<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14px;"><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">My recommendation depends on size, complexity, and duration.</div><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Polystyrene may not be the best method for several reasons. One, either a thermoform mold, die must be created, or actual raised drawings with likely text and or braille.</div><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Two, polymer signage again depending on size, etc ... Per the second item, its actually fairly easy to create and replicate. Much more durable than Polystyrene. Nor is it overly expensive.</div><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Non-precious metals another alternative.</div><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Happy to discuss and assist with all three.</div><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Randolph Cabral </div><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div contenteditable="false" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Randolph Cabral, President<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Kansas Braille Transcription Institute<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">P.O. Box 48091<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Wichita, Kansas 67201-8091<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">316-265-9692  (Office)  9:00 AM - 5:00CST<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">316-265-0184  (Fax)<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">randolphc@kbti.org<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a fr-original-style="" href="http://www.kbti.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 102, 147); text-decoration: underline; user-select: auto;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.kbti.org">www.kbti.org</a><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></a><p fr-original-style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt;" style="margin: 1px 0in 0pt; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(68, 68, 68);"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." -- Helen Keller</p></div><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><hr id="previousmessagehr" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; user-select: none;"><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">From</strong>: "Matthew Gesualdi via TAGS" <tags@nfbnet.org><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Sent</strong>: 1/25/24 9:34 AM<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">To</strong>: Tactile Art and Tactile Graphics Specialist list <tags@nfbnet.org><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Cc</strong>: Matthew Gesualdi <matt@tact-ed.org><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Subject</strong>: Re: [TAGS] seeking durable material for tactile maps</span></div><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Hi Cheryl,</div><div dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">If these maps will be handed to people, then a light thermoformed styrene plastic would work well. All the work is up front making the tool, and then thermoforming more as you need them works well.</div><div dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">If these are to be fixed to a display, then I'd recommend two choices. 3D printing works well if the end product is covered with a solvent that smooths the fiber layers so the map is cleanable. You can also add different textures with the same methid.</div><div dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">The second is laser cutting. It makes for a hard, durable material but may require more labor than any other method.</div><div dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Give me a shout if you want to talk more.</div><div dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Hope you are well. </div><div dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Matt Gesualdi </div><div dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div><div data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="auto" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Matt Gesualdi<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">www.Tact-Ed.org (stay tuned for a new name and mission)</div><div dir="auto" fr-original-class="gmail_extra" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div fr-original-class="gmail_quote" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">On Jan 24, 2024 9:41 AM, Cheryl Fogle-Hatch via TAGS <tags@nfbnet.org> wrote:<br type="attribution" fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><blockquote fr-original-class="quote" fr-original-style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex; box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(94, 53, 177);"><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span fr-original-style="font-size:11pt;" style="font-size: 11pt; box-sizing: border-box;"><div fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Hi everyone.<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">I am working with a mid-sized historical museum to create tactile maps<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">for display in their gallery. We are seeking more durable materials<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">than swell form or other paper products. They have a fabrication<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">department, and I'm considering recommending wood cut, or laser cut,<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">or vinyl or 3D printing (plastic).<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">I'm curious if you have encountered tactile maps made of durable<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">material, and if so what you noticed, liked, or disliked.<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Thanks in advance.<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Cheryl<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">-<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Cheryl Fogle-Hatch, Ph.D.<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Archaeologist and Museum Professional<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">(443) 939-8217<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">c.k.fogle@gmail.com<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a fr-original-style="" href="https://museumsenses.org" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 102, 147); text-decoration: underline; user-select: auto;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://museumsenses.org</a><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a fr-original-style="" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pub/cheryl-fogle-hatch" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 102, 147); text-decoration: underline; user-select: auto;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.linkedin.com/pub/cheryl-fogle-hatch</a><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">_______________________________________________<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">TAGS mailing list<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">TAGS@nfbnet.org<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a fr-original-style="" href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/tags_nfbnet.org" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 102, 147); text-decoration: underline; user-select: auto;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/tags_nfbnet.org</a><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;">To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for TAGS:<br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a fr-original-style="" href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/tags_nfbnet.org/matt%40tact-ed.org" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(0, 102, 147); text-decoration: underline; user-select: auto;" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/tags_nfbnet.org/matt%40tact-ed.org</a></div></span></div></blockquote></div><br fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></div></div></div>