Help! 3/16" Maker Board

nheather

New member
Bit of a long shot.

I live in the UK and it is impossible to find local stocks 3/16" Maker Board - every store that have stocked it in past have been out of stock for a long time. The same is true of the kits, there are a few around (old stock I suspect) but extremely limited.

You can get alternative 5mm board from UK craft shops but it is heavier and the paper is glued much more securely and heat needs to be applied to peel it off.

The long shot is in there anywhere in central DC that I can buy the proper Flite Test (or Adams) maker board - I may have a short business trip to Washington DC in February. I'll only be there for a few days, won't have much spare time, nor a car, so I'll be limited to Central DC - I'm doubtful but thought it worth asking, you never know.
 

Mr NCT

Site Moderator
Bit of a long shot.

I live in the UK and it is impossible to find local stocks 3/16" Maker Board - every store that have stocked it in past have been out of stock for a long time. The same is true of the kits, there are a few around (old stock I suspect) but extremely limited.

You can get alternative 5mm board from UK craft shops but it is heavier and the paper is glued much more securely and heat needs to be applied to peel it off.

The long shot is in there anywhere in central DC that I can buy the proper Flite Test (or Adams) maker board - I may have a short business trip to Washington DC in February. I'll only be there for a few days, won't have much spare time, nor a car, so I'll be limited to Central DC - I'm doubtful but thought it worth asking, you never know.
I'm in the central US, Indiana, and I don't know of any place except flite test to buy the FT foam board. Adams foam board is readily available at Dollar Tree and most Dollar Family stores. If you google map the section of DC you are going to be in you should be able to find one close. You could order a 20 sheet box delivered to the closest store and pick it up when you are there. Of course, you then hand it over to the airline going home for them to mangle/lose it.
Hope that helps.
 

nheather

New member
I'm in the central US, Indiana, and I don't know of any place except flite test to buy the FT foam board. Adams foam board is readily available at Dollar Tree and most Dollar Family stores. If you google map the section of DC you are going to be in you should be able to find one close. You could order a 20 sheet box delivered to the closest store and pick it up when you are there. Of course, you then hand it over to the airline going home for them to mangle/lose it.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for that - is Adams board not the same as FT Maker Foam.

On the FT store it lists as 'Flite Test Maker Foam by Adams'

 

AIRFORGE

Make It Fly!
Moderator
Thanks for that - is Adams board not the same as FT Maker Foam.

On the FT store it lists as 'Flite Test Maker Foam by Adams'

Yes. FT Foamboard (brown water resistant), FT Maker Foam (white water resistant), and the so-called Dollar Tree foamboard (Adams Readi-Board - different colors, mostly white and black, not water resistant) are all made by RL Adams.
 
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Mr NCT

Site Moderator
The Flite Test board is made by Adams and has a slick waterproof paper. The foam board from Dollar Tree is also made by Adams, is the same thickness and density but has paper that is not waterproof. If you build with the non-waterproof board you can easily waterproof it by applying a light coat of oil based polyurethane and wiping the excess off with paper towels. It ends up being waterproof and paint friendly.
 

SP0NZ

FT CAD Gremlin
Staff member
Admin
Moderator
Mentor
Thanks for that - is Adams board not the same as FT Maker Foam.

On the FT store it lists as 'Flite Test Maker Foam by Adams'

The ADMAS Foam Board that you you can buy in the states at Dollar Tree stores is not the same as Flite Test Maker Foam 2. Flite Test worked with ADAMS to develop a special foam board with water resistant properties, with higher quality and consistency.
 

AIRFORGE

Make It Fly!
Moderator
The ADMAS Foam Board that you you can buy in the states at Dollar Tree stores is not the same as Flite Test Maker Foam 2. Flite Test worked with ADAMS to develop a special foam board with water resistant properties, with higher quality and consistency.
Good catch. (y) I forgot to mention that, Dan.
 

nheather

New member
Thanks for the advice, sounds like I would be best using the craft boards that I can get from the UK. They are slightly heavier - I think this is because the paper used is quite robust, waterproof and strongly adhered to the foam.

Modellers do use it but report that FT designs tend to come out tail-heavy when using it and that peeling the paper off is a pain in the bottom as you need to apply a hot iron to soften the glue. On the plus side, they say you do end up with more robust model.
 

Rhaps

Elite member
I have actually ordered FT board pack to Finlad from FT Store. Its a hassle, delivery takes easily a month and the price with shipping and taxes ends up almost 3 times of the original. Personally I still feel it's worth it, you can build quite a few planes with 50 pack and if I compare the price to what I've spent on the hobby.. well let's not go there :)
 

nheather

New member
I have actually ordered FT board pack to Finlad from FT Store. Its a hassle, delivery takes easily a month and the price with shipping and taxes ends up almost 3 times of the original. Personally I still feel it's worth it, you can build quite a few planes with 50 pack and if I compare the price to what I've spent on the hobby.. well let's not go there :)

Yes I did consider that, but as you say it gets quite expensive

FT Maker Boards- $116
Shipping (Cheapest Option) - $130
VAT - $50
Courier Handling Fees - $20
Currency Conversion Fees (Estimated) - $20

Total - $336
 

Piotrsko

Master member
Box of dollar tree weighs about 20 pounds or 10ish kilograms. You would have to run it over with a forklift to damage a box of it, but rough handling will bend corners. Most dollar stores have a box or two unopened in storage if you ask politely. I prefer the black or day-glo colors myself. Heavier/strongr/ weaker: MEH, just mod your plans to compensate. EVEN an Abrams tank gets some damage hitting a brick wall at speed.

Don't recall a lot of dollar stores in DC but then again I wasn't looking for them.