Material advice needed...

["guardianfrob" <ben@...>]

Long-time reader of this group, but this is my first post here. I
swear I've got game design ideas, really. =) I just need some advice
first on getting myself a set of pieces.

I've finally decided I want to make a set for myself. The JCD designs
are extremely attractive (and I, too, prefer anchors to fleur-de-lis),
but the mention of "readily available wooden pieces" is frustrating me
to no end. Which pieces, exactly? I've been to three different craft
stores and none of them stock 2-inch wooden squares, which seem to be
the key component of the set. Also, I picked up the wrong size wooden
coins; they're 1 inch in diameter instead of 3/4, so they just barely
fit inside the squares - will this be a problem? I hate feeling like
my piecepack is a mutant, and the beautiful handmade sets over on
boardgamegeek.com are making me realize how bad my own first attempt
was. =)

I'm also looking for alternate materials to make the tiles out of; I
tried foamcore board (and made the tiles 2 1/2 inches square instead
of 2, just so the coins would fit better on them) and it works
decently, but the edges came out rough thanks to "knots" in the
styrofoam. I'd really love to use some kind of thick
German-game-quality cardboard (the sort that Carcasonne tiles are made
of, for instance), but I have no idea where to find something like
that - it'd make a killer Piecepack material, though. I'll be hitting
Staples tomorrow to see if I can find transparent sticker paper, so
I'll look for good-quality cardboard there as well... Does anyone have
any other suggestions for readily-available and cheap but sturdy
materials that will cut cleanly to make the tiles out of?