smooth on foam it 5

[chowser]

hello all!

i will be getting two new 4x2x2 cage and making it very customized with inserts. i have been doing research and have found smooth ons foam it 5. they use it alot in aquariums for inserts. does anyone know anything about it or if it would be ok and good to use in the reptile cage. i want to build a custom tree and false background on the back and side. i will be making to mirrored cages for my two male panthers. to make it look like one cage with a large tree in the middle with a pvc in the middle of the plexiglass in the tree for structure and branches.

and opinions or comments will be useful

this is what im going for with a tree instead of corel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f4BHiZVBf8

thanks
chris

 

[ChamHoudini]

That's awesome great find. Watching this makes me want to make the tree from the lion king for all my chams to play on

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

That's going to look awesome! Great idea! I've never seen that method but it was a cool video. I've used the method that dart froggers use a lot. Instead of that foam they use Great Stuff expanding foam either to cover objects (like PVC pipe) or even carve shapes just out of a chunk of foam itself. Then coat the foam with black silicone and while the silicone is wet you press cocofiber/moss/sand/tree bark into it and then it's there permanently. It looks really nice when done well and especially with chunks of tree bark can look very much like a real tree. The texture with the cocofiber, etc. is much more realistic than paints. I used this method on the background of Pygmy cages, as well as some free standing pieces with wire hooks on the back that I've hung on the backs of my big screen cages so I can plant plants up higher and still make it look very natural. It's pretty easy when you get the hang of it. I'd recommend using disposable gloves...

 

[chowser]

That's awesome great find. Watching this makes me want to make the tree from the lion king for all my chams to play on

hahaha that would be super awesome!!

 

[chowser]

That's going to look awesome! Great idea! I've never seen that method but it was a cool video. I've used the method that dart froggers use a lot. Instead of that foam they use Great Stuff expanding foam either to cover objects (like PVC pipe) or even carve shapes just out of a chunk of foam itself. Then coat the foam with black silicone and while the silicone is wet you press cocofiber/moss/sand/tree bark into it and then it's there permanently. It looks really nice when done well and especially with chunks of tree bark can look very much like a real tree. The texture with the cocofiber, etc. is much more realistic than paints. I used this method on the background of Pygmy cages, as well as some free standing pieces with wire hooks on the back that I've hung on the backs of my big screen cages so I can plant plants up higher and still make it look very natural. It's pretty easy when you get the hang of it. I'd recommend using disposable gloves...

thanks!!

thats a great idea too with the silicon! my first thought was clay then coating it but that would be waaaaay too heavy. im going to check out the other foam you mentioned also. good thing u said the silicon cause i was going to carve everything and paint. im just worried it wont look like one big tree. im excited thanks for the support! and advice very apperciated!

do you think there will be a problem with heat?

chris

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Once it's set it won't change. My misters go off on one piece and there's a heat lamp over one and they haven't changed a bit. With the foam and silicone it's super light weight.

 

[chowser]

Once it's set it won't change. My misters go off on one piece and there's a heat lamp over one and they haven't changed a bit. With the foam and silicone it's super light weight.

sweet! thank you very much.

i will be posting pix of the whole process!

thanks again!

chris

 

[steppedinds]

i would definately recommend great stuff over this foam it 5. i've never used foam it 5, but from watching the video it looks like a bit more difficult to work with. also try going to lowe's/home depot and buying some the pink insulation foam from the lumber section. you can cut out rocks and shapes and then fill in spots with the great stuff to make it more realistic.

heres a few links that i use as inspiration
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcy3TcvJ_GQ

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...lon-construction-build-picture-intensive.html

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...0-gallon-viv-build-plus-two-20-gal-verts.html

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...-cabinet-conversion-construction-journal.html