From what I got from this article, you can use several materials as the support board, styrene, Plexiglas, wood or metal.

http://www.norsecode.com/mdpm/archive/98mar/featured.htm

Check the sign making shop supply businesses near you to see if they have Sintra or something similar. These are expanded PVC sign boards and they work really well for various techniques. They come in several thicknesses and colors. I like 6mm, white. You may want thinner or thicker depending on your press.

Another support that you might look for is laminated aluminum sign panels, known as Dibond or other trade names.

Both panels are light weight, the Dibond being more rigid but it won’t let you do relief printmaking like the Sintra will.

You are welcome.

The HIPS is going to be a harder and smoother surface than the Sintra, somewhere between Plexiglass and Sintra, which may be better for the Silk method. I can dig my fingernail into Sintra and it will leave a dent.

Here is some discussion on Sintra vs. HIPS

http://barenforum.org/archives/vol12/v12_1121.txt

[INDENT]Actually Sintra and HIPS are two different kinds of plastics, the HIPS being more rigid and having a smoother surface. I think that more people are familiar with the Sintra because that was the first one “discovered” by artists. And, I think, most people are familiar with Peter Marcus’ giant collagraphs on Sintra. The two are very similar in that they can be used for all of the same processes, with a few advantages leaning toward each one. Artists who use plastic for collagraph often prefer Sintra because it has a light pebbled tooth to it (practically unnoticeable on sight) — automatic value, while still being able to wipe it white if you want white. Sintra is also preferable for drypoint as I believe the burr holds up longer. HIPS works for both of these processes, too; but the advantage to HIPS for me over Sintra is that I”ve had better luck with engraving tools on HIPS. Also, when I’m printing a line engraving, for example, I’m not always interested in having so much tone left on the plate. HIPS is very smooth and can be wiped clean with fairly normal intaglio wiping procedure. And, in the same respect, if my carving is intended as a relief engraving (“wood” engraving) I want to avoid rolling too much ink on the surface (lest the delicate lines fill in) so the smoother surface of the HIPS is preferable. Both are inexpensive and can be purchased from most any plastics company. Building stores have something called polystyrene but it is definitely not the same thing. I get mine from Cadillac Plastics. The standard sheet is 4×8′ but it can be easily cut down to size and/or shape with a mat knife, or the thinner sheets can be cut with a scissors. Okay, Die-hard Wood-people. Sorry, for the digression into the unnatural, fake world of resin. Karla Hackenmiller [/INDENT]

Let us know how you like it.

I have a question about a drypoint done on styrene. I can’t seem to wipe the background clean with just some barely visible plate tone. I’m using akua ink.