Sculpted 'oyster mushrooms' for frog's tank - work in progress!

[rosequoll]

Just thought I'd share some sculpted 'tree'/oyster mushrooms that I'm working on for my new frog tank. They're currently sculpted in clay, but will be cast in food safe resin and sealed once I find the appropriate resins for the job.

Not sure if I'll leave them plain white or use coloured resin, but hoping it'll look pretty fancy. Not sure yet whether I'll silicone them into the tank or use large rare earth magnets.

[UncleChester]

Looking great so far!

[cruentusanima]

Wow, that looks great! I was thinking about adding some shrooms to the viv I'm creating but this seems like a more practical approach. Any chance your going to create a step by step build thread?

[rosequoll]

Wow, that looks great! I was thinking about adding some shrooms to the viv I'm creating but this seems like a more practical approach. Any chance your going to create a step by step build thread?

Definitely will take photos. I'm still working on researching what resins are safe. I think I've got the right product now, but I'm waiting back on a few emails to be 100% sure.

If all goes well I'm happy to sell a few casts to. I'll have a mould so I can cast as many or as few as I need. =)

[rosequoll]

Okay! First photos of 'Prototype 1'.

I give it 5/10 points. They look awesome, they're nice and lightweight (78gm/2.75oz) but the initial magnets I tried (I went for whatever I could find locally, I have better ones on order but wont have them for two weeks) were too small and while they'll stay up, they don't hold any weight.

But I'm pleased none the less and this set could easily be siliconed onto the wall of a tank. =)

I made a few mistakes though, too much expending foam inside, and poured the final resin onto the foam before it was 100% cured. Next time I'll have to give it a bit more time to cure. =)

Question:

1. Do you think it's worth working to get the magnet system right, or should I just make them for siliconing onto tanks? I figured being able to remove them was better for cleaning.

2. Should I make them lighter white? or darker brown??

(Photos, first is on the tank for quick photo, second and third stuck to the fridge)

[flybyferns]

Okay! First photos of 'Prototype 1'.

I give it 5/10 points. They look awesome, they're nice and lightweight (78gm/2.75oz) but the initial magnets I tried (I went for whatever I could find locally, I have better ones on order but wont have them for two weeks) were too small and while they'll stay up, they don't hold any weight.

But I'm pleased none the less and this set could easily be siliconed onto the wall of a tank. =)

I made a few mistakes though, too much expending foam inside, and poured the final resin onto the foam before it was 100% cured. Next time I'll have to give it a bit more time to cure. =)

Question:

1. Do you think it's worth working to get the magnet system right, or should I just make them for siliconing onto tanks? I figured being able to remove them was better for cleaning.

2. Should I make them lighter white? or darker brown??

(Photos, first is on the tank for quick photo, second and third stuck to the fridge)

rosequoll,
Wow, you could sell them !
They are ,just beautiful. I think they look beautiful that light color!!!
I ended up using silicone to stick my plant holders on the side of my take.
After awhile, the magnents drove me nuts!
Lynn

[kueluck]

WOW!! They look awesome.

[rosequoll]

Thanks guys! I'm leaning more and more towards no magnets. Anyone think it's worth the effort to get the magnets working?

I would like to sell them, so I want to make sure I'm making something that people would actually like!

[NatureLady]

Thanks guys! I'm leaning more and more towards no magnets. Anyone think it's worth the effort to get the magnets working?

I would like to sell them, so I want to make sure I'm making something that people would actually like!

They are simply AMAZING! What a talent you have!!!

I would buy them. I personally like the color as is or slightly darker brown. I also would lean towards no magnets!

[KingCam]

I would buy them. I personally like the color as is or slightly darker brown. I also would lean towards no magnets!

Hmmm.... I dunno. I quite like magnets. They are so versatile! You can get very powerful magnets of all shapes and sizes from kjmagnetics.com

[NatureLady]

Hmmm.... I dunno. I quite like magnets. They are so versatile! You can get very powerful magnets of all shapes and sizes from kjmagnetics.com

I could see advantages to both...
Magnets=ease of cleaning the glass and offer an easy way to deep clean the mushrooms
No Magnets=one time placement and no second guessing if a wrecking ball (or clumsy owner) tree frog could hurt himself by knocking it off

[KingCam]

No Magnets=one time placement and no second guessing if a wrecking ball (or clumsy owner) tree frog could hurt himself by knocking it off

Trust me, if he goes with kjmagnetics, he can pick out a magnet that would be hard for even a human to remove. They have magnets so powerful on that website that if you held two on either side of your head, they'd slam together and paint the room with your brains.

[cruentusanima]

I second the magnet idea. I think personally since I'm in the process of building a viv i could potentially mess things up if I silicone it and if I have magnets it's fool proof. As far as color goes I would think a darker brown would be easier to blend with any setup.

[flybyferns]

Thanks guys! I'm leaning more and more towards no magnets. Anyone think it's worth the effort to get the magnets working?

I would like to sell them, so I want to make sure I'm making something that people would actually like!

rosequoll,
food for thought !
I have used magnets (imbedded into styrofoam planters) on my glass enclosure walls for > 2years.
*remember I’m talking about planters holding the weight of 4” pots , plants and soil which is very wet most of the time.
Here are some reasons why I decided to silicone my 13 planters on the the enclosure walls:
-the plants were getting heavy/even with 2 and 3 very strong magnets
-MY BIGGEST CONCERN !!!! if I bumped the planters while cleaning – it would fall ( risking a frog injury)
-I worried the frog would get injured it the planter slipped from a heavy plant while sleeping on it during the day
(so if the magnet is not strong enough- even a frog jumping onto it could make it tumble!!!)
- believe it or not--- it's much, much easier to clean around when it it stuck on !
-the magnets are strong, you have to be very careful when you put them back on
( if you cannot reach around the enclosure- you need two people)
-You have to slide the magnets into place or the glass could break
- I had added magnets to my planters along the way—you have to purchase stainless $$ or rubber coated, otherwise they rust under the silicone while it’s drying--- causing the silicone to to pull away from the covered magnets.

I am happy they are on the walls securely !
That's why I re-designed my vivs around the planters w/ painted tree trunks
(Plus the planters were a big investment)
I'm not sorry I did it at all.
Plus the frogs don't like things moved around too much , anyway !
Think of how often a frog ( a red eye anyway) will sleep on the same leaf night after night.
Lynn

[UncleChester]

1. Do you think it's worth working to get the magnet system right, or should I just make them for siliconing onto tanks? I figured being able to remove them was better for cleaning.

From the responses, I think you'll have to do both. I've never tried a magnet approach but I attach my shelf mushrooms (collected from the wild) in my vivs with silicone and I'm happy with that approach.

2. Should I make them lighter white? or darker brown??

I lean towards lighter but I'd ask if they've been sealed yet? Also, how do they look wet?

(hmm...a shelf mushroom waterfall could be awesome)

[rosequoll]

From the responses, I think you'll have to do both. I've never tried a magnet approach but I attach my shelf mushrooms (collected from the wild) in my vivs with silicone and I'm happy with that approach.



I lean towards lighter but I'd ask if they've been sealed yet? Also, how do they look wet?

(hmm...a shelf mushroom waterfall could be awesome)

Not sealed yet. Will not require sealing, just need a 7 day post cure and they're totally fine to have in the viv as they are.

Will be doing both in this case! I'll get some stronger magnets and make both magnet sets and non magnet sets. =)

For the people worried about super strong magnets scratching or breaking glass, I will be coating the 'outside' magnets in a capsule of urethane rubber. It's grippy, will prevent sliding and also protect glass and fingers from pinches and breaking.

Just waiting on magnets to come in the mail! I'm in AU, so KJ Magnetics is a bit of a pricey choice, I have a local choice that isn't so bad, but still pricey! I've found a wholesale price place in hong kong but slow shipping. Expect magnet attempt #2 in about two weeks, gives me some time to make a mould for the magnet capsules.

P.S. - I'm female. Not that it's important, but not a "he"! =)

[rosequoll]

Trust me, if he goes with kjmagnetics, he can pick out a magnet that would be hard for even a human to remove. They have magnets so powerful on that website that if you held two on either side of your head, they'd slam together and paint the room with your brains.

Checked out the site, I wish I had money for one of the big ones. Mmmmagnets. But! I'm in Australia and I think the shipping from there might be a bit obscene, but I'll see what the shipping quote is or check out an AU alternative.

At the moment just got a stack of 20mm x 2mm Rare Earth's coming from a cheap place in Hong Kong for trying it out.

[rosequoll]

The magnets from KJMagnetics are a fantastic price, but I just checked. To get 30 of the size I'd want, only $57. Not bad! With shipping to AU? $190. Er, not so much! Thanks for the suggestion though. =)

[rosequoll]

Super fast pic, I washed the mushroom really well, dried it out, grabbed a quick photo and pulled it out again. The resin is cured so it's non toxic, but to be 100% sure I want to leave it at LEAST a week before it's in longer than a minute or two.

New Baby seemed to like it. Settled right in and was annoyed when I kicked her off. Aww.

[KingCam]

For the people worried about super strong magnets scratching or breaking glass, I will be coating the 'outside' magnets in a capsule of urethane rubber. It's grippy, will prevent sliding and also protect glass and fingers from pinches and breaking.

That's exactly what I was going to say for the ones concerned about the glass :P Except I didn't know what the stuff was called, I was just gonna say "some kind of styrofoam or rubber backing."

Just waiting on magnets to come in the mail! I'm in AU, so KJ Magnetics is a bit of a pricey choice, I have a local choice that isn't so bad, but still pricey! I've found a wholesale price place in hong kong but slow shipping. Expect magnet attempt #2 in about two weeks, gives me some time to make a mould for the magnet capsules.

Can't wait to see what you come up with!!

P.S. - I'm female. Not that it's important, but not a "he"! =)

Oh, I do apologize for that! I should have taken a look at your profile or something :-\

Checked out the site, I wish I had money for one of the big ones. Mmmmagnets. But! I'm in Australia and I think the shipping from there might be a bit obscene, but I'll see what the shipping quote is or check out an AU alternative.

I love magnets :P I could spend 1,000's of dollars on that website XD

The magnets from KJMagnetics are a fantastic price, but I just checked. To get 30 of the size I'd want, only $57. Not bad! With shipping to AU? $190. Er, not so much! Thanks for the suggestion though. =)

WOA!! Yeah, that's some crazy shipping prices O_O