Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey Frank,
I know you've tried it all. Have you ever tried using 'Bondo' or other filler-type material for making fake landscapes, rock walls etc? Also, how about making artwork with it, like sculptures. That's actually my first curiosity, if it could be used like an epoxy covering, as I'm making some dinosaur-fossil stuff.

Hi Mike, sounds fun. You need to find you a thermoset plastic source. Bondo is a thermoset, its merely a resin filled with all manner of nasty stuff. Its fairly expensive, too. They all are now.

There are many types you can work with. I will look and see if I have a source for you.

The normal method for doing what your doing is, making a plug out of clay or other easy to form material, them making molds of that, then casting it in some material like urethane or epoxy or polyester resins. These products can be poured then worked after they harden.

Let me go find a site for you. And explain what your actually doing. Oh by the way, I will be doing some exhibit work this summer. Cheers

Hey Frank. Thanks. I'm currently trying a two-part epoxy but it takes forever to mix the two parts together by hand before it can be applied. Right now I'm in the process of making a dinosaur exhibit, expanding my animal shows. I lost my pharmaceutical job in September so I'm trying to go full-time with the educational shows. Basically I'm making fossil structures out of wood, duct-tape, newspaper, foam, maybe a metal pole here or there or whatever I can find, and then want to cover them to be somewhat realistic and durable. I'm trying to keep it as simple as possible, because it's already taking forever - so I'm trying to avoid multi-step processes. I'll try to post some pics, but my camera broke over the summer. Need to get another one.
Are you doing exhibit stuff for yourself or a facility? Look forward to seeing your work.

Mike,
Another way to do this if its kind of a "kitchen table project", carve your dino bone out of Dupont blue foam. you can glue it together with 5min epoxy, carves and sands pretty nice. Paint it with acrylic paint, house paint will work, this seals it. Get a big bag of Celluclay from an art supply store. its basically paper mache´, add some white glue and a drop of dish detergent to cut the tension. apply the celluclay to the painted foam form. You can kinda sculpt with it. The paint keeps air bubbles from forming under the celluclay as it dries. Let it dry, paint it, seal it. Its pretty strong, not quite as tough as molding and casting but easy for one offs and not toxic. I have used this method for museum displays and movie sets and props.

Thanks for the info. I'm trying out some stuff called Clayshay, which sounds kind of like what you mentioned. It's a clay, mache mix with no shrinkage and is supposed to be quite strong, at least for a mache. My problem is that I will transporting these things, so they need to be durable. If I later get a facility up and running, which is somewhere down the line, then I think Clayshay type stuff would be fine. Any pics of some of your stuff?? Is it a hobby? Do you know where I can get large blocks of foam? Like 3 feet by 4 type sizes? Thanks again.

Getting the foam depends on where you live 'cuz its used for house insulation. you can get 4x8 sheets but the thickness varies. the thickest I ever found was 4" when I lived in WI, now in CA its really hard to find over 2"thick. Any big box building supply store has it, ie Home Depot. Just glue it together in layers. Magi-Sculpt is a great epoxy skin to cover the foam, you can sculpt and really tough. It is a hobby now that I do my job with computers. Nightmare before Xmas and James and the Giant Peach are two flicks that are model,prop heavy. www.scaledart.com for my latest stuff. If you ever get to WI check out the rainforest at the Milwaukee museum.

I was a delivery driver for a mechanical insulation company for about 4 yrs. (duct wrap foam glass, blue board armaflex etc.) You can find the thicker sizes of blue board at industrial insulation suppliers. S.P.I. is the major supplier in Orlando (I am not sure if they are national or not.) The thickest I ever remember seeing it is about 4inches but they may have thicker sizes available. these type of suppliers are where you can get the industrial sized supplies of foam packs(better quality than the "great stuff" brand you see in the Box stores.) I am not sure about doing dinosaur bones but I know a lot of people used to buy it for making fake rocks and ponds and I suppose it is carvable once it hardens. Foam glass might be another less flammable option if you are worried about that aspect of it. Foam glass is like industrial pumice stone and it is available in decent sized blocks and it is really easy to carve.

You can buy large blocks of carving(carving foam is green and called green foam, at least it use to be). Who knows where in Canada. There are many many other options. Which is most likely more of a problem then a cure.

For instance, you can buy foam packs that spray foam(polyurethane isulating foam). You can build a base out of cardboard boxes and such. Then spray it to suit with the spray foam. This foam comes is many densities. Its rated by the pound. The lesser weights expand more, the heavier weights expand the least. Good luck, and its all expensive. Cheers

Thanks. For smaller stuff I've used the green balsa foam that is used for plant decor. It's really easy to sculpt. But like reptiles, I like things big! And I can only find 6 inch blocks of it. I've just been using whatever, lots of newspaper, wood, carboard and then sculpt with duct tape. It's the later covering that just takes a long, expensive time.

Thanks guys. Jf, that is some awesome stuff you've produced! Just fantastic, and I love the detail. I couldn't find any info on that product you mentioned. Is it a two-part epoxy?

thanks mike, Magi-sculpt is a two part epoxy designed for taxidermists. It is based on plumbers putty. Its magi sculpt out here, I think its "sculpt-all" in the mid west. You can get it at Tap Plastics. Taxidermy supply would have it. It mixes 50-50 smooths with water, mixes into cookie dough feel gives you about an hour to work, cut, sands, takes paint. It is really great. Very popular with us modelmakers and action figure sculptors.

It sounds like it's the same stuff I'm using, just a different name. If you get a chance can you check out this link and tell me what you think. How do you get that fine detail look so good? In other words, if I make a mark with a took, it looks like I made a mark with tool I don't need to do much detail, but I'm wondering how you 'soften' the edges and whatnot of the marks you make. THanks.

http://www.avesstudio.com/Products/Apoxie_Sculpt/apoxie_sculpt.html