Thanks for your replies and comments... i will try to have my friend take a couple of better pics tomorrow (i have no camera). Also thanks to my buddy Tom Mills for showing me how to do some of this stuff and lending me tools.
MATERIALS:
-glass aquarium tank
-3/4 inch thick plywood
-2x4
-screws
-staple gun
-tons of 1/2 inch staples
-paper towels
-power saw
-1/2 inch mesh chicken wire
-newspapers
-styrofoam chunks
-Sandpaper
-"Fix-all" repair cement type stuff
-pvc pipes and elbows
-pvc glue
-spray paint (black, white, tan, light gray, dark gray, yellow)
-gloss polyurethane spray
-sticky back velcro tape
STEPS:
1. measure inside dimensions of tank exactly.
2. Mark and cut the 3/4 inch plywood - be sure to leave a bit of room so that you can place it into the tank at an angle.
3. If you want the wall to be more stable you can cut a small plywood "foot" and attach it with screws to the interior bottom part of the plywood backing - just a small triangular piece so that the back wall can have a jutting rock piece stick out to have bit of extra footing to keep it upright.
4. Paint the back and sides of the plywood backing with black paint to keep out moisture and protect it -- also the bottom of the plywood foot, if any. Let dry completely.
5. Cut a rectangle using 5 pieces of 2x4 to fit the back of the plywood backing. Screw it onto the backing temporarily to prevent bending of your plywood backing while you are working on it and plastering it etc.
6. Cut a piece of 1/2 inch mesh the size of the plywood backing and staple it down very well to the inside unpainted surface of the plywood backing.
7. Assemble pvc tunnels and let dry - it is important that the tunnels have an exit on each side for cleaning purposes - later you can use a bottle brush to clean it if the snake craps in there. Once they are dry rough up the inner couple of inches with sandpaper.
8. Attach the pvc tunnels to the wall using pieces of the 1/2" chicken wire mesh and staple gun - then plug holes with paper towels or something.
9. then build up around the pvc using newspaper or styrofoam chunks then attach and shape everything using the mesh and staple gun -- this must be very secure with staples.
10. Mix the Fix-all cement type stuff and apply it over everything in a fairly thin first coat - use tools if you have them or use your hands if you don't mind them getting exposed to the cement stuff. It does not matter if it has the exact shape you want yet - just cover all the wire and newspaper/styrofoam. If any wires stick out clip them off or push them down. Let dry thoroughly.
11. Apply second final coat of Fix-all - make sure it has the shape you want and all wires etc are fully concealed and there are no sharp or pointy things to hurt your snake.
12. Spray the insides of the pvc the appropriate color (tan as a base in my case since i am making granite). Spray paint the wall whatever color you want. MY GRANITE RECIPE: Use each of the colors stated above but DO NOT fully depress the spray paint sprayer - only push down a milimeter or so so that the can sputters and spits out paint... this is actually kind of hard to do without just spraying everything and takes some practice... use all the colors. When this is dry, spray with polyurethane spray (adds to cleanability, durability and granite look). When the polyurethane spray is dry you will notice that the base color of the Fix-all has turned a slighly unsightly yellowed color and looks waaaay to shiny -- do not despair, just reapply the sputtering spray as before - this will soften the gloss and make the granite look realistic and bring up some of the colors by mitigating the yellow of the poly spray. Let the climbing wall cure up to a week outside and all of the polyurethane spray smell will be gone.
13. Unscrew and remove the 2x4 stability frame from the back of the plywood backing.
14. Apply velcro tape strips along strategic areas of the back of the wall and the interior of the glass of the aquarium so that they will line up and keep the wall from crushing your snake - if you added a "foot" this will help to keep it in place... otherwise be sure to use plenty of velcro!
15. Place climbing wall diagonally into aquarium and press back against the velcro - lay the tank down on its back with the climbing wall's weight on the velcro overnight to let it really grab on.
DONE!
S.B.
