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I have a friend I am going to help out, creating a scene with stones on the wall. What is a cheap foam I could use to do this? Maybe 2" thick, not sure. I was thinking of carving it with an exacto, or dremeling it, then painting, airbrushing it afterwards.
-------------------- The Word in Signs Bobbie Rochow Jamestown, PA 16134
724-927-6471
thewordinsigns@alltel.net Posts: 3485 | From: Jamestown, PA 16134 | Registered: Oct 2002
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Styrofoam.....Hot cutting blade/wire. Little exactos and dremel tools are way too small. A 4" grinder at Harbor Freight is only $20. Think production work. Cut and shape all the "Stones" and glue to wall. Then Brush any thick primer coat and try to add texture to this base coat. No airbrush....too small. I would paint with all old house paints. Splatter and sponge on finish textures.
-------------------- John Arnott El Cajon CA 619 596-9989 signgraphics1@aol.com http://www.signgraphics1.com Posts: 1443 | From: El Cajon CA usa | Registered: Dec 1998
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-------------------- John Arnott El Cajon CA 619 596-9989 signgraphics1@aol.com http://www.signgraphics1.com Posts: 1443 | From: El Cajon CA usa | Registered: Dec 1998
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Hi Bobbi, If you want to make the stones a bit hardier, I've made a hard coat from Weldbond glue and latex paint mixed 50%/50% (you likely could cut back some on the glue)and sand. Indoors you could probably use cheaper glue. If you are simulating rock use coarse sand even some small gravel. If you use a cream or grey paint you can drybush some colours on later or else paint the whole stone again for variation. You can use Styrofoam or EPS foam (the pink or blue insulating stuff) that you get from a lumberyard. If you are going to hot cut it make sure you do it outside, the fumes are quite toxic.
-------------------- “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” -Winnie the Pooh & A.A. Milne
Kelly Thorson Kel-T-Grafix 801 Main St. Holdfast, SK S0G 2H0 ktg@sasktel.net Posts: 5496 | From: Penzance, Saskatchewan | Registered: May 2002
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Bobbie, the insulating foam can be sprayed with an enamel rattle can and it will eat into the surface and give you a quick and easy rock texture - make sure to peel the plastic cover first.....
-------------------- www.signcreations.net Sonny Franks Lilburn, GA 770-923-9933 Posts: 4115 | From: Lilburn, GA USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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If you have acetone handy, you can spray the styro with that and it will melt in a pretty "rock-like" way. Spray it through an airbrush for control because a little goes a long way.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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I have made several large stone projects for theater designs and even signage ...
1.) work on the project outside if possible- white beadboard and other types of foam are extremely messy- lots of static, so it sticks to everything you don't want it to. 2.) a cheap electric knife (like you would use in the kitchen) and a heat gun (like some people use to remove vinyl) latex or acrylic house paint- just about all the tools you need. cut the shape with the electric knife, use the heat gun to melt the texture (doesn't take much heat) then paint...
3.) spraying acetone does do the trick, but you can't get it to stop "melting" the foam- I have a project that was a couple of years old and you could still hear the foam poping and cracking- the chemical reaction was still going on-and I airbrushed very small amounts-I would stay away from it.
4.) Kelly's trick is good because no matter how cool it looks, it is still easy to damage unless you can coat it with something to make it tough.
-------------------- Michael Clanton Clanton Graphics/ Blackberry 19 Studio 1933 Blackberry Conway AR 72034 501-505-6794 clantongraphics@yahoo.com Posts: 1735 | From: Conway Arkansas | Registered: Oct 2001
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A few years ago, I made a couple rocks out of white beaded foam as stage props for a drama. I glued 4" blocks together, rough cut them using a Sawsall with a 12" blade, and then sprayed with a mixture of white sugar sand, bonding agent, and white portland. I should have sifted things first. The gun clogged and a gallon or two of stuff in the hopper gun blew out the top, coating me with enough of that white concoction that I looked like Lot's wife for a while.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5084 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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