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Peter Meacham
01-29-2010, 12:41 PM
Looking for advice on what substrate or material to use for a game board overlay or, more to the point, what process to use to produce the item - low quantity at the moment.
It will be two colors (black & Red) plus white and sized about 20" square and will use marbles or pegs to advance the players around the board.

I would adhere the material to a hardboard or Baltic birch base, so I am looking for something like adhesive vinyl that the pattern could be printed on.

Probably should be laminated or ??? for durability.

Would screen printing be too expensive for a low quantity?

I went to FEDEX/Kinko’s and got a quote of around $65 for them to print a copy (too much!)

See attached (hopefully) image

Darryl Hazen
01-29-2010, 12:58 PM
It should easy to screen print the board. It appears to be only 2 colors if you use a white substrate. I'd suggest talking with a screen printer who can do 20" square and ask them what substrate they suggest. A screen printer who prints signage should be able to help you. Generally they charge a screen charge for each color and then a "per pull" charge. (applying each color to each item.)

Dee Gallo
01-29-2010, 1:08 PM
You really only need two screens, one for the black and one for the red. The only trouble you might run into printing them yourself will be the thin white outlines around the red oblongs and star. That kind of registration is tough to do if you don't have good experience. But screen printing is definitely the way to go if you ask me.

cheers, dee

Peter Meacham
01-29-2010, 1:12 PM
What about sublimation - on to a .25" white laminated hardboard?

Martin Boekers
01-29-2010, 2:00 PM
Dee is right close registration on screen print can be an art in itself!
If it's your design you may modify it a bit to make the process a bit more forgiving.

I would check with a local sign shop as they should be able to take care of this to get you started.

Some may even have a good subratrate to use already and may be able to print directly with a flat-bed printer then give it an overlaminate or protective coat.


if you plan on producing these your self you may want to consider a small
investment in a small format flat bed printer and laminator.
That way you can print them on demand.

20x20 may be a bit big for a single piece, if you want to fold it that may open a new can of worms.

A quick search for game board printing brought this up (I'm sure their are many out there)
http://www.chicagogameandcard.com/boardgame.php


Marty

Dee Gallo
01-29-2010, 2:39 PM
I've seen maybe 3/4" MDF with a white coating, which would be perfect for this application. It might be shelving. Of course, you'd have to edge band it if you cut it into smaller pieces.

Martin Boekers
01-29-2010, 3:03 PM
At the Lowes and Home Depot they have Thinner MDF
with a white coating.

I think it is use for dry erase boards.

Marty

Gordon Kircher
01-29-2010, 3:19 PM
Do you have a Staples near you? I think they would be less than FedEx/Kinko's. You can upload this file, and have them print it out on some heavy paper. Then use adheisive and mount it onto a foamboard / hardboard.

Gordon

Garrick David
01-29-2010, 10:19 PM
I would go to a local sign shop that has a decent size digital printer. They could probably print three up on white vinyl very reasonably (less than Kinkos).

Peter Meacham
01-30-2010, 8:43 AM
Thank you all for your inputs - great suggestions that I will investigate. Much appreciated.

Pete