Looking for Clear Plastic Rods for Battlemap Use...

[Nellisir]

You could go to Lowes or Home Depot and see if they have acrylic dowels. The guys there will cut them up into 1inch sections for you.

Try a glass supply house too, someplace that does mirrors and storm windows and replacement sashes.

 

[Thrommel]

Go to Michael's or JoAnn Fabrics and get some Stack Pack Storage Containers from the bead section.

They're not as fancy as an acrylic rod, but they're also only $2.

You can add/remove units as needed to indicate varying elevation. You can also use them to indicate invisibility or a wall of force or what have you.

They're slightly bigger than an inch across, but given how many minis have oversize bases, that's not a bad thing.

-Thrommel, who has two stacks and has never used them both.

 

[FoxWander]

Might I suggest Lego? Here are a couple of pix (low quality cell pics- I threw this together quickly) of a simple altitude base. Use a 4x4 flat for the base and top and then two 2x2 blocks of alternating colors for each unit of height. The shorter one is one unit of height and the taller shows three. It's easy to put together and you probably already have the Legos.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

It seems to me the OP has a conundrum.

Any one of the many workmanlike improvised solutions in this thread will work just fine, but he wants something that looks a bit more professional, "designed and dedicated" to its specific gaming function.

He just doesn't want to have to pay the premium that a polished and professional "game accessory" is going to command.

I don't think you can have it both ways.

Personally I'd just go with an improvised solution.

$13 for those altitude accessories? That is ridiculously overpriced. Talk about a luxury item. Let's see-- I can buy one of those altitude stands, or two Goodman Games Dungeon Crawl Classics in PDF... How to spend my gaming dollars... Hmmm... Decisions, decisions... (Yeah, is sadly missed here.)

 

[Haffrung Helleyes]

Yeah, for 13 bucks, I'd want 4 of those altitude pillars, not one.

Ken

 

[werk]

I agree.... just use one of those clear plastic dice boxes, a permanent marker and two rubber bands.


What I'd like to see are sets of clear plastic stackable blocks (or pillars) 1" high... Each block would represent 5' of height, and multiple blocks could be stacked to increase altitude. Plus, it'd give a better representation of relative altitudes, for gamers who want that sort of detail.

That's pretty much what I use, ½ inch lexan sheet cut into 1"x1" squares, stack em.

Industrial waste...will I ever stop loving you...

 

[Doug Sundseth]

Try a search on 1" lucite rod. It will pull up many sources for clear rod of any desired length.

(I don't know any of the suppliers, so I'll not suggest a source.)

 

[TheYeti1775]

Use the Dice Plastic box and poker chips to signify how high.
Nice simple and as was noted earlier you can put it over top another mini and still see it.
And the poker chips allow for a quick visual on height.

 

[Dr.Wizard]

I'm sorry you feel my Elevation indicators are overpriced, The cost is determined by the materials cost, and the work that goes into them. I've gone deep into debt trying to create an accessory that will aid gamers. Patent lawyers and engraving machine's aren't cheap!
If you wish to buy a hunk of acrylic rod that you don't plan on engraving, you can purchase the cheap extruded type at any art suppiy store for around $15.00/ft. It's used for rolling out clay.
If you wish to help a gamer who is trying to make the game better, you can find Dr. Wizard's patented Elevation Indicator's at www.EmeraldsEmporium.com along with some of my other art work.

 

[Dragon Snack]

I'm surprised you actually got a patent...