# Hollow Log - CHECK THIS OUT!



## bigwoo1 (Oct 1, 2008)

Ok,

Here's a pic of the log I made using styrofoam pipe insulation. It took less than 10 minutes to make! :wink:

I am hoping to make one end look submerged in the bottom with the other sticking up slightly above. Maybe a few more holes in the larger version. (this was my test)

I used a hobby knife and cut some flat spots and scrapes and abrasions on the outside. Then I cross-cut some small knicks in various places. Then I cut the hole out. After that, I simply made the lengthwise cuts that looked like wood grain. I also scraped and marred a few of these slits to give them variety.

Then, HEAT. I used a heat gun and started heating it until this emerged! There were some things that I tried to add after I had heated it and it doesn't work very well after the fact. This was the first one and I will try again with a larger log.

I still need to know if there is some kind of paint or something else that I can use to color it the same color as a log. I may go with the algae idea that someone else recomended.

Anyone know of any way to color this like a log? Thanks! jim


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## balachel (May 24, 2008)

well that looks really cool i have never seen that before nice job looks really real.


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## css virginia (Jan 29, 2007)

That looks good...interesting. Good job. 8)


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## iceblue (Apr 27, 2004)

Does it sink?


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Krylon fusion. Use a couple colors and spray a varied look on your fake log. Pipe insulation is probably a closed cell foam, so it will float forever unless weighted down. Might make a good refuge floating in a corner.


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## k19smith (Sep 6, 2005)

Looks great, my question is it gonna be 100% safe for the fish? I may have to try this.


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## D-007 (Jan 3, 2008)

Now that I can see what the 'log' looks like, I'd say don't paint it at all (unless the camera is playing tricks) because it looks like a weathered piece of wood.

I think you did a real good job on the textures - well done!

........ Just had a thought about coloring it if you really want to still do that: Rit Dye.

Look forward to the next pictures :wink:


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## Tirral (Mar 2, 2007)

Nice one Bigwoo! =D>

I like it. might have to give this one a go myself.
Any chance of an end view so we can see the size of the the insde.

Tirral


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## bigwoo1 (Oct 1, 2008)

It is made with the 3/8 by 3/4 tubular insulation (that's all that I had on hand). I am going to get the 3/8 by 1 1/2 to do a bigger one. This was just a test. I hope the 1 1/2 is big enough because that is the biggest I can find!


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## dooo_36 (Jul 16, 2008)

well if you can find the right colorant than maybe you can use those noodles kids get for floatation devices in swimming pools. the other day i saw some at home depot that were close to 4 maybe 5 inches around. you slit that open you could get maybe a 8 to 10 inch piece of bark wood. but thats of course if you can color it. oh wait i just took a second look at your pic and noticed it was just half the tube you used, unless you can cut some slits on the back side to allow you to open that tube up a little.

other thoughts, and this may not apply to this situation but i thought burning plastics and styrofoams could be hazardous.

i remember seeing a thread that some guy wanted to burn away the styrofoam of his DIY cement background instead of using acetone and several commented that wasn;t safe.

i guess im just wondering how much heat are you applying to the foam cause i can see you applying the heat the same way you would to heat shrink wrap, and maybe thats what your doing which i can see that being safe.

but as i see it, if you are unable to use that original foam tubing, than this is actually a pretty ingenious simple way to make a molding.


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## bigwoo1 (Oct 1, 2008)

Atually, this is the whole tube. I just opened it up at the slit so you could see it better. That's what I plan on doing anyway. It would almost have to be done that way so that there is a surface to use for applying the silicone to keep it in place.

As far as a mold... I was actually trying to figure out how to make easy molds for some of my ideas and this is what came to mind. Then I thought, "Wait a minute. Why can't I just use it for the log?" Anyway, that's how it came to be.

I'm also trying some styrofoam rocks and hoping that they're not too bouyant (using regular sytrofoam blocks). I'm thinking that if they're glued down with silicone that they will hold... I hope! I tried submerging one of the styrofaom structures I was building and I'm guessing it could support twenty or thirty pounds. I'm sure there is an engineering factoid site on the internet that would give me the bouyancy numbers on various mat'ls. Maybe I'll check that out before I waste, or POTENTIALLY waste, any more time.

And the gun I used was a standard heat gun. The kind used for shrink wrapping in industry as well as hobby. I use it for electrical app's but purchased it initially for shrinking the covering on R/C planes that I used to build.

One of the problems I'm currently having is finding someone that actually stocks quikwall. I haven't exhausted all my possibilities yet. (Being near one of the largest cities in the nation, San Antonio, one would think that it wouldn't be that difficult.) Anywya, when I do, I will be able to do more with my ideas and designs. I will put them on the forum when I get to that point.
Well, time to go! Hasta fer now!


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