Got caught up in the DIY background hype...

[cvermeulen]

Too much! That's funny how projects can follow you around like that.

If you use mold release, and it works, you'll end up with an impression of the rock. Can't you then use the impression to recreate the original with all it's texture?

Q

Well, my mold release is MOSTLY to protect the styrofoam from the styrene in the FG resin, because it will dissolve rapidly when exposed to it. I could create a mold, then do a part, but now you're talking about a lot more work than I want to do for this project. It sounds relatively easiy, but believe me, it's not!

Like I said, the texture is not something I'm too concerned about, because the cement will form the real visible surface.

 

[cvermeulen]

I havent been paying attention to the other thread, so I was unaware of your load of epoxy Also, wont MEK evaporate as the epoxy cures, leaving none behind? Ive never used the stuff before.

I'm not 100% sure on that one, to tell the truth. I could speculate, but I don't really know for sure I'll try heating the epoxy first, and use it somewhere inconspicious till I get it figured.

I dont know how you will like the 20 min cement, but let me tell you... i used some, and I HATED it.
It is IMPOSSIBLE to get this stuff mixed to a creamy consistancy without having everything settle to the bottom of your mixing container, and it was always going hard/unpaintable before I was able to get any decent area covered.

basically it just made a bunch of big glops all over the place.... which is why i opted fo grout, or next time, some long cure cement so I can actually work with it.

I dont think you will like the speedy stuff much either..... maybe mine was giving me problems though cause it was like 20 years old.

Well we'll see. I'll experiment with it elsewhere before I glop it on the actual part. hopefully it works better... I stood there with both products for quite a while, weighing the pros and cons before the final decision-maker happened. 1) the cement cures in 20 min, and I'm an impatient SOB, and 2) the 55lb bag of fast cure cost the same as the 5lb box of poly blend grout. (there was cheaper grout there, too, but it said "expanding grout" and there was no info about it, so I decided against it.)

and dude, you can keep that stuff in the garage all you want, it finds its own way out.... gets stuck in your butt crack or something, you fart and out comes tons of little foam pellets, and your left wondering what happened!

I actually still finding the odd pellet or two around my place... and i made my pre-prototype background, like months ago.

That's some funny **** no like I said, it finds it's way in, that's for sure. The best was when I opened the garage door facing the street and used a big shop fan and my air compresser to blow most of the fine dust out of there that had settled on all my stuff.... not realizing there was a breeze picking it all up and carrying it back over the garage and into the house. OOPS!

 

[cvermeulen]

Oh yeah! I almost forgot the pics!

Taping the skeleton to the front part:

Glassed together, and back in the tank, so I know it cures in the right shape!:

Other side foam, with a heavy coat of PVA mold release.

 

[Rbishop]

Great!

 

[DarkSoul]

thats slick man, I want you to make me one for my 125G in a years time or so

what'd the wife have to say about the snow in june? lmao

 

[cvermeulen]

what'd the wife have to say about the snow in june? lmao

I think she's patiently avoiding saying anything until she can't stand it anymore

 

[cvermeulen]

I had to go back and get some grout (Thanks for the idea DS, wouldn't have thought of that one on my own)... the fast cure crap had too much 3/8" aggregate in it, so it looked like dog barf when I put it on anything. I used a sawed off paintbrush and stippled the grout on to give it some texture. I think I'm going to do another coat after this one stiffens up:

If anyone's interested, that's my DIY plywood sump the BG is leaning on... I'm waiting for it to dry out a bit so I can gelcoat the bottom and sides for waterproofing.

 

[Rbishop]

Nice!

 

[DarkSoul]

nice...grout gives an almost sandstone look if you can keep it brownish.

told ya that fast drying cement was crap it dries too fast to be of any good use for us background makers.

 

[ProjectMaro]

Looks awesome. Can't wait untill its done.