Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Had a big limb fall down in my yard thanks to Katrina and while sawing it up decided that it might be fun to save a couple pieces out to make one of those Y log and straight log setups like they sell you fake from Cages by Design. I want to strip the bark off them first and obviously theres the disinfecting stage but how do you preserve the wood so it doesnt rot? I know most of us have bought the commercially available driftwood or grapevine and I've never had any rot on me. So what do you guys use for this and where can I get some? Thanks a lot.

Steve

I think this would be really difficult to do, especially without getting a plastic look. But if it's a particuarly nice piece of wood and you can't bear to put it in a cage, then I'd treat it with a penetrating epoxy. These have strong solvents that are designed to flow the epoxy resin down into and around the fibers of the wood.

I have heard good things about a penetrating epoxy from "Smith & Co.". I have not used it myself. I also have no idea of how much it would take to treat a natural limb. Probably a lot.

The Smith and Company epoxy is $149.00 a gal, and covers 800sq ft...one coat.
I've been checking that stuff out. I also like it can be used as a primer, but dont know if the top coat retards off gassing of the epoxy when used as an undercoat.
Why not just take the branch, and dry it out in the oven?
Keep it on about 150*, and keep the door open. It will dry your branch nicely. When soiled...bleach, and water.Lots of rinsing
Dry in oven again...re-use

>>I've been checking that stuff out. I also like it can be used as a primer, but dont know if the top coat retards off gassing of the epoxy when used as an undercoat.

I'm sure it will to some extent. But this stuff has so much solvent in it that is ends up going on micro-thin, so there is not a lot of drying to do. The biggest knock against this product and other penetrating epoxies is that there is very little epoxy in them. Most of it is just solvent. I have heard people recommend you just make you own, although I don't know what base epoxy is best to start with.

I'll be using that bar top epoxy as much as possible. No solvents.