Cheap Printer for Custom Mat?

By heychadwick, in X-Wing

Hi Guys,

I know it's been talked about on here before, but I have tried to search and cannot find a good answer. Does anyone know where to find the best price for acrylic banners to print out custom game mats? I want to print out a death star mat that is 3x6. I've got the image, but I just need an affordable place to print it. I don't want a mouse pad mat or any other crazy solution. I've got my image and I just want the cheapest possible way to print it so that it's more durable than paper.

So far, www.bannersonthecheap.com is the best I can find for $19.42, but they add $20 shipping on.

www.buildasign.com is having an end of year sale with free shipping for $28.66.

Any other suggestions?

Try looking for print shops in your area that service engineers/architects. They typically have 36" wide full bleed color format printing with "unlimited length". If you go with a paper like photomat (a heavy # non glossy paper), that might be as durable as vinyl, especially if you reinforce the edges with masking tape.

I’m definitely interested in following this to see what the best options are. :)

I have used banners in the cheap before for a 3x3 vinyl. I may end up doing it again sometime, so if there are better choices I want to know.

Edited by ScummyRebel

For Vinyl, Pixartprinting has thick vinyl prints for under $10.

Related- I need a mousepad-material mat supplier that is both-

- Cheap per mat

- Has a minimum order size of 5 or less.

Any suggestions?

1 hour ago, Kaptin Krunch said:

For Vinyl, Pixartprinting has thick vinyl prints for under $10.

Related- I need a mousepad-material mat supplier that is both-

- Cheap per mat

- Has a minimum order size of 5 or less.

Any suggestions?

+1 to pixelart printing, check 'em out!

Also looking for affordable mousepad material for minimums around 5.

For custom mousepads, I recommend looking at Inked Gaming which is based in Oregon, USA.

I'm both a customer and an artist on that site. I've ordered one mat through them and was very happy with the print quality. The material is similar to FFG's mats (thin but durable).

https://www.inkedgaming.com/

If you seek to have mats featuring your own original artwork (meaning artwork that you created and own), you should consider applying to be one of their artists and getting your own artist's page set up. You can then order mats listed on your artist page at a better rate than the custom mousepad rate -- and of course other people can then easily order your mat designs too.

My friend works in a print shop and made me a custom mat on banner material. I’ll ask him about a price.

3 hours ago, heychadwick said:

Hi Guys,

I know it's been talked about on here before, but I have tried to search and cannot find a good answer. Does anyone know where to find the best price for acrylic banners to print out custom game mats? I want to print out a death star mat that is 3x6. I've got the image, but I just need an affordable place to print it. I don't want a mouse pad mat or any other crazy solution. I've got my image and I just want the cheapest possible way to print it so that it's more durable than paper.

So far, www.bannersonthecheap.com is the best I can find for $19.42, but they add $20 shipping on.

www.buildasign.com is having an end of year sale with free shipping for $28.66.

Any other suggestions?

Can you send me an email of the image so I can show it to him? Send me a pm.

4 hours ago, heychadwick said:

I don't want a mouse pad mat or any other crazy solution.

I've got my image and I just want the cheapest possible way to print it so that it's more durable than paper.

Any other suggestions?

But then you could rearrange the mouse pads like tiles for new and exciting missions!!

Also, I had a hard time with file size maximums, for what that's worth. Has anyone else had that problem?

24 minutes ago, DagobahDave said:

For custom mousepads, I recommend looking at Inked Gaming which is based in Oregon, USA.

I'm both a customer and an artist on that site. I've ordered one mat through them and was very happy with the print quality. The material is similar to FFG's mats (thin but durable).

https://www.inkedgaming.com/

If you seek to have mats featuring your own original artwork (meaning artwork that you created and own), you should consider applying to be one of their artists and getting your own artist's page set up. You can then order mats listed on your artist page at a better rate than the custom mousepad rate -- and of course other people can then easily order your mat designs too.

How much cheaper? $60 is high- I'm looking at offers of $18 per mat, but in quantities of 50+

53 minutes ago, Kaptin Krunch said:

How much cheaper? $60 is high- I'm looking at offers of $18 per mat, but in quantities of 50+

A little cheaper.

12 minutes ago, DagobahDave said:

A little cheaper.

Way to be specific! This is definitely *super* helpful information that answered my question!

24 minutes ago, Kaptin Krunch said:

Way to be specific! This is definitely *super* helpful information that answered my question!

Wow. Happy holidays.

I was really responding more to my friend heychadwick than you, just throwing him a mousepad option if he hadn't considered it.

If I gave you a short answer it's because I don't know how much savings you would get, specifically. Based on your question, I assumed it was probably lower than what you are interested in. You didn't give me any specific dimensions or quantities, and anyway giving you quotes isn't my department.

On 12/29/2017 at 0:55 PM, Pooleman said:

Can you send me an email of the image so I can show it to him? Send me a pm.

Sent PM. Want 3x6 trench run for Dagobah Dave's mission!

http://endspacevr.com/x-wing-game-mats/

On 12/29/2017 at 1:15 PM, Darth Meanie said:

But then you could rearrange the mouse pads like tiles for new and exciting missions!!

Also, I had a hard time with file size maximums, for what that's worth. Has anyone else had that problem?

Just want to do trench run, so don't need config changes. Good idea, though.

For those of you looking for "mouse pad" type material, if you don't mind an unprinted, solid color, you can buy a yard of a neoprene material that's around $10-15 off of ebay. It's similar to the material used for scuba/wet-suits. Search " Neoprene Scuba Techno " that has an open cell foam center. The closed cell kind that is actually waterproof is more expensive ($20+) and is called " Neoprene Bonded Sponge "

On ‎12‎/‎29‎/‎2017 at 11:17 AM, Kaptin Krunch said:

How much cheaper? $60 is high- I'm looking at offers of $18 per mat, but in quantities of 50+

Periodically InkedGaming also does upwards of 30% off sales, so it puts a regular mat in regular mat price range ($40 shipped) I ordered one when Rytackle gave everyone starkillerbase artwork and its still a great mat! Almost identical to the FFG stuff, just square corners.

I went with that banner shop and got my 3x6 for under $30.