Transparent hex overlay

[Dumarest]

Anybody know where to find a transparent hex overlay? That is, one I can place over a map at the table and draw on and erase as needed? Ideally close to 48" x 48" , or units that can add up to and cover most of that area?

Note: no damn squares! That's all I seem to find online.

 

[Voros]

Used to be you could bring that to a print shop and they'd print it onto a transparent overlay for you.

Quite cheap usually, you just provide what you want printed onto the overlay on a standard piece of paper.

These days though it is so rarely done you'll probably confuse the front desk staff with the request.

 

[Arminius]

If you pay careful attention to instructions you can make your own overlays, too, with the right type of plastic sheets. I think they usually have a sheet of paper attached which you remove after running it through a copier or printer.

 

[Arminius]

Some ideas here: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/293712/sources-transparent-hex-overlay

In particular: http://arcknight.squarespace.com/shop/clear-map-grids-colors-and-styles

 

[Nobby-W]

Anybody know where to find a transparent hex overlay? That is, one I can place over a map at the table and draw on and erase as needed? Ideally close to 48" x 48" , or units that can add up to and cover most of that area?

Note: no damn squares! That's all I seem to find online.

Large format printers go up to 42". If you can find a print shop that has transparent media you could make up a PDF of the hexes artwork and print it out on the media.

 

[robertsconley]

If you pay careful attention to instructions you can make your own overlays, too, with the right type of plastic sheets. I think they usually have a sheet of paper attached which you remove after running it through a copier or printer.

Transparency film for Laser printers

This is one use I put it too when I ran the Tomb of Horrors






I got more pictures from the session if people are interested.

 

[opaopajr]

Many medium to high end printers should be able to do projector transparencies... which would help if you also had a projector. But even those projector transparencies can help.

FR Box Sets used to come with hex transparency.

Dragonsfoot might have a few leads... check their .pdfs and topics. i believe that is where I got my blank hex .pdfs from.

I guess Tap Plastics & Kinkos might help in some way... get a large transparent overlay sheet at Taps, go to Kinkos and ask to use one of their large printers. Be sure to label front & back, so you scribble on the unprinted side and don't rub off the printed hex when dry erasing.

Oh, and Crayola Washables wash off extra clean and just with water. This way no alcohol solvent risks damaging your hex print.

 

[Stevethulhu]

Blank hex sheets are a google search away. But dont go to Staples or somewhere to get the overlay made. A local print shop will probably be harder to confuse. Not to mention more able to deal with odd requests like a huge sheet of 25mm boxes.

 

[Jacob Rodgers]

Yeah, you just can’t run any old sheet of plastic through a laser printer and have it not melt or have it hold the ink and not smudge on an inkjet device. However, HP DOES make clear film for their DesignJet wide format printers (up to 36 inches) so that could be a solution. Check with sign shops or small general-purpose digital print shops.

 

[Nobby-W]

Yeah, you just can’t run any old sheet of plastic through a laser printer and have it not melt or have it hold the ink and not smudge on an inkjet device. However, HP DOES make clear film for their DesignJet wide format printers (up to 36 inches) so that could be a solution. Check with sign shops or small general-purpose digital print shops.

This ^^^^

The fuser rollers on a laser are quite hot and will melt normal OHP transparencies, ruining the fuser assembly of your printer. You have to get special mylar transparency film for laser printers. It's also coated with a material to make the toner stick.