Ifg any of you guys make Vinyl mapping grids

[Albert_Fish]

we have been discussing mapping material for gaming purposes on this thread
http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36752
and i was wondering if any one has thought to make a large battle mat 2 foot by 3 foot or whatever marked with both hexes and squares on the same side. For ease of use the grids would be in differnt colours...say black squares and Red or sky blue hesxes on a tan or light brown background.
if you want to mark out each foot increment (a la Chessex) then just mark each primary line with hash marks ( those little lines on Chessex vinyl boards make my eyes go wonky).

Is this a workable idea?

 

[CCamfield]

I personally think the result would be damned ugly-looking and difficult to use for either squares or hexes as a result of the "other" lines interfering.

 

[jmucchiello]

I personally think the result would be damned ugly-looking and difficult to use for either squares or hexes as a result of the "other" lines interfering.

Not really. If you want to fake hex movement on a square grid, you pick a direction as the offset direction. Mark every other column of the grid. In the marked columns step in the squares, in the unmarked columns, step on the lines between squares.

Thus to overlay grids on squares, you just make the hex line up with every other column of squares, the sawtooth pattern running down column length and the other columns have hex lines cut throught their centers.

Shouldn't be too ugly.

 

[Rifter]

Crystal Caste has ones that are square on one side, and hex on the other. It works ok. I think the chessex ones are a bit higher quality though. If you want both, the Crystal Caste ones can't be beat.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I know that I would prefer one or the other, having both on the same side would be become very annoying very quickly, like before I got it to the register. Crystal Castes double sided ones are okay, but I'll stick with Chessex, they are a lot sturdier looking. (Plus I already have one!)

The Auld Grump, sticking his spoon in...

 

[Rifter]

I have had the Crystal Caste ones for about 2 years now (2 of them, because I wanted hex at the time, and double sided has had many uses), and they are high quality. Don't underestimate them. But, I prefer the look and feel of the Chessix mat.

 

[V_Shane]

I did something similiar to this back about 10 years ago when I did custom airbrush alot. One particular GM brought me a raw canvas roll (white) and gave me a map, and wanted me to tansfer it over witha grid. Pretty ridiculous right? I was up for the challenge, plus he paid me like $100 to do it.

Everything was airbrushed pretty quickly, the terrain the trees all the little effects that comes easy to an airbrush. Then there was the grid to do, I was stumped for about 3 days. Then I got a hex grid, put it under a projector and nailed the thing to the wall, I went over every hex with a fine point Indelible Marker (the one used for pemanent marking). I think I went through about 7 markers. After it was completed and approved, I coated it with Scotchguard water proofing (anti-pop spills). Man that was the first and last time I did that. SO try to find an inspired airbrusher!

Final size was 6' x 6'