. individually it takes about 1 minute to cut a 6" tile, so if just cut the tiles 24 tiles = 24 minutes.

These are all 90 degree straight cuts, I tried making a beveled cut on the tiles and the machine ate the foamboard. They are dead on 6", I made one tile with 110# cardstock printed off my B&W laser and it worked nicely.

I just got my artisan 835 today and need to set it up, once I do I will make a good run of tiles to see how it all works out.

Also I fixed the indent problem by making a reverse cut, which forces the roller head to run on the outside of the tile not the inside. I cannot fix the overcuts due to the fact that the blade needs to run a little further so it cuts through the front.

That is awesome. That would take so much time out of large board builds, especially when paired with a robocutter.

I ordered a robo cutter today from amazon. I think it will work well in my business also

We used to cut letters out of mat board to put a name at the bottom of a mat, now I can cut them from vinyl and adhere them to the mats... That will be huge for oneof my clients who is constantly asking me to put tiny names on mats.

Nothing like making business expenses work for your hobby.

Wow! You are one lucky guy, and I am officially jealous! Thanks for posting that!

Definitely makes me wish you were local...speaking of which, you don't happen to be in the Phoenix area, do you?

I'm in Central Connecticut. Anyone else from CT?

It's hard to find fellow rpg players now that my group is getting older. I have had little success finding players in their late 30s. Either college age or younger, which is too young for me to hang out with, they stay up all night I need my old man sleep.

We had a good group for like 20+ years, but our common bond friend up and moved to Finland for a job... Now we all sort of floated away. I had to dig deep for my latest game to get ome players. I even got a friend playing who has never played an rpg to play, this should be interesting!

I should move this post to another area so it doesn't jack this thread

That mat cutter does look useful. I noticed on the webpage that there are embossing heads available too. When I score a fold line I do not make a shallow cut, I use an embossing tool to make a shallow dent on the line. The robocutters make shallow cuts on the scoring line. That mat cutter looks like it would be good for scoring too as long as you could make an accurate template of the parts sheet for it to follow. I also like that the sheet bed stays stationary. Time to buy a lottery ticket and cross my toes.

Looks like the mat cutter did a good job of cutting out all of those tiles and tabs. Imagine all of the tiles and tabs you could fit in one of those flate rate boxes from the USPS. "nudge, nudge, , "

Hello AMonkeywithaFez!
I work at UConn in Storrs and play in the Manchster area! is that Central CT enough for you?

I know from experince that 45 minutes to cut that is QUICK! I takes several days to mount and cut that much for me by hand. It takes so long I got to the point of doing "presloted" builds. Ie making afloor that is 3x5 6 inch tiles at once and that takes about an 45 to do one that big . Priniting the mounts, getting them mounted, then cutting them all out, so to get that much done in 45 mini is awesome...

If you see this in time, stop by the Time Machine in Manchester tonight We will be playing from 6:30 till... 11 ish. You can see a Titan2 build in action. Most of us are in our late 30's.

and for the record I love my Robby-the-Robo-Cutter

Weeknights are tough for me cause I get out of work so late. Plus tonight is game 7 of the bruins semifinals game vs. (yuck... The canadiens) so I have to be home to watch the horror unfold

Plus I just printed out my tiles and some other companies wrecked buildings, so it's a build, hockey party at the Monkey House tonight

I will have photos once I complete the tiles + foam finished product for your approval soon.

To answer your question though. You aren't too far from me. I'm east of Hartford about 15 minutes in Glastonbury.

Well the invitation is open, we play weekly every wednesday night.

The early game, from 6-8, is ending next week and we are starting up something else on the 11th. But the game I run from 8-whenever (not typically past 11:30 as all but 1 of us have to work in the morning) should be going for a bit.

I generally take pictues of the big sets up I do, and plan on taking a bunch tonight, so check back tomorrow or over the weekend at the latest for some pictures.

A question on the cutting, I am guessing you can do other sizes as well just as long as the shape is programed in, like (and i admit i have no idea why you would want to) but you could make most of that whole sheet as one tile with the notchs at the right spots?

Yes. I can cut almost any shape. Circles, ovals, arches...etc.

If you have a corel draw file I can pretty much cut it... Well let me rephrase. If the cuts are not to intricate and small I can cut it. Foam tends to be quirky cause it can start to pull, even with a clean blade.

If you want mat board cuts that's possible also. Standard 4ply mat board is 0.05 inches thick or maybe 1.44mm. 8 ply matboard is .11 inches or 2.8mm.

As far as one large sheet with notches in the correct places yes I can up to 40" x 60".

I'll be taking a renewed look at the TLX template situation once after we launch the new website.

Count me jealous too! Yet one more thing to add to the want to buy list if I ever win the powerball!

Sweet! I'm in Torrington and I frequently travel to Glastonbury.

I'm up in the Quiet Corner in Putnam.

Woohoo!

My sister in law is in Putnam, I'd looked into moving somewhere in that area but ended up down in Texas bout a year ago cause of work. Damn shame, I move away and gamers start coming out of the wood work.

Here I thought I was clever for using a band saw to cut tiles out of foam board. Very cool, I'm officially jealous.

And now I'm going to end up needing a ban saw...and a project around the house that can't be done with my jigsaw (to justify it to my wife).