Suggested Materials for Tactile Graphics to be Thermoformed for Mass Production
Most items available at M.J. Designs, Michael's, or any Arts and Crafts Store
- Lines:
- cotton strings of all widths
- embroidery yarn
- knotted embroidery yarn or string
- cloth-covered floral wire
- strips of cardboard
- zig-zag or rick-rack (sewing stores)
- architect blueprint tapes (2-3 layers)
- edge of a surface texture (yes, edges can and are discerned as lines)
- Surfaces:
- leather
- wood
- sandpaper
- embroidery or cross-stitch cloth
- cardboard
- different fabrics, corduroy, apparent weave visible in cloth (dishcloth)
- glitter
- paper towels
- sheets of cork
- wooden shapes (pre-cut)
- Glues:
- Elmer's Glue-All
- Monoaqua liquid glue by Tombo
- Sticker Maker by Xyron
- Tools:
- Sharp scissors (e.g. surgery scissors)
- X-Acto knife
- Light box (APH or craft stores)
- Semi-transparent self healing cutting board (office supply
stores)
- Helpful Tips:
- Do not use rubber or plastic based materials or glues, e.g. stickybacked
foam, plastic beads (eyes), etc. They are likely to melt, shrink, or
fall off under the heat of thermoforming process.
- When using more dense materials, especially over a large area, air
holes are usually necessary to be pricked close to the edge of the material
(from front of graphic to back), to allow free flow of air during the
thermoforming process.
- Excess glue should be removed from graphic by a tooth pick, dental tool
(for cleaning teeth) or small putty knife. The excess glue will be slightly
detectable by the braille reader, causing your edges to be "muddy" or
unclear.
- Labels should be brailled on the page prior to creation of graphic, if
possible. Otherwise, label them using slate and stylus after creation. If a
braille label is cut out and pasted on, the edges become additional lines
and may cause more clutter (except within textures).
