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I started foaming my 54? corner unit today- sorry no camera...

I had a really old bottle of GS that expired in 2003.... new unopened bottle. It wouldnt spray, so I put on the safety glasses, put it in a cardboard box, took a nail and a hammer to the bottom edge of the can.....

It worked great- really fast!!!!!! but great.....

Anyway.... I got a thick layer of foam in on one side- No choice- couldnt stop the spray.....

I let it sit for about 30 minutes and checked on it. It skinned over real nice but the thick sections were still soft under the skin...

If you press a part of the foam... it plumps up in other areas...

You can pull it a little here... squish a little there..... You can change the size a decent amount after it skinned but is still squishy inside.....

I put the tank on another side so the foam was vertical- taped on a weight here to pull this out... used a piece of pvc tubing to squish this in- etc.... I left it that way for another 30 ish minutes, and the changes I made are now permanent since the soft foam inside cured to the dimensions I wanted. ( I also stabbed the thick sections with a wire clothes hanger to get them to cure faster as well)

Neat little trick I never read about anywhere, so I figured I'd pass it along.

BTW- I used GS and touch n foam black pond foam- The touch n foam is definetly a denser foam- also cures faster and more ridgid. GS is softer but "airier" if thats a word....

So far I'm quite pleased with how the tank is turning out- wish my camera was working to show you the changes in the foam.. I think I pulled out up to 1.5" and squished about 1" which can be a significant change.....

postal

>>I started foaming my 54? corner unit today- sorry no camera...
>>
>>I had a really old bottle of GS that expired in 2003.... new unopened bottle. It wouldnt spray, so I put on the safety glasses, put it in a cardboard box, took a nail and a hammer to the bottom edge of the can.....
>>
>>It worked great- really fast!!!!!! but great.....
>>
>>Anyway.... I got a thick layer of foam in on one side- No choice- couldnt stop the spray.....
>>
>>I let it sit for about 30 minutes and checked on it. It skinned over real nice but the thick sections were still soft under the skin...
>>
>>If you press a part of the foam... it plumps up in other areas...
>>
>>You can pull it a little here... squish a little there..... You can change the size a decent amount after it skinned but is still squishy inside.....
>>
>>I put the tank on another side so the foam was vertical- taped on a weight here to pull this out... used a piece of pvc tubing to squish this in- etc.... I left it that way for another 30 ish minutes, and the changes I made are now permanent since the soft foam inside cured to the dimensions I wanted. ( I also stabbed the thick sections with a wire clothes hanger to get them to cure faster as well)
>>
>>Neat little trick I never read about anywhere, so I figured I'd pass it along.
>>
>>BTW- I used GS and touch n foam black pond foam- The touch n foam is definetly a denser foam- also cures faster and more ridgid. GS is softer but "airier" if thats a word....
>>
>>So far I'm quite pleased with how the tank is turning out- wish my camera was working to show you the changes in the foam.. I think I pulled out up to 1.5" and squished about 1" which can be a significant change.....
>>
>>postal

This is why I keep receipts, as I have returned them for failure to work. Hopefully Menards doesn't re-stock them although I wouldn't doubt it.

Anyways, so you held the can with one hand the nail with another and hit it with your third? Did the spray start after you pulled the nail out or immediately?

Its says not to do this on the can but now that I know someone has accomplished it, I'm curious as to how it was done and how dangerous it really is.

Cheers
-----
Jeremy Payne
JB Reptile
Boa Morph's since 2007

1.0 Snow "Khal"
0.2 Triple Het Moonglow "Khal"
0.1 Orange Tail Hypo Het Leopard
1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow
1.0 Ghost
0.1 Possible Super Hypo
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Khal" Albino
1.0 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Suriname/Columbian cross
0.1 Anerthrystic

Actually- the tip I wanted to pass along, was that you can push and pull the foam after skinning over and change the shape significantly- leave it like that until it cures and it stays that way permanently.

I would not tell people to puncture a can with a nail... Yes I did.... but I wouldnt tell others to do it.

The can was bought in 03.... been sitting in the garage unused for that long.

For anyone that attempts this... I laid the can on it's side in a carboard box- held the nail near the bottom edge and popped it with a hammer. It sprays immediately and VERY VERY FAST! You have to rush the job and keep the can moving all while not foaming yourself or the patio.... I really would not recommend trying it.

Oh I realized the tip was just curious as to the manual method of removing foam. I figured as much just wanted to hear it first thing.

LOL...I bet you still have crap on your hands....
-----
Jeremy Payne
JB Reptile
Boa Morph's since 2007

1.0 Snow "Khal"
0.2 Triple Het Moonglow "Khal"
0.1 Orange Tail Hypo Het Leopard
1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow
1.0 Ghost
0.1 Possible Super Hypo
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Khal" Albino
1.0 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Suriname/Columbian cross
0.1 Anerthrystic

It can be dangerous- at the very least wear safety glasses.

I got lucky. Since I had it in a cardboard box to begin with.. right by the tank...I was able to get it from the box into the tank, and spray the tank without any foam getting on the patio or me- just the box and the tank. If anybody was there to watch it- I'm sure it wouldve been a disaster... ya know how it goes...

The foam comes out REALLY fast- gotta be ready....

I still have the black pond foam on my fingers from the "touch up" work I did.... The initial big spray of GS and thouch n foam went nice and clean... the little touch up stuff I did without gloves got me big time!

I've seen people making great fake rocks / backgrounds on this forum - is this the product you are using to accomplish the look??? I would think it would be unsafe for snakes but if you know it's fine shoot me a message back! I would love to incorporate this into my snake habitats. Thanks!